Maximal Double
Action!. This is also known as an "Action Double". (It's one of the most useful and powerful bids in our system).
Situation: You've opened or overcalled with a good hand, but when the bidding comes back to you, you can't find a bid representative of your strength and also accurate for your distribution.
The most common Maximal Double situation is as follows:
N E S W
1© Dbl P 2¨
Dbl* P 2© . . . North shows extra strength, but no additional Heart cards.
South can then go to the two level with only two Heart cards in support and a minimum number (4 or 5) of points.
A Maximal Double means "Partner, I can't find any good bid,
but I'm stronger than I might be for what I have bid so far. Do something."Maximal Double Example: You deal and open 1 Heart with:
North
ª Axx
© KQJxx
¨ A
§ QxxxThe bidding goes:
© P 1NT* 2§ ???N E S W
1
What would you, playing North, now bid?
2 Hearts is wrong as you have no sixth Heart.
You can't bid Notrump with a single Diamond.
Is Pass a correct picture of your hand ? No.
Nothing fits except the Maximal Double.
In this example, if North Maximal Doubles after West's Club call, partner can prefer to 2 Hearts with only two trumps, confident that North's extra strength will compensate. Occasionally, South will be able to leave the double in for penalty.
Responder, Too. The maximal double can sometimes be used by responder:
© P 1NT 2§N E S W
1
P P Dbl* . . . "I'm stronger than my 1NT bid sounded, North; let's compete somewhere. Do you have some Spades ? Clubs ? Diamonds ?
Failure to Maximal Double -- bidding another suit or Notrump -- says the bidder has something else to show and is not inventing a bid:
Failure to Double. Failure by opener to Maximal Double, i.e., pass or bid some other suit, is very useful information, because Pass says "I'm just an ordinary minimum hand with nothing else to say" and another suit or Notrump bid says "I've really got something else to say; I'm not making up this bid".¨ 2ª P PN E S W
1
3§ South, I have a good minor suited hand. Pick one, please."
The Maximal Double is the answer to many bidding problems. It prevents partner (never you) from "inventing" bids he doesn't have in order not to pass. It 's the missing piece in many bidding systems.
The Maximal Double can be used in an overcall situation as well as by the opener:
N E S W
1© 1ª 1NT P
P Dbl* . . . "West, I have a decent hand. Help me or leave the double in for penalty if you have a good defensive hand at Notrump."
Situation: It's appropriate whenever an overcalling hand has something additional to say but can't be accurate any other way. This would most often be an overcalling hand with only 5 of the bid suit.
Up to 3 Spades. Maximal Double is usually played as high as Three Spades, in order to be effective against preemptive overcalls:
Usage: Not common. Alertable. Very useful, and causes minimum problems, partially because of the negative implications when it's not used. Strength: No specific numbers. Generally, a maximal doubler has almost opening strong Notrump strength but is not suit oriented.© P PN E S W
1ª 3
Dbl* "South, pass for penalty or bid something."
Example Maximal Double Sequences:N E S W1
© P 2© 2ªDbl* . . .
"South, I have a maximum hand, but I've got nothing else to tell you. Bid something or pass for penalty if you can."
1ª Dbl P 2§
P . . . "South, I've said it all with my 1ª bid.
1¨ 1ª 2¨ 2ª
3§ . . . "South, I'm two suited. Pick one"
1¨ 1ª 2¨ 2ª
Dbl* . . . "South, I'm strong. Can you do something"
1© 2§ 2© 3§
P . . . "I'm just an average minimum opener, South - you do what's right"
1© 1ª 2§ 2ª
3© P . . . East's pass means probably just a good Spade suit with nothing else. West should not raise to Three Spades without real extras.
1© 1ª 2© 2ª
3© Dbl* . . . "I have an opener, West. Let's don't give up yet. Can you bid Three Spades or leave my double in or bid Notrump?"