[cgarrard]

I don't know whether anyone has proposed this before, but I haven't been able to find any discussion of it, so apologies if I'm rehashing old ground.

The idea is fairly simple. After partner opens one of a suit and RHO makes a takeout double, instead of using Jordan 2NT or some other immediate call to show a limit raise or better, responder simply passes with any positive raise of opener's suit.

The rationale is that, unless advancer passes the double for penalties, responder will get another turn. If advancer does convert for penalties, that is hardly a disaster: with a genuine limit raise or better, responder is quite happy to play a doubled one-level contract.

The basic structure is therefore:

- Redouble = 10+ without support.
- Immediate suit bids = natural, weak and non-forcing.
- Immediate raises = weak and Law-oriented.
- Pass = either a genuine no-action hand or a positive raise of opener's suit.
- If responder passes initially and later takes voluntary positive action, that action reveals the positive-support hand.

Weak hands act immediately; strong hands split according to fit – redouble without support, pass with support.

The attraction is that no artificial call has to be consumed to show a constructive or limit raise, and also that the opponents must operate without knowing whether responder's pass is dead or contains substantial support.

There is obviously some structure that needs to go around the principle, but in the first case, I'm looking for feedback on the general idea. What are the weaknesses, what have I overlooked, etc.

[awm]

The problem is that just because responder has values doesn't mean opponents will go passively. When you have a fit, they have a fit... so you will often see an auction like 1♦ - X - Pass! - 4♠ - Pass - Pass.

Here you might wish that you could've consulted partner on whether to pass or double, but since you made a bid that could be either utter trash OR a good hand with support, partner will almost always be passing here and you're forced into a unilateral decision.

Even if opponents bid only a little bit, it might help them find the right lead -- compare:

1. 1♦ - X - Pass! - 1♠ - Pass - 2♠ - 3♦ - Pass - 3NT - All Pass
2. 1♦ - X - 3♦ (invitational) - Pass - 3NT - All Pass

Same contract, but on the second auction the takeout doubler is on a blind lead.

If I were going to put an additional hand type into pass, I'd put the natural redouble there (opponents usually won't bid so high if it's a misfit and the hands where someone wants to penalty double often the other partner will manage a takeout double). A lot of people take exactly this approach and play transfers here (so XX-->hearts, 2♣-->good raise of diamonds).