When Your Partner Doubles

• 1). Evaluate your hand using the common method of high card points, or HCPs. Each ace is worth four points, each king worth three, the queen two and the jack one. If your partner doubles the opening bid it is called a "takeout double." It does not mean that your partner wants to play for double points. A takeout double should show at least 12 HCPs plus support in the other three suits. If your right-hand opponent passes, your bid in response (and you must bid regardless of your hand) is determined by your number of HCPs. Bridge author Eddie Kantar outlines the steps to take in his book "Bridge for Dummies."
  
  
• 2). Bid your longest unbid suit with zero to eight HCPs. In the hand pictured, respond to a double of one spade with a bid of two diamonds.
  
  
• 3). Jump the bidding one level in your strongest suit to show partner a solid hand with nine to 11 HCPs. If the hand pictured had this range of HCPs, skip the two diamond level and bid three diamonds.
  
  
• 4). Skip straight to a game contract with a five-card suit and 12 or more HCPs. If you have a balanced hand with no five-card suit, then bid the next level in the doubled suit. This is called a "cue bid" and forces your partner to describe his hand more; you have let your partner know there is potential for a game contract or maybe a small slam.
  
  

When Your Opponent Doubles

• 1). Evaluate your hand using the HCP method when your partner has opened the bidding and your right-hand opponent doubles. Specifically, look for whether you have 10 or more HCPs. "Goren's New Birdge Complete" offers a how-to in responding to an opponent's takeout double.
  
  
• 2). Pass with a bad hand (less than 10 HCPs). The main exception to this rule is when you have support for partner's trump suit. For example, if your partner's bid of one diamond is doubled when you are solid in diamonds, bid three diamonds mainly to interfere with the opponent's bidding.
  
  
• 3). Redouble with a good hand. Redoubling can be scary, as the hand will be played for four times the points. Redoubling can be used later in auctions to punish your right-hand opponent's erroneous double, but in this case you're simply advising your partner that you have a good number of HCPs. Don't be concerned about playing the hand for mucho points; your partner should rebid to describe her hand further.