[Coelacanth]

Scoring: MP

---

This hand chose to pass as dealer, and the auction proceeded

P - (P) - 1♦ - (X)
2♥! - (P) - P - (X)
P - (2♠) - All pass

! Weak jump shift (no kidding)

2♠ duly made 9 tricks, 140 for EW

When the dummy hit, S summoned the director. East had made a takeout double of 1♦ holding

♠AQ86
♥J
♦J732
♣A743

South claims that had he known that E could be so weak and so short in ♥ for her sequence, he would have bid 3♥, which is 2 off, -100 for NS.

Upon questioning after the hand, E thought her initial double to be completely normal. When asked whether their takeout doubles of minor-suit openings promise support for both majors, W opined "normally they would, yes" but considered his partner's hand to be not out of the ordinary for such an action.

Questions:
(1) Is this style of double unusual enough to require an alert (in the ACBL)?
(2) If the answer to (1) is "yes", is there any case for adjustment based on MI?

[hrothgar]

I don't particularly like the take out double, preferring 1♠ or pass. However, I find the first seat pass by South far stranger that the takeout double.

If N/S are entitled to an adjustment for the off shape takeout double, then E/W should probably claim damage based on the lack of an alert for the initial pass.

It seems easiest to handle both cases at once and adjust to 3♠ = for E/W

[helene_t]

Result stands.

E's double is more a sign of lack of general bridge knowledge than of unusual agreements. You can't expect people to alert based on that. They need to know what is normal bidding before they can alert their partners' abnormal calls.

Besides, S's damage claim is pretty ridiculous:
- If W had told him that E might not have support for both majors, it doesn't make 3♥ more attractive. E might be short in spades rather than hearts.
- S told his story with 2♥. Why would he start bidding his opponents' cards after already having bid his own?
- 3♥ might get doubled by W, now E may sit for it for a better result than table result, or take it out for same result as table result.

[JoAnneM]

Off-shape doubles are not alertable in ACBL, although there is a place to mark them on the convention card. 12hcp is not that light for a takeout double, I have seen a lot worse, no one is vul and his partner is a passed hand.

[peachy]

If the heart hand has a weak two on the card, there is no reason in the world not to open 2H. If 2H response over the Dbl was weak, then his hand is too good for 2H. Off-shape takeout double is a common weapon among bad players. It is not alerted in ACBL but the ACBL convention card has a checkbox. The likelihood of that box being checked is near zero because those who use that style do not know there is anything unusual about it. Even if one should ask about their TO style, the question is likely to confuse instead of producing a coherent answer. And the asker in this case would be hinting to a reason for asking (UI) further reducing their chance for a normal score when UI restrictions are present. Oh well... Fixed indeed but there is no infraction, just bad bridge both sides of the table. Table result stands.

[Coelacanth]

I probably should have mentioned that NS do not play standard weak twos, so south's hand is entirely consistent with his auction. (Up to the point where he considered bidding 3♥, to Helene's point).

I certainly agree that no adjustment is in order here. As peachy pointed out, many players think it's entirely normal to make a takeout double of 1 of a minor opposite a passed partner holding 11 working HCP and a singleton heart.

Here we have a situation where it would never have occurred to East that she'd done anything out of the ordinary. It also never occurred to NS that she might have the hand that she held.

I think the issue is an educational one. ACBL should do more to publicize the "light, offshape" check box on the convention card. Some textbook somewhere must be promoting the idea that any hand of any shape with 10+ HCP should make a takeout double if their opponents open at the one level.

On another hand during this same session, this south player lost an overtrick by misguessing the spade suit after his LHO doubled his 1♥ opening holding 2=3=2=6. (On this occasion, the doubler had extra values, so the decision to double was more legit, but it's frustrating to be nailed by an offshape double twice in one session.)

Back to the original hand. Result stands. West, holding ♥A9xx, would likely have doubled 3♥, scoring 300 rather than 140, so no damage. I was mainly interested in peoples' thoughts on the phenomenon of light, offshape, undisclosed takeout doubles. Thanks for the responses.

[peachy]

Coelacanth, on May 10 2010, 10:55 AM, said:

ACBL should do more to publicize the "light, offshape" check box on the convention card.

The checkbox desription is actually "Min. Offshape T/O", in the section SPECIAL DOUBLES.

[aguahombre]

Coelacanth, on May 10 2010, 09:55 AM, said:

Some textbook somewhere must be promoting the idea that any hand of any shape with 10+ HCP should make a takeout double if their opponents open at the one level.

And some BBF people.

[bluejak]

Coelacanth, on May 10 2010, 04:55 PM, said:

As peachy pointed out, many players think it's entirely normal to make a takeout double of 1 of a minor opposite a passed partner holding 11 working HCP and a singleton heart.



Some textbook somewhere must be promoting the idea that any hand of any shape with 10+ HCP should make a takeout double if their opponents open at the one level.

I cannot be certain, not playing in ACBL clubs, but my guess is that this double is the same as the English equivalent, and it is nothing to do with "11 working HCP and a singleton heart" nor is it to do with "any hand of any shape with 10+ HCP".

It is very simple: what is the difference between:

♠AQ86
♥J
♦J732
♣A743

and

♠AQ86
♥98543
♦
♣A743

when RHO opens 1♦?

Simple, the first has twelve points, that is "an opening bid", so you must take action. The second has only got 10 HCP so passing is fine.

[Free]

LOLs Dbl with every 12 HCP...

[barmar]

Last week our club had its annual Pro-Am game, where we randomly pair players with few MPs with those with many. My LOL Am made one of these "I have 12 HCP, I have to say something" doubles, causing me to totally misdefend because I never guessed that her ♥ lead was a doubleton.

As others said, the players who do this don't know that it's anything special that needs to be discussed or marked on the card. They just don't know how to bid. They don't understand that if partner has anything, he'll balance, so you're not likely to miss out.