[polarmatt]

we have
♠ A 10 5 4
♥ A J 3
♦Q 5
♣ K Q 4 3

Partner is north and has passed. east bids 1♦. We have 16 points.

Whats the correct bid here?

[Cyberyeti]

Double, no problem yet.

Where you have points for a 1N overcall and no stop can be awkward, a 2344 16 with 4 small diamonds for example, but this one is fine.

[polarmatt]

 Cyberyeti, on 2018-April-06, 02:35, said:

Double, no problem yet.

Where you have points for a 1N overcall and no stop can be awkward, a 2344 16 with 4 small diamonds for example, but this one is fine.

Is bidiing here a overcall? is a double bid here a overcall?

[Cyberyeti]

 polarmatt, on 2018-April-06, 03:27, said:

Is bidiing here a overcall? is a double bid here a overcall?

OK, an overcall is basically a bid of a suit or NT over an opening bid by the opponents.

Double is not an overcall.

[FelicityR]

Double at this level of bidding is for takeout. It (usually) tells partner you have (some) support for the other three suits other than the suit the opponents have bid. There are various other doubles used at the bridge table, such as a negative double, that say nothing about your chances of penalising the opponents, but allow you to show your hand to partner by using 'Double' as a descriptive bid.

[rmnka447]

When your right hand opponent opens the bidding, there are two basic tools available for you to compete -- the takeout double and the overcall.

An overcall is simply a bid of a suit or NT. In the case of a suit bid, it shows length in that suit and some values although it doesn't promise opening values. So over the 1 ♦ opener something like ♠ AQxxx ♥ Kxx ♦ xx ♣ xxx would be a perfectly fine 1 ♠ overcall. A 1 NT overcall usually promises 15-17/18 high card points, a balanced hand, AND a stopper in the opponent's suit.

A takeout double promises 3+ card support for all unbid suits and presumably opening values. Originally, takeout doubles were more of a way of showing opening values and didn't require support for every suit. But as bridge has evolved over the last 50 years or so, "shapely" takeout doubles promising 3+ support for all suits have emerged as just a better way to use takeout doubles. Shapely takeout double avoided some disastrous results that were inherent with doing it the other way. Since the requirement to have 3+ cards in all unbid suits takes up so many cards in the hand, it usually implies shortness in the opponent's suit.

So for the hand you asked about, let's look at its attributes and decide what to bid. It has 16 HCP and balanced distribution which fits in with the 1 NT overcall, but, alas, ♦ Qx is not a stopper so the 1 NT overcall is out. The hand doesn't have a long (5 card +) suit so isn't suitable for an overcall in a suit. Does it have 3+ card support for all unbid suits and opening values? Bingo, it does, so a takeout double is the right bid for this hand.

Please be aware that because of modern competitive bidding style/agreements there are some other specific hands where you would start with a presumed takeout double then show those specific hands with your rebid. But that's a lesson for another day.

Here the important thing to take away is that with a long suit you tend to overcall and with no long suit, but support for all the unbid suits and values you make a takeout double.

[redbird97]

Text book double.

[RD350LC]

 redbird97, on 2018-April-07, 19:11, said:

Text book double.

Agree. I have seen people make a 1 ♠ overcall with this hand, but they are not the type of people I want to play with.