Poll #35, Penalty Doubles in Contract Bridge – Part 3, February 2, 2011

Penalty Double – Business Doubles in Contract Bridge

 

Penalty Doubles: Extinct? No, nothing personal, it’s just business!

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Over the last two weeks we’ve had a handful of lessons on Takeout Doubles and Negative Doubles, and that’s hardly the tip of the proverbial iceberg on conventional doubles.   After a while, it kind of makes one wonder – is there such a thing as a Penalty Double anymore?  Oh yeah, you bet there is! 

So is there a safe way to know when a double is for penalty or if instead it’s some kind of conventional call?  Well, sorta’ yes, sorta’ no.  Or as humorist Kin Hubbard eloquently said, “The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it back in your pocket!” [Read more…]