A Support Double is used by opener to show exactly 3-card support for responder's suit.
|
Convention |
Context |
Problem Solved |
Description |
|
Maximal Double |
Used to invite game when there isn't room to make a game try. |
When the opponents are competing in the suit below your fit, you need a way to compete and a way to make a game try. |
When you have found a fit and there is no room to make a game try, bidding your suit is competitive. Doubling is a game try. |
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♠ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 3♥ |
| 3♠ |
On the above auction, which nand does South's 3♠ bid show?
- ♠AKT953 ♥63 ♦QJ9 ♣QJ6
- ♠AKT953 ♥63 ♦AQ9 ♣Q76
With hand #1, South wants to compete to 3♠ based on the Law of Total Tricks. With hand #2, South wants to invite game. South cannot make the same 3♠ bid with both hands.
Playing Maximal Doubles, South bids their suit to compete.
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♠ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 3♥ |
| 3♠ |
To invite games, South uses a Maximal Double.
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♠ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 3♥ |
| X |
Maximal Doubles apply when you have agreed on a suit and the opponents compete in the suit below your suit, leaving no room to make a game try.
Only the Captain of the Auction can use a Maximal Double. On the above auction, North's 2♠ bid limits their hand to 6-10 Support Points, making South the Captain of the Auction. So South's double on the above auction is a Maximal Double, inviting North to bid 4♠ with a maximum.
Contrast that with the auction below. South is the Captain of the Auction because North's 2♠ bid limited their hand. South chose not to invite game. North's double cannot be a Maximal Double because North isn't the Captain of the Auction. It is up to South to decide whether or not to invite game. North's double is a "Balance of Power" double, saying North is a maximum for their 2♠ bid and they expect the hand to belong to North-South. North's balance of power double gives South to option of penalizing 3♥ or competing to 3♠.
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♠ | 2♥ | 2♠ | 3♥ |
| Pass | Pass | X | Pass |
| ? |
Traditionally, Maximal Doubles apply only when the opponents have bid and raised their suit. That is too restrictive. We recommend playing Maximal Doubles whenever you have found a fit and there is no room to invite game.
| South | West | North | East |
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♠ | 3♥ |
| ? |
On the auction above, East-West have not bid and raise hearts, but South needs a way to compete and a way to invite game. We recommend playing Maximal Doubles here to allow South to compete by bidding 3♠ and to invite game with a Maximal Double.
See our 60 second video on Maximal Doubles.
