Negative (Sputnik) doubles

This is a personal view on how Sputnik is best played (albeit based on the writings of one of Britain's foremost international players). It may not be to everyone's taste so I suggest you read it and then decide whether it is for you.

Before examining the meaning of the Sputnik double, let's explore some of the issues which arise when the opponents overcall our opening bid...

When responder bids a new suit

One of the foundation stones of all Acol-style bidding systems is that a suit switch, opposite partner's one level suit opener, is absolutely forcing for one round. For this reason, anyone opening 1 of a suit has to have a re-bid up their sleeve over any possible new suit from partner.

The waters can be muddied, though, if the opponents get in on the act. Consider the following sequences from opener's point of view. In each case, opponents' bids are in brackets:

1¨ - (1ª) - 2§ - (pass)

In this instance, the opponent's overcall has made very little difference. With a club suit, partner would have had to bid them at the 2 level even if the opponent had passed. You should have had a rebid available had it gone 1¨-(pass)-2§ so just make that rebid now.

(OK, it might be slightly embarrassing if your intended rebid was NT or spades - click here to explore this issue.)

1¨ - (1ª) - 2© - (pass)

You would have had a sensible rebid had it gone 1¨-(pass)-1©, but the opposition bidding has pushed us up a level. In the jargon, partner's response has been disturbed by the overcall.

So, should his 2© be forcing? Either it is or it isn't, there's no maybe.

If 2© is forcing, we are pushed to a high level very quickly. For example, to rebid your diamonds you would have to go to the dizzy heights of the three level, with no guarantee of any diamond support from partner. Responder would have to be pretty strong to put you in such an awkward position - probably around opening strength himself. That means responder may have to button his lip on many more everyday hands. In other words, if 2© is forcing then an opponent's overcall may achieve its objective of cutting us out of the auction.

A forcing 2© bid isn't even the best way to handle the strong hands, because it cuts out vital bidding space which could have been used to find the correct game contract.

It is much better if a disturbed overcall is not forcing. It should show a good suit - at least five cards or six if bid at the three level, but not a particularly strong hand.

Of course, that leaves responder with a problem if he does have a strong hand in a suit which, if bid, would not be forcing. I shall return to that problem in a moment. First, a summary:

An undisturbed suit switch is absolutely forcing - just as it would have been in an uncontested auction.
A disturbed suit switch is not forcing - based on a better suit but a weaker hand than in an uncontested auction.

If you can't decide, in the heat of the moment, whether partner's switch is disturbed or undisturbed, just ask yourself "could I legally rebid my opening suit at the 2 level?" Never mind whether you want to, could you? If the answer is yes then partner's response is undisturbed. If the answer is no, partner's response was disturbed.

So if disturbed switches are not forcing, how do we handle a strong hand when the opponent's overcall has got in the way? The answer is by extending the meaning of the Sputnik double (also known as negative or responsive doubles).

The Sputnik double

By "Sputnik", I mean a double which follows an opening bid and an immediate overcall. Traditionally, such a double shows the two unbid suits however I suggest:

A Sputnik double shows:
	Either both the unbid suits
	Or a strong hand but the opposition overcall has deprived you of your normal forcing suit switch

There are three subtly different situations...

1¨ - (1©) - double

In this situation, the opponent's overcall has not cut out any natural bids. Partner could make a forcing response in either of the unbid suits so the only possible reason for doubling is that he has both of them.

1¨ - (1ª) - double

With a strong hand but only a club suit, partner could have bid a forcing 2§. However, if he had a strong hand with hearts he could not bid 2© because that would not be forcing.

Ergo, partner must have hearts for this double. He may also have clubs but it's not guaranteed (although if he doesn't have clubs he will have a strong hand).

1¨ - (2§) - double

When the opponent's overcall cuts out both the unbid suits, partner has no natural forcing bid available. The double could therefore be made on a strong hand with either of the unbid suits.

Actually, there's a fourth situation...

Pass - (Pass) - 1¨ - (2ª) - double

If partner has previously limited his hand by passing, the possibility that he has a strong hand is no longer part of the equation. You can assume that a double from a passed hand guarantees both the unbid suits.

To summarise:

If partner has previously passed, or the opponent's overcall has not cut out any bidding space, a Sputnik double shows both the unbid suits.
In all other cases, a Sputnik double may show a strong, single suited, hand whose natural suit switch has been cut out by the overcall.

Note that if the opponents make a jump overcall then all partner's responses are disturbed. If the opponent's overcall is a strong one then it is unlikely that partner has a strong hand too, so after a strong jump overcall it's usually safe to assume partner's Sputnik is weakish with both unbid suits.

If the opponents are amongst the enlightened few who do weak jump overcalls then things are a lot more awkward (which is one of the reasons I like weak jump overcalls - it's always fun to make things awkward for the opposition). Following any weak jump overcall a Sputnik double may show a strong hand with only one of the unbid suits.

Strength for Sputnik

If you have both the unbid suits, Sputnik shows no more than the minimum for a simple suit switch. After 1§-(1¨) a double could be bid on as little as a 6 point, 9 loser hand because opener can bid either of your suits at the 1 level. More usually, it shows an 8 loser hand or better.

To bid Sputnik with only one suit you need to be game going opposite a reasonable hand from opener - probably a minimum of a 7 loser hand although a good 8 loser hand with around 11+ points might just make the grade. You should also have a contingency plan to cover the possibility that opener will pick the suit you don't hold. That contingency plan may be to bid your actual suit, support partner's first suit or even bid NT.

Opener's rebid opposite a Sputnik double

Assuming the next opponent passes, partner's Sputnik double is absolutely forcing. Although partner may not have both unbid suits, you should initially assume that he does.

With four card support for either of the unbid suits, you should normally bid it. With no viable alternative you may even bid a three card suit, particularly if it is one guaranteed by partner. However, choosing one of partner's suits is by no means the only option. There's nothing to stop you rebidding your suit if it's a really good one, but bear in mind that partner is marked with a shortage. You may even bid NT with a strong balanced hand.

With an absolutely huge hand, bid the enemy suit. This is forcing to game so only do it if you want to be in game opposite a minimum hand from partner.

What you must not do is jump in a suit which partner hasn't absolutely guaranteed. So, for example, if it goes 1¨-(1ª)-double then you can afford to jump in hearts if you have a good fit and a strong hand, because partner's bid guarantees hearts. If you prefer clubs, though, you shouldn't bid more than 2§. If partner has a game going hand he won't let matters rest there.

As previously mentioned, there are a small number of circumstances in which opener is genuinely stuck for a rebid. Click here for a discussion.

What happens next

If partner does a Sputnik double then, with a weak hand, he will normally pass your rebid whatever it is. OK, in a competitive situation he may pull out one more competitive raise but generally he will pass.

If you pick an unbid suit or rebid your own suit, any new suit from responder shows a strong single suited hand. Similarly, if you pick an unbid suit and responder returns to your original suit you can assume he is strong and single suited in the unbid suit.

If responder rebids NT then you can assume he is strong and has a holding in any suit(s) not explicitly bid.

Jump switch after intervention

Just as a final word, if a Sputnik double is used for strong single suited hands what does a jump switch mean? Something like this:

With any strong hand, partner would have doubled. The jump switch must therefore be weak and pre-emptive. I would expect at least a seven card heart suit. The sort of hand on which he might have opened 3©.

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