♣ ♦ ♥ ♠
Support Doubles
An excellent way to find your 5-3 fits in a competitive auction. This convention was invented by Eric Rodwell.
What does a Support Double show?
3-card support for responder's major.
When can you make a Support Double?
You open the bidding; then partner responds 1 ♥ or 1♠; then your RHO overcalls at the one or two level (except a jump-overcall of 2♠).
Does it matter whether your LHO passes, doubles, or overcalls 1♦ or 1 ♥?
NO
Are Support Doubles used if RHO overcalls 1NT or cue-bids the suit you opened?
YES
In addition to showing 3-card support, what does a Support Double say about opener's hand?
NOTHING
A Support Double does NOT indicate: the strength of opener's hand, his distribution, or the quality of his trumps. Not to worry. As the examples will illustrate, having a good auction after a Support Double is very do-able.
What happens if RHO makes a takeout double?
With 3-card support, opener will redouble. If you play Support Doubles, there's no reason not to play Support Redoubles.
Keep in mind: You won't always have an 8-card fit in a major. When responder doesn't have a 5-card major, he'll have to decide whether to: bid notrump, show another suit, or play in a 4-3 fit. For more on this issue, see hands 2-4 coming up.
Example 1:
East has bid a spade and may have 4 or 5 or more. Perhaps with 4 he would have made a negative double but perhaps he felt he had the wrong hand for a negative double. West made a support double to show 3 card support for spades. Had he raised to 2♠ instead it would have shown 4 card support.
Opener holds: ♠ AT2 ♥ 72 ♦ AT ♣ KQ7543 and opens 1♣ next bidder overcalls 1 ♥
Responder holds: ♠ KQJ43 ♥ 954 ♦ 853 ♣A6 and bids 1♠ next bidder raises opponents 1 ♥ to 2 ♥ and opener doubles a (Support Double). opponent passes and Responder knows you have an 8-card fit and so bids 3♠ which you raise to 4♠
Example 2:
Opener holds: ♠ JT5 ♥ KT2 ♦ AKQ5 ♣ AJ4 and opens 1♦
Responder holds: ♠ A842 ♥ J6 ♦ JT2 ♣ 8762 after opponent passes, responder bids 1♠ and the opponent bids 2 ♥. Opener Doubles (Support Double) showing 3-card support (Alert) this is passed back to responder who decides to try the 4-3 fit and so bids 2♠. This is passed back to you. With a balanced hand and extra points you try 2NT which is passed out. Responder has a minimum.
West doubled to show 3 card support but decides he does not want to play in a 4-3 fit. When you play in a 4-3 fit you would like to have a short side suit in the same hand as the 3-card support so you can ruff with the short trump hand. In this case, West wants to show his strong hand by bidding 2NT. With a minimum, responder passes.
Example 3:
Opener holds: ♠ K65 ♥ AK864 ♦ A642 ♣ 7 and open 1 ♥
Responder holds: ♠ T873 ♥-- ♦ 9753 ♣ AQJ98 and after the opponent passes, responder bids 1♠. The next opponent 1NT (natural and strong or sandwich, we don't care). Opener Doubles (Support Double). Next opponent passes and responder shows his longer side suit by bidding 2♣. Next opponent passes and opener bids 2♦, suggesting short clubs and diamonds as a side suit. This fits well with responders hand and it is passed out.
Remember, Support Doubles do apply after NT interference. West shows 3-card support for East but East has a weak spade suit and longer clubs and thus rebids clubs. West suggests diamonds and East agrees by passing.
Example 4:
Opener holds: ♠ A764 ♥ AJ9 ♦ 6 ♣ AK984 and opens 1♣
Responder holds: ♠ T853 ♥ T753 ♦ KQ7 ♣ J3 and after the next opponent passes responder bids 1 ♥. Next opponent bids 2♦. Opener Doubles (Support Double). Next opponent passes and responder settles for a 4-3 fit by bidding 2 ♥. Next bidder passes and opener suggests 2♠.This is passed out.
Opener shows 3-card support for hearts and then shows 4 spades and a good hand. Since responder has a fit and a weak hand he passes. How else would you find the spade fit? It would be wrong for opener to bid 2♠ immediately because responder could have 5 or more hearts and they would miss the heart fit.
Example 5:
Opener holds: ♠ A764 ♥ AJ9 ♦ 6 ♣ AK984 and opens 1♣
Responder holds: ♠ K53 ♥ KT863 ♦ T97 ♣ 63 and after the next opponent passes he bids 1 ♥. The next opponent bids 2♦ and opener Doubles (Support Double). This is passed back to responder who bids 2. ♥ Next opponent passes and opener suggests 2♠. Next opponent passes and responder shows his 5-card heart suit with a minimum by bidding 3 ♥. Opener has extra points and a singleton diamond and raises to 4 ♥
Same cards for opener as hand 4 but opener's hand gets better when he finds they have an 8-card heart fit. Responder bids 3 ♥ showing 5 hearts and opener bids game.
Example 6:
Opener holds: ♠ Q42 ♥ AK42 ♦ AQJ83 ♣ 9 and bids 1♦
Responder holds: ♠ KJ986 ♥ 96 ♦ K72 ♣ 763 and after the next opponent passes he bids 1♠. Next opponent Doubles and opener ReDoubles (Support Redoublel). Next opponent bids 2♣ and responder freely bid 2♠. After the next bidder passes, Opener bids 4♠.
Opener made a Support Redouble, showing 3-card support for spades. Responder could have passed the opponent's 2♣ bid and did not so he must have 5 spades. Opener bids game.