Blum on Bridge On Negativity
	Now that I've got your attention with that headline, we'll talk about the bid that avoids more partnership problems - when the opponents interfere - than any other. From advanced beginner to expert, it is most critical that the use of the "negative double" is a necessary ingredient for a successful partnership. It is a subject about which I have written in the past, but it bears repeating and detailing again. Before the invention of the negative double by Al Roth, after partner's opening bid and an overcall by our rho a double by us was for penalty. It made no difference at what level the overcall, all doubles by us were assumed to be penalty. When you think about it, a penalty double of the opponents' one or two level bids is rarely more successful when we are playing in our best contract. Later I will explain how the penalty double can still be employed even when using negative doubles. How often have you had problems bidding hands such as the following? Partner opens 1 club and rho overcalls 1spade, what is your call holding (a) xx-KQxx-Kxxx-xxx or (b) xx-QJ10xx-Kxx-Qxx? How about something simple such as pard 1 club and rho 1 diamond. You hold (c) Axxx-KQxx-xxx-xx or (d) Ax-KQxx-xxxx-xxx. Another uncomfortable situation may be after partner opens 1 heart vulnerable your rho opponent non-vulnerable gets feisty and bids 3 diamonds. You hold (e) Akxx-x-xxxx-KQJx. Negative doubles solve these problems, and I'll show you how "We can have our cake and eat it too." A negative double is simply a takeout double of the opponents' direct overcall. It does not suggest penalizing the opponents but suggests an equality of points with the appropriate distribution to compete. There is no upper limit for point count and a lower limit of 5-6 points is sufficient at the one level. In most cases when an opponent directly overcalls our minor suit with one of the majors the double implies a holding of at least four cards in the other major plus holding the other minor. In the above example, (a) is a classic negative double. There are not enough points nor is the heart suit long enough to bid at the two level. Should opener have four hearts, he may safely raise. With (b), once again there are not enough points to bid hearts at the two level. After you double over the 1-spade overcall and partner bids you now bid 2-hearts showing the good five card heart suit, but less than 11 points. Pard now knows your hand is limited. Example (c) introduces a special rule. "If 1-club is overcalled by 1-diamond, the negative double states you specifically have four cards in both major suits." Thus, as responder, if you bid a major suit over the diamond overcall you may only hold four cards in the suit, whereas had the overcall been in any other suit the responder must have five cards to bid a new suit. For example 1 club-1 heart overcall or 1 diamond 1 heart overcall to bid one spade responder must hold at least five cards in the suit. Xxxxx-Ax-Kxx-10xx bid one spade. Change the hand slightly xxxx-Ax-Kxxx-10xx Negative Double to show your four card major. This is better than bidding 1NT because it gives partner the opportunity to find the better spade contract. What would you bid with example (d)? If you said 1 heart, you would be correct. The special rule precludes the negative double so the only bid available is 1 heart, even though it is only a four-card suit. Example (e) emphasizes the fact that the negative double applies when the overcall occurs at a high level. At the three level the bar should be raised to a good 9-10 points. If the opener bids your four-card suit, raise to game with 12-13 points. As I stated "There is no upper point limit to a negative double." You hold AQ954-75-K43-832. Partner opens 1 diamond and your rho overcalls 1 spade. After you salivate, PASS! When lho passes partner must know something is going on. He should double because he does not want the contract to die at the one level. After he doubles and rho passes you also pass. Because of the lack of aggressive bidding your original pass is forcing on the opener. You have converted partner's take-out double into the penalty double you thought you'd lost when we added the negative double. As I said "You can have your cake and eat it too."