[661_Pete]

This has always been a bit of a 'grey area' for me, I don't really know what the rules are nowadays.

My handicap is that I learnt all my bridge, including the basic conventions that were prevalent in those days, back in the 1960s and 70s, playing standard Acol. I then had a 40-year gap before I took it up again. I am fully aware that things have changed a LOT since then.

Redoubling is something I tend to shrink away from, except, maybe, in the sequence 1M (x) . Then I would xx to show strong support for partner's suit, or alternatively a good raise to 3NT. This is not really forcing on partner, since opponents are hardly likely to want to leave us in 1Mxx!

There is also the 'rescue' redouble. I think it's highly risky - partner may misinterpret leading to disaster!

Any suggestions welcome. But preferably within the Acol framework please!

[1eyedjack]

661_Pete, on 2017-January-22, 03:54, said:

Redoubling is something I tend to shrink away from, except, maybe, in the sequence 1M (x) . Then I would xx to show strong support for partner's suit, or alternatively a good raise to 3NT. This is not really forcing on partner, since opponents are hardly likely to want to leave us in 1Mxx!

Acol context not likely to be relevant, as principles will be pretty universal.

xx to show "strong support for partner's suit" went out of fashion at about the time that you first took a break from the game. As you yourself have observed, it is not going to get left there so you will not reap the xx bonus. More likely, the opponents will find their fit of equivalent length and bounce you around. It will cut down on confusion if at least you exclude that from your arsenal.

[Vampyr]

1eyedjack, on 2017-January-22, 04:47, said:

Acol context not likely to be relevant, as principles will be pretty universal.

xx to show "strong support for partner's suit" went out of fashion at about the time that you first took a break from the game. As you yourself have observed, it is not going to get left there so you will not reap the xx bonus. More likely, the opponents will find their fit of equivalent length and bounce you around. It will cut down on confusion if at least you exclude that from your arsenal.

So use it for a hand with invitational values, no primary support for partner, and the possibility of doubling at least one of their suits for penalty. It need not be game forcing.

A lot of people nowadays play the first double after the redouble as takeout. This is better. But penalties works OK.

[Vampyr]

1eyedjack, on 2017-January-22, 04:47, said:

Acol context not likely to be relevant, as principles will be pretty universal.

xx to show "strong support for partner's suit" went out of fashion at about the time that you first took a break from the game. As you yourself have observed, it is not going to get left there so you will not reap the xx bonus. More likely, the opponents will find their fit of equivalent length and bounce you around. It will cut down on confusion if at least you exclude that from your arsenal.

So use it for a hand with invitational values, no primary support for partner, and the possibility of doubling at least one of their suits for penalty. It need not be game forcing.

A lot of people nowadays play the first double after the redouble as takeout. This is better. But penalties works OK.

[mycroft]

First one to get a handle on, generalizing from Vampyr, is the "our hand" XX. 1M-x-xx is the big one, and as she says, doesn't show support; in fact it tends to deny support. But it does show enough strength (INV+) that if they leave it in, you're making even off a bad split; and more particularly, it says "I'm interested in defending".

Similar, but depending strongly on your 1NT runout system, is the power redouble of 1NT. You should have 10+ or so, and something in every suit (so they can't cash 7-solid against you, yes that's happened to me), and again, is interested in defending. Obviously, if your runout system requires a conventional redouble, then you don't (usually) get this.

In both of these cases you should discuss how high you're forced - that is, where you will not allow the opponents to play undoubled. There are arguments for every reasonable answer (even "no force whatever"!), but your auctions will go much smoother if you know you can get your partner's opinion safely.

After that, yes, the rescue redouble, but as you say, it's spectacular when it goes wrong. I would recommend before tackling that one that you look at the cuebid redouble. Easiest case - they've overcalled hearts, and partner bids 3♥ looking for a stopper for 3NT. The overcaller doubles (yeah, they probably shouldn't unless it means something other than "my suit is good, lead it", but they do anyway); your redouble says "I have half, how about you?" (with pass being "no" and 3NT being yes). Similar "half-an-answer" redoubles exist for cuebids that show controls, Michaels cuebid redoubles, et al.

They'll never happen, but you should decide (if you're playing these things) if XX in a support double auction is support or if XX after 4NT-X is R0P1 (playing D0P1) or Redouble-first step (in DFS, PSS) or natural. Partner *will* think it's the other one if you don't talk about it, and it'll never come up if you do.

[661_Pete]

Thanks for all the info, very useful - if a bit advanced for me!

I see that I need to drop the 'support for partner's suit' variant - evidently obsolete. As to the others - well I know full well I flounder a bit amongst modern bidding (this is why I stick with Acol). But I get by.

Perhaps this thread has been more help to others.

[Vampyr]

mycroft, on 2017-January-23, 10:35, said:

Similar, but depending strongly on your 1NT runout system, is the power redouble of 1NT. You should have 10+ or so, and something in every suit (so they can't cash 7-solid against you, yes that's happened to me), and again, is interested in defending. Obviously, if your runout system requires a conventional redouble, then you don't (usually) get this.

I didn't want to overwhelm the OP, but for anyone else who might find this thread useful, the above may include a scheme where you bid 2♣, ostensibly to play, but if they double you redouble to show the other three suits. Similarly with 2♦, when you have both majors.

If the double is protective (balancing),many find it useful for opener or responder's redouble to show the majors or the minors.

[SteveMoe]

Here's a Gem everyone should read (of course the entire resource is spectacular). See Eddie Mansfield's Award Winning Article "I've Got a Secret" on page 147 (of 250)
IBPA Handbook 2015