6.0 Competitive Bidding
Part-score Battles — Co-operative Doubles
Most of the deals at bridge will not produce a game for either side. Making the correct decisions about whether you will play or defend, double or not double, will affect your matchpoint score more than any other single facet of the game.
When We Stop at the Two Level and the Opponents Compete to Three of a Suit
These rules can be used by opener, overcaller, or responder in the direct seat:
- Bid to the three level of our suit with an extra trump, or other distributional reason.
- Pass without an extra trump and minimum for your previous action.
- Double without an extra trump and maximum values for your previous action.
The same rules apply in the pass-out seat:
- If partner has passed
- Bid to the three level of our suit with an extra trump, or other distributional reason.
- Pass without an extra trump and minimum for your previous action.
- Double without an extra trump and maximum values for your previous action.
- If partner has doubled
- Bid to the three level of our suit with an extra trump, or other distributional reason.
- Pass if you judge your hand better to defend than to play. You should have either maximum points, or some trump control to pass.
- If partner has raised to the three level
- Pass. Partner’s bid was not invitational, just competitive.
Examples
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1♠ |
2♥ |
2♠ |
| 3♥ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dbl |
|
|
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1♠ |
Pass |
2♠ |
| Pass |
Pass |
3♣ |
Dbl |
|
|
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1♠ |
Pass |
2♠ |
| Pass |
Pass |
3♦ |
Dbl |
|
These are all co-operative doubles, promising a minimum number of trumps (3 for responder, 5 for opener) and maximum high cards, leaving the decision to partner as to whether to play or defend.
Game Try Doubles