If you play penalty doubles over
1NT openings, you may find that switching to Maestro Doubles can deliver you
better results. It can be briefly
summarized by this:
Double
shows values and either a minor, both majors, or any
very strong hand.
In
reply to double, partner will pass with 10 or more HCP, or bid a major
naturally, or bid 2♦ to ask for a four card major, or bid 2♣ with
none of these.
Key advantages of employing
the Maestro Double are:
The double is called Maestro
as it is Major oriented, and was intended to be played with the Astro family of defenses, though
can also be played with other notrump defenses like Cappelletti (also called Hamilton). For more details on Astro
etc. see
http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/Astro.html
http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/Aspro.html
http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/Asptro.html
http://www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/Cappelletti.html
http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/def_1nt01.htm
The Maestro double has a
strong affinity with the double of the Woolsey defense
to 1NT. For more details on this defense see:
http://www.gg.caltech.edu/~jeff/system/woolsey.html
Details of Maestro
The Maestro double shows:
a) 10+ HCP, five card or longer minor, good suit if just
five, no singleton/void in a major unless good six card or longer suit willing
to rebid on three level.
b) 12+ HCP, at least 4-4 in the majors, not balanced.
c) 17/18+ HCP, a strong hand that needs to take some
action.
For hand type A it is not a 5-4-3-1 with a singleton/void in a major, as
we don’t want to steer the opponents to their major fit if they have one. Instead, when holding this, pass first and if
they find their major fit and stop at the two level,
then double for takeout. With a long
minor and less than 10 HCP, either pass or jump the bidding to the three level.
For hand type B, this allows
whatever two level bid over 1NT shows the majors to show either less than 12
HCP, or if good values then a distributional 5-5+ hand type.
For hand type C, doubling
will often force the partner of the notrump bidder to start a run-out sequence
(since will usually have a very weak hand and cannot afford the double to be
passed), which will help us to determine the level and strain to play at, or
allow us to double them.
Detailed responses to a
Maestro Double are:
Pass: 10 or
more HCP. This pass happens less frequently
than one might hope for, but when it does you have the notrump hand surrounded
by two good hands. The primary benefit
of having this call is that it limits all the other bids, so the doubler has a
good idea of what to do next.
2♣: Artificial,
5-9 & no four card or longer major, or 0-4 &
no six card or longer suit. Over the 2♣
response:
Pass: 5 or longer ♣s, likely as good as spot
as any, up to 18.
2♦: 5 or longer ♦s, up to 18.
2♥: Both majors, 12-18.
2♠: 17/18+,
4+♠s, non-forcing.
2NT: 17/18+,
not 4+♠s, non-forcing.
3♣+: 19+,
natural, non-forcing.
2♦: Artificial, 5-9 with a four card
major. Over 2♦:
Pass: 5 or longer
♦s, no four card major, game unlikely.
2♥/♠: Four
card or longer major, not forcing, up to mild game invitational values. If the doubler bids 2♥, then 2♠
must be bid next if no ♥ fit. If
the doubler bids 2♠, 2NT next asks for five card or longer minor.
2NT: Asking –
bid your worse minor if 5-6 HCP, bid your four card major if 7-9 HCP. Over these replies, a suit bid below game is
now natural & game forcing.
3♣: 5 or
longer ♣s, no four card major, game unlikely.
3♦: Both
majors, game invitational values.
3♥/♠: Four
card or longer major, good game invitational values.
4♦: Both
majors, game forcing.
2♥/♠: 0-9
with a six card or longer major, or 4-9 with a five card major. 3♣/♦ now to play, 3 of the major
is a mild game try, and 2NT is a good game try or better, forcing to 3 of the
major.
2NT: Game
force distributional hand. Asks partner
to bid a five card minor, or best major with both majors, or 3NT if 17/18-20
and none of these. Bidding continues
naturally.
3♣/♦: Six
or longer suit, 5-9, no four card or longer major.
If the opponents redouble the
Maestro double, then responses are the same.
If the opponents bid directly over Maestro, then new suits are
non-forcing, double shows values asking partner to describe hand but is
passable if partner has length in suit doubled, and 2NT shows a hand with
values that does not want to double since is short in the suit the opponents
are bidding. If the Maestro doubler
later doubles a second time, it is takeout if doubling a minor suit and it is
penalty if doubling a major suit bid or notrump.
The Maestro Double works well
with the Asptro (non-Kastro
variation) convention:
2♣: ♥s & another, if second suit is
♠s it will be a shorter or a weaker suit than ♥s.
2♦: ♠s & another, if second suit
is ♥s it will be a shorter or weaker suit than ♠s.
2NT: Both minors.
Rest: Natural.
When Asptro
is played with the Maestro Double the 2♣ and 2♦ bids will often
have a five card or longer major (or a six card or longer minor that can be
rebid), so partner is free to bid the major with just 3 in the suit.
(c) 2005