Correct contract bridge / by E.V. Shepard ; including the official Laws of contract bridge adopted by the Whist Club, New York, and by all the leading clubs in America.

INFORMATORY DOUBLES

8i

Except in one instance a powerful no-trump hand
with one weak suit, justifies the use of a subsequent
double; when your weakest suit is of lower value
than the one adversely declared you must choose between bidding 2-No Trumps and passing; you do not
want to be obliged to bid 3-No Trumps in case your
partner's response to your double happens to be
three in your weakest suit.
Having opened the bidding with I-No Trump,
the first hand below calls for a subsequent double of
2-Spades; the second hand justifies a double of 2 -Clubs; on the third hand you must either bid 2-No
Trumps over 2-Hearts and risk your partner having
some diamond strength or else you must pass; you
do not want your partner to bid 3-Diamonds on a
very weak hand.
* 64 q) AJIo5 4 AQJ 0 KQio6
4 AK7 2 AQio * 853 0 AJ97
A AQ62 ` KJ io8 4 AQ9 0 76
More frequently than at Auction, unless you hope
for game or unless you expect to push opponents
beyond their safe limit of contracting, when an opposing declaration comes in one of your strong suits
it may be unwise to bid or double, thereby affording
your adversary a chance to escape to a make less
favorable to you. Always carefully consider the
score and other features before you act.
REPEATING A DOUBLE
An adverse declaration over an informatory
double cancels obligation to respond to the double.