Caution: Bid This With Care

[Ace of Hearts]
[2 of Hearts]

[Ace of Diamonds]
[Queen of Diamonds]
[Jack of Diamonds]
[9 of Diamonds]
[4 of Diamonds]

[Ace of Clubs]
[Queen of Clubs]
[Jack of Clubs]
[9 of Clubs]
[4 of Clubs]

Your right-hand opponent bids one spade. If you double for takeout, there is the danger that your left-hand opponent will bid four spades and that your partner will be encouraged to bid five hearts, expecting you to furnish good support for that suit. Or there is a chance, if partner passes, that you will guess the wrong suit if you bid one of your minors, or he will bid hearts if you again ask him to bid a suit by repeating your takeout request with a four-no-trump call. In addition, you will be dangerously overboard no matter what you do should partner hold a bust with support for neither minor. The solution is an immediate bid of two no trump—unusual—enabling partner to act over any preemptive bid, according to his hand.

The major trouble with this minor-suit no trump is its use when you cannot reasonably expect to buy the hand. All you do in this case is alert your opponents to the possible potholes on their road to success. For example:

Both sides vulnerable South dealer

NORTH

[King of Spades]
[Queen of Spades]
[9 of Spades]
[7 of Spades]
[6 of Spades]
[10 of Hearts]
[8 of Hearts]
[7 of Hearts]
[2 of Hearts]
[6 of Diamonds]
[Queen of Clubs]
[4 of Clubs]
[3 of Clubs]

WEST

[5 of Spades]
[3 of Spades]
[2 of Spades]
[— of Hearts]
[King of Diamonds]
[Jack of Diamonds]
[10 of Diamonds]
[8 of Diamonds]
[7 of Diamonds]
[King of Clubs]
[10 of Clubs]
[9 of Clubs]
[8 of Clubs]
[6 of Clubs]