[portia2]

Playing negative X thru 4H: my RHO opp opens 1D, I double, LHO supports his p with 2D and my p doubles. What does my p’s double mean? I thought that because I had already asked p for his suit it must be penalty? Thanks

[smerriman]

It's called a responsive double, and no, it would be unusual to play it as a penalty. If you search for that term you'll find several references, e.g. this one.

[portia2]

thank you!

[SelfGovern]

The reason responsive doubles are useful is that sometimes advancer (partner of the TO doubler) is 44 in the majors... but sometimes our best call over 1!C or 1!D is to make a takeout double with 43 or 34 in the majors. The responsive double lets you find your best fit (4-4) instead of guessing and sometimes playing a 4-3 fit.

Over an auction like 1!H - X - 2!H - X, experts use the responsive double a bit differently. Since doubler is almost certain to have four spades, advancer can just bid 2!S if he's got four spades. If, however, he's 4-4 in the minors, well, why not double and let partner bid his best minor?

[mikl_plkcc]

smerriman, on 2025-April-12, 00:37, said:

It's called a responsive double, and no, it would be unusual to play it as a penalty. If you search for that term you'll find several references, e.g. this one.

It was actually usually played as penalty in the past, because my partner has told me to choose a suit, but I refuse, that means the double must be real.

Now, the most common use case is to send the decision back to the partner, a form of "coward" double.

[mycroft]

A negative double is a double by responder, that is, opener's partner.
A responsive double is a double by advancer; that is, overcaller (or doubler's) partner.

A responsive double shows the hand that doesn't know what to bid. Basically (unless you're playing with one of my partners):

• if they bid and raise a minor, it says "pick your better major".
  
• if they bid and raise a major, it says "pick your better minor" (because I would show the other major if I had it, majors are good suits to play in).

If they bid two suits, *traditionally* double has been penalty (he picked one of your suits, I have it too). More are going to "I have no preference, but I want to compete", because after 1suit-X, nobody bids a short suit with support for opener (a "baby psych") any more, so the requirement to have the penalty double is lessened. However, it can be a shock if you're playing with someone old-fashioned like me and end up on lead, so discuss with any partner you agree to play responsive doubles with if they apply here!