Tuesday, November 22, 2005 1:48 AM

2/1 - Support Doubles

PITBULLS:

Tom Gandolfo has extended the concept of support doubles to 2/1 bidding. As usual for a memory aid its Sandwich equals Support . if the opponents crawl in our forcing auction in the sandwich position we play support doubles even if the 2/1 was a minor ! This means they can only get punished by the 2/1 re-opening with a double. If the 2/1 has a penalty double , she is forced to bid NT or some other bid.

The auction goes 1♠-P-2♥-3♣ and you have AKxxx AJx xxx xx . This is a double of 3♣ showing 3 card heart support. The bid works well when they pre-empt in the sandwich position. 1♥-P-2♣-3♦ X with Qxxx AKxxx x AJx Partner knowing there is club support with the opening bid tries 3NT with Axx x Kxx KQxxxx

OK you are playing against Steve Willard and hold AKxxx xx KQJ10 Kx . You open 1♠ and partner bids 2♣. RHO has paid his card fees so he bids 2♦. You pass and partner has xx AKxx xx AQJxx and doubles. 2♦X does not make and you get your 100 honours. Steve plays it well and only goes 5 down.

Standard support doubles are usually not defined for 2/1 bidding . This is due to penalty doubles being effective in front of the suit or behind their suit. If the trump honours are in front of the suit , declarer has no entries to the board to finesse them. This is because your side has 26 + HCP with your 2/1. Playing support doubles after a 2/1 is a trade off depending on frequency of occurrence.

There is a distinct advantage of playing support doubles especially when they pre-empt in the sandwich position. You can double showing support for partners minor and still allow room for 3NT.

1♥-P-2♣-3♠ X xx AKxxx Qxx KQX If you bid 4♣ to show your fit you are passed 3NT. If you pass and they bid 4♠ do you double or bid 5♣ ? Getting the support double early in the auction simplifies the bidding.

The 4^th trump is a huge card for slam bidding. Partner now knows that when you support her suit you have 4 of them when they bid in the sandwich position. Same hand but add a 4^th trump x AKxxx Qxx KQxx and you have a 4♠ Q bid. Partner has xxx x AKx AJxxxx so you get to an excellent 6♣ . Support doubles are an excellent offensive tool to identify 4 card trump suport.

There is no reason not to play support doubles even if you have made a 2/1 in competition. 1♦-2♥-2♠-3♥ X shows 3 card spade support. Even if partner bids at the 3 level as long as they bid in the sandwich position , it is a support double. 1♦-2♥-3♣-3♥ X This shows 3 card club support . xx xx AQJxx AKxx on this auction you might even cheat and make a support double with 4 trump hoping that partner can bid 3NT !