Sunday,
September 18, 2005 7:27 PM
Hand
Evaluation - 2 ♣
Interference
PITBULLS:
You know you love interfering with
an opponent’s forcing 1♣ auction.
What if the tables are turned & they interfere with your strong 2♣ auction
? I dislike opening at the one level with huge hands where game is
extremely likely. Strong two suiters are opened at
the one level with many players. I loathe that practice , so we must come up with
some “fixes” as 2♣ does pre-empt
the auction. If we have a free ride , a
clever use of relays allows the
strong 2♣ to show her two suits at a relatively low level. One universal understanding is
necessary though with interference. A double by the 2♣ opener shows the
NT range of hands without much in their suit. An “inverted double” some experts
have named the concept.
Here
is a Maurice & Susan auction where the double
to show a NT hand reduces ambiguity
when the opponents are trying to confuse
the auction. Susan has a flat 23 HCP & opens 2♣. My
partner overcalls 2♦ ( equal nv
) & Maurice bids 2♠ to show 4 controls in
their system . I bid 3♦ so Susan as a simple
bid to describe her hand as doubles
at any level show the NT
hands. She could hold a long club suit & bid 3NT based on
playability but the double unambiguously shows
the NT range of hands. The double
gets converted by Maurice & I run to my 6 card ♥suit which gets
doubled. If left in , I go 6 down for 1400 which turns
out to be a 3 IMP loss for them as the field is in 7NT making. 3♦X takes no tricks for -2300.
Here is an auction where
Susan & Kiz were handed a +1400
gift due to the opponents interfering with their 2♣ auction. Kiz has a strong 2NT rebid so she opens 2♣
. I overcall 2♥ so Susan passes
showing zero or one control. My
partner bids 2♠ so Kiz dutifully doubles to show the 2NT opener. Susan converts for penalty. Kiz
holds the ♠AQxx & partner has converted
for penalty. Kiz could have held Qx for the double as she is only describing her NT bid. Her double was not penalty nor did it say that she held
spades. You lead the ♠A &
continue when you see the board & they go down 6 !.
Partner will never pass 2♠X without spades
& nothing. That would mean the 2♣ opener would need 7 defensive tricks with the alleged 2NT rebid to
beat the contract two ( doubling partial into game ) which is very fuzzy thinking.
What if the opponents
interfere in the sandwich
position by bidding directly or raising his partner ?
You have a two suiter
as your 2♣ opener ? Since our relay system is off in competition, we need
another fix. Rodwell
has come up with an idea that he uses with his precision 1♣ openers that
are two suiters. The “double pass inversion” he calls it. As usual, from Meckwell it is quite logical. A double by the 2 club bidder
should always show the NT hands
or 3 suiters . Let us repeat that , a double by
opener always shows a NT hand , not penalty.
A bid obviously shows the one suited hands so NT is left as natural based on playability. What does the
pass mean ?
What about the pass by the 2♣ opener ?
This is the inversion
which commands partner to double. Partner may only break this relay only with an exceptional hand.
This action is used as a relay as
now when the 2♣ bidder bids a suit , he shows a two suiter DONT style .
Who would have thought of a pass as a relay
to a double ?
This “pass & pull” concept applies at all levels below 3♠ so above
that normal forcing pass & pull understandings apply. Some call this
concept “inverted doubles “ . In fact with this “pass
& pull” understanding with the rank order of suits you can identify your two suiter exactly. Bidding
immediately always shows a one suiter , of
course.
♠AKQxx ♥ AKQxxx ♦ x ♣ x 2♣-3♦-P-4♦
4♥
The pass is a relay to a double and now the 4♥ bid shows a two suiter. Partner has ♠xxxx ♥x ♦xx ♣AJ10xxx & bids 4♠ . 4NT brings one Ace and 6♠ is attained.
♠AKQxx ♥Ax ♦x ♣ AKQJx 2♣-3♦-P-4♦
P*-P-X-P
4♠ Must be a
black two suiter
as we bypassed hearts.
♠x ♥Ax ♦AKJ10x ♣AKQxx 2♣-2♥-P-3♥
P*-P-X-P
4♣ Must be the
minors as spades were not mentioned.
A double shows a NT hand or the other 3
suits. What if you ( 2♣ opener) have a penalty
double of their suit ?
Simple , you pass
so partner is forced to double
& all pass . This may expose
a psyche or very bad
bidders.
♠AKQJ ♥x ♦Kx ♣
AK109xx 2♣-P-2♦-3♠
P*-P-X-P
P-P
Jump Q bids or splinters should not exist in competitive auctions over 2♣
as the psychers
are out in full force. Generally when you bid their
suit as a jump
, it is natural
. Why double & allow them to describe their escape suit ?
A pass works just fine as a penalty double. A double by responder
followed by bidding their suit can be a Q bid with this understanding. If they
interfere with artificial bids ( either /or) scenarios
, Q bids by our side do not exist unless their fit is established. Partner held
♠Axxxx ♥Jxx ♦Kxx ♣Qx & I opened 2♣ with the opponents interfering with their toy.
Responder passed & RHO bid 2♠ so I bid 3♣ to describe by
2♣ opener. Responder now bid 3♠ so is it a western Q bid with a
minor fit asking opener to bid 3NT ? No , it is natural as the opponents have not established
that spades are their fit .
We
have been discussing what opener’s bids , doubles & passes mean. What about
responder with interference from the opponents ? What
is a direct double or by responder
when they interfere ? I think showing controls when we
do not have a suit established is
silly. Not so with interference
though. Since they are jamming you & RHO might also get in on the act,
knowing how many controls responder
has is very valuable information.
We play that a double or XX is penalty . The
pass shows zero or 1 controls so
step responses shows 2
controls etc . Tom Gandolfo
added a twist. NT always shows 4 controls so you skip over that step if the
rank of their suit warrants it.
Here is a hand from Victoria
where Tom & I reached 6NT . Tom opened 2♣ with
♠AKQ ♥AKQJ ♦AK9x ♣xx , my RHO doubled . I
held ♠xxxx ♥xxx ♦Jxxx ♣AK so playing Tom’s
system , a XX shows clubs , a pass shows
zero or 1 controls , 2♦ shows 2 controls so
I bid 2♥ showing 3 controls. Tom bids 6NT ,
so we have 12 tricks for +1440 .
Counter defenses are
needed when they enter your 2♣ auction. Forcing
passes come with the territory of interference & 2♣
openers. Pass & pull at the slam level is the strongest auction available.
The normal forcing pass “pecking order” of course applies. Discuss with partner.