Which of the following hands are good enough for a takeout double?

Question

With only them vulnerable at matchpoints, the dealer opens one club.

I would make a takeout double in the second seat with the following: ♠ AK97 ♡ K763 ♢6532 ♣ 9. It's only 10 high card points, but I have a nice 4-4-4-1 shape.

My partner in the second seat actually had ♠ AK97 ♡ K76 ♢6532 ♣ 93. Same 10 high card points but the shape is not quite as good. She passed instead of doubling.

Would most experts double or pass with my partner's cards? And would any significant proportion of experts pass instead of doubling with the first (4-4-4-1) version of the hand?

Answer 1

Here's a really simple rule: Never pass a hand that Goren would have recommended acting with.

Modern bidding is more aggressive than the style Goren recommended, which results in calls being found for hands which Goren would recommend passing with. But never the other way around.

Applying this to your question:

1. Double with ♠ AK97 ♡ K763 ♢6532 ♣ 9; and
2. Pass with ♠ AK97 ♡ K76 ♢6532 ♣ 93.

The first Goren evaluates at a nice 12 Points, with 2 1/2 controls, while the second is merely 11.