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Nobody knows where the term comes from, but it’s a colorful name and you may want to adopt this offensive bidding convention just because it’s such a snazzy name. It is used to tell your partner that you have the only unbid suit, but you may also have a little support for your partner’s suit. The snapdragon double is used only by the 4th bidder after three different suits have already been bid by the previous three bidders.
Example: Your left-hand opponent opens the auction with a Heart. Your partner overcalls 2 Clubs, and your right-hand opponent bids 2 Diamonds. You have enough points to compete in the auction, you have a biddable Spade suit, but you also could have some support for your partner’s suit (Clubs, in this case) with either three little ones or a doubleton with an honor. In thise case, bidding 2 Spades may get you too high if your partner really has nothing in Spades. But you can keep the bidding low by launching a “snapdragon” double on the last bid.
It’s not a negati8ve double, but an indication of strength in the 4th unbid suit, some support in partner’s suit, and enough points to compete in the auction. Then it’s up to your partner where to take the auction.
Return to the Bridge Burglar’s Guide to Bridge Bidding Conventions
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