Friday, August 27, 2004 1:18 AM

The Redouble

PITBULLS:

The redouble is a very under used bid in Bridge. It is actually a very useful bid that established partnerships should have clear understandings. Maurice & Susan had a classic 4^th suit forcing auction that shows the importance of redouble understandings. Susan had KJxx AJxxx xx Kx and Maurice opened a diamond and Susan responded a heart. Maurice rebid 2♣ and Susan decided to bid 4^th suit forcing with 2♠. Maurice had a 17 count so he should his extra by “patterning out” and bidding 3♠ which got doubled by LHO. A redouble as a Q bid is only in effect when you have a fit established in a Q bidding auction. A direct redouble should invite playing the contract there and a pass should show some doubt that 3♠ x is the correct spot. If the other partner redoubles that should show an inclination to play it there also or else a 3NT bid would have been made.

Stayman & transfers over 1NT is where you should have fine tuned understandings of the pass and redouble. A double of Stayman allows you some room to describe your hand. A pass should show some club values and invites partner to redouble if he has a suitable hand. A direct redouble says I have 5 clubs or 4 very good ones so lets play it there. Normally you should bid your major if you have one and a direct 2♦ response says you do not have club hands to invite a redouble. Partner should be leery of jumping to 3NT without a club stopper if partner bids 2♦ . I would go so far as saying 2♦ denies a club stopper !!

Transfers needs understandings also . You do not have the luxury here of passing inviting a redouble as the pass just shows that you do not have 3 cards in partners suit. A redouble should suggest playing that contract and should show length & strength . It does not just show a stopper or a control , it is punitive.

A Q bidding auction is different . A redouble is just another Q bid showing 1^st or 2^nd round control. Doug Deschner had AQJ10x of clubs and a major suit was agreed so he Q bid 4♣ . The opponent doubled his 4♣ Q bid and his partner had a singleton . . Her redouble to show 2^nd round control would have been passed !

Quite often when the opponents make a lead directing double of 3NT and if you feel your contract is not in danger you should redouble. Partner quite often runs to the safety of 4 of your minor if you fail to redouble. In spirited auctions where the double is not a lead director, some players reverse the meaning of pass & redouble. They redouble says “I am not too sure about this partner “ so do something intelligent. ( D.S.I.P. redoubles if you will ) . A pass says leave me alone in my doubled 3NT or make a punitive redouble. This treatment is obviously alertable.

When you have 3NT on you mind & you groping for a 3NT contract, you can make a western Q in the opponents suit as a NT probe asking for a stopper. If the opponents double that Q bid , a redouble shows a partial stopper Qx or Jxx or 10xxx sort of thing. You have the inference that partner would bid 3NT with a full stopper as requested by partner.

If a redouble makes no sense , its SOS and asks partner to start scrambling. If the opponents convert for penalty , a redouble makes no sense because you would just take your doubled contract and run. A redouble says lets try an alternative spot partner.

If your partner doubles a contract and the opponents redouble , you should have a clear understanding of the pass. The answer to whether a redoubled contract should be passed or not is positional. If you are behind the redoubled suit , you want the contract to be played there. If you are in front of the suit you want partner to pick his best suit. Playing against the Bartons with their weak two’s you get to practice this concept. 2♥-P-P-X XX-P This means I want to play 2♥XX partner , I am behind the suit with my 5 trump ! Know thy redoubles ….