Q&A 06: Major Oriented

Not enough people play strictly major oriented takeout doubles, and then they find that because they
don’t trust partner to be on the same page, end up in the wrong contract. Here is a good example

You are SOUTH, Both vulnerable, dealer West.

South	West	North	East
-	1	X	2

Your hand is:

42

AT42

J4

AJ987

What would you bid? A common answer is: “I have ten high card points and five clubs so I can happily
bid 3C”. If that is what you do, that is where you will play. Partner will have no reason to bid. Why?
Because partner has doubled for takeout and partner should ALSO have told you that she had FOUR
HEARTS, that is why we play ‘major oriented doubles’. Also, everyone should be familiar with the
term ‘licence to bid’. Having made a takeout double, partner has said: “Bid what you like now partner,
I have done my bit.” Yes, you should expect partner to have four hearts and if not, partner will have a
very strong hand if fewer than four hearts. Don’t bid on the assumption that partner will bid again
having made that takeout double. If you do bid and want the doubler to bid, there is also a cue bid of
opponents’ suit available. Let me show you the North hand as it was when this sequence occurred just
recently

North had:

93

KQ53

AQ94

Q63

3H made comfortably as of course did 3C, losing two spades and a club, but the diamond finesse
worked so there were actually ten tricks available in both hearts and clubs. A much better result for
those in hearts. Which is another reason why you should play ‘major oriented’ doubles.

In Q&A 7 we’ll talk about SPLINTERS