Alerting a Takeout Double
Should a takeout double of a natural 1 level opening be alerted if it can be made on significantly less points than the usual 12?
For example, the hand below has only 6 points but has a losing trick count of 7. Should a double of a 1C with this hand be alerted?
!s - K 9 8 7 4
!h - Q J 9 6 4
!d - T 6 4
!c - void
Comments
The hand you show is much more likely to be making a two-suited overcall e.g. Michaels over 1 !c but if you want to use a takeout double with such a hand, it is not alertable unless it has any more specific meaning than a general takeout.
Blue Book 3 D 2 If a partnership agrees to make take-out doubles of suit bids on almost all hands with opening
bid values including length in opener’s suit, this should be disclosed on the system card. Similarly
the practice of doubling for take-out on unusually weak hands should be marked on the front of
the card.
There are no subsequent requirements about this that I can find, so I don't think it's alertable but must be disclosed, on the system card and in response to any questions.
Maybe someone should introduce them to Michaels overcalls?
They haven't learned Michaels yet, and the explanation of the double was "opening strength and short in clubs". There was nothing apparent on their system card by way of explanation. I was in 3NT with 27 points, and wondered why RHO kept popping up with honours.
Is this worth a mis-bid/mis-explanation discussion?
That hand's clearly not "opening strength" - it neither has 8 HCP nor meets "rule of 18".