This
bid takes the place of a penalty double and is used when an opponent overcalls
your partner's opening bid. It can be made with as few as 7 HCP. There is NO
upper level limitation.
It is SHAPE
not count that indicates whether or not you should double or bid freely. The
bid DENIES holding 5 cards in an UNBID suit.
It
should show 4 cards in each of the 2 unbid suits but you may hold 4 cards
in 1 of the unbid suits and the ability to take partner back to his original
suit should opener bid the suit you don't have support for. For example: Partner
opens 1 Diamond, RHO overcalls 1 Spade, you hold: XX - XXXX - XXXX - XXX You
can negative double to show the 4 card heart suit and if partner bids 2 clubs,
you can correct to 2 diamonds without a problem. Be careful if partner has
opened 1 Club because they may bid 2 diamonds thinking you had diamonds and
hearts. If you have 4 clubs and 3 diamonds you have to decide whether to pass
2 diamonds or bid 3 clubs.
The opening
bidder should respond to the double as if you had actually bid the suit. "
With strength in the opponent's suit, they can pass for penalties or bid some
number of NT. " With 12-14pts, opener simply picks
the agreed suit at the cheapest level. " With 16-18 points
opener should JUMP in the agreed suit. " With 19+ points
opener should "Cue Bid" in the overcallers suit.
You
must decide with your partner how high (through what level) you will play
negative doubles and whether to play them over pre-emptive overcalls. The
higher the overcall the more likely opener will decide to pass and convert
your double to penalties, so you should be prepared for that actuality before
doubling.
A
"free" response to openers bid after RHO overcalls promises a 5 Card Suit!!!
Oftentimes
an opponent overcalls at the 2 level holding opening points and a "ratty"
5-card suit. You had planned to bid that suit yourself. What do you do???
You CANNOT DOUBLE because you are playing negative doubles and a double
would ask partner to bid an unbid suit. YOU MUST PASS!!!
Partner
is OBLIGATED to reopen the bidding with a DOUBLE (unless they are holding
opponents suit)
so that you can pass, converting his reopening double to penalties. Auctions
where partner opens and RHO overcalls and opener's partner passes are always
suspect. If you (opener) are holding cards in the overcalled suit, partner
is unlikely to also hold them so there is some other reason they passed.
Think before you balance back in.
NEGATIVE
FREE BIDS:
How often is it that an auction goes: 1 of a minor by partner, 1 Spade overcall.
You hold 6-9 points and would have bid 1 Heart or 1 Diamond if partner opened
1 Club had not RHO bid 1 Spade. You can negative double showing hearts and
the unbid minor, but partner holding only 3 hearts will probably not bid them
and you miss an 8 card trump fit.
The
Negative Free Bid allows you to bid 2 of your 5-card suit freely.
It DENIES a good hand and is to play. This
is a great bid to get to the right fit at a low level. " With 10-12
points, you first negative double and then bid your suit. " If you
hold 13+ points, you negative double and then cue
bid the opponent's suit to force partner to bid again. This is forcing
to game. This is the reverse of the usual situation where you would freely
bid with a good hand and is a very useful convention to not miss a 5-3 (hopefully)
fit in hearts. Auctions often go: 1C/D - 1S - Neg Double - 2S - pass by opener
holding 3 hearts. You have allowed the opponents to buy a cheap bid when you
could have competed to the 3 level had you known about the heart suit fit.
Down 1 or making 3 H usually is a good matchpoint result.
