Transfer after Takeout Double
The opponent's have made a takeout double of your partner's opening bid. This is not a problem. The opponent's have provided you with an opportunity. First, you have a new bid available: the redouble.
Traditional bidding uses the redouble to mean: 10+ HCP and probably no fit with the opening suit.
We prefer utilizing transfer bids (again) to communicate a suit to partner and retain the captainency to further show strength.
The Transfer over Takeout Double varies depending on the opening suit.
Opening is a 1♥/1♠
The easy and preferable case. Bids after the double are all transfers to the next higher suit, with redouble being the next suit from the opening suit.
- Redouble: transfer to spades or clubs
- 1♠: transfer to clubs
- 1NT: natural
- 2♣: transfer to diamonds
- 2♦: transfer to hearts (when 1♠ was the open)
- 2♦: limit raise of hearts (when 1♥ was the open)
- 2♥: simple raise of hearts (when 1♥ was the open)
- 2♥: limit raise of spades (when 1♠ was the open)
- 2♠: simple raise of spades (when 1♠ was the open)
Opening is 1♦
Bids after the double are also transfers. A unique situation occurs with the 1♦ opening. Since we play the unbalanced diamond, responder is aware that the opener likely has a singleton (or void). The doubler is also indicating that they hold 4 cards in both majors. Transfering to a major should be a quality suit; it might be the stopper suit when the contract ends up in NT.
- Redouble is a transfer to ♥s
- 1♥ is a transfer to ♠s
- 1♠ is a transfer to 2♣
- 1NT shows 10+ HCP (showing what traditional redbl did)
- 2♣ shows invitaional values with 4+ diamonds
- 2♦ shows <invitational values with 4+ diamonds
Opening is 1♣
Since we play transfers over club TACO openings already. The system is still on and undisturbed by the double. However, we do have one additional bid: Redouble.
We split the meaning of the 1♣-2♣ (transfer to diamonds), to use the Redouble to also show a diamond suit, but weaker in strength and/or length. Typically, this shows 6-9 HCP and only 5 diamonds. Values should be contentrated in the diamond suit.