Saturday, July 08, 2006 12:35 AM
 

Hand Evaluation – Doubt Showing XX

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Coming with the territory of modern weak two’s , threes & overcalls at the one level are bad penalty doubles of 3NT by the opponents.  You overcall 3NT or double & bid 3NT with the partner of the pre-empter doubles. The pre-empt or overcall is so undisciplined that partner has no idea whether your contract is going down or making with doubled overtricks. From my experience , it does not deter them from doubling anyway with their 14 HCP’s or whatever. I think everybody has been the victim of bad penalty doubles. You or partner take them on their word so pull to 4 of a minor but much to your chagrin , 3NTX would have made with an overtrick. Next time you pass but they hit partner with a real pre-empt so you go for –800.

 

            I was playing with Tom Gandolfo in the CNTC’s against Larry Pocock who had an agonizing auction to 3NT after Larry balanced at the one level after my opener. Eventually I doubled for a lead  but LHO immediately XX. Alert says Larry , “ the redouble expresses doubt whether this contract can make” . Armed with that information they pulled to 4♣ but made it when Tom got finessed out of the only queen he held. Larry told me that this understanding only applies to 3NT contracts. I liked it J

 

            Changing the meaning of XX to a D.S.I.P. redouble of 3NT only to counter modern bidders is an excellent idea in my mind. This understanding now gives 3 levels of meanings for the partnership in these pre-emptive type auctions after your side reaches a 3NT X contract. A pass now has the traditional meaning of the XX , I think we can make it . The direct XX expresses doubt whether we can make it but D.S.I.P. so if you have the hand for it leave it in. The direct pull means from my perspective 3NTX has no play. The trouble with the traditional XX in these auctions is either opponent pulls so often.

 

            The beauty of this bid is that when modern undisciplined pre-empters bid , nobody knows what is going on. You overcall a 2♦ opener with 3NT with ♠Ax ♥xxx ♦A ♣AKQ1098x but LHO doubles. Partner holds ♠Qxx ♥Qxxxx ♦Jxx ♣Jx  so redoubles to “express doubt” whether 3NT can make but showing some values. The XX says I am not broke partner but you will need extra to make it.  As in D.S.I.P. double theory , you over rule partner & pass. This type of XX gives both sides input for the decision whether to leave 3NTX in or not . It allows for the possibility that the 3NT bidder might have extra so leaves in the XX. This XX also allows iffy 3NTX to be pulled where there is a real chance of going for a number. I like it !!

 

            Balancing over pre-empts is another gray area for 3NTx. A weak 2♥ is passed around to the balancer who bids 3♣. Partner tries 3NT but LHO doubles for penalty. A 3♣ balance can have a pretty substantial range but the 3NT bidder is also the great unknown. A direct pull to 4♣ would be cowardice so why not just make the D.S.I.P. XX to express doubt that this contract can make. If partner has extra , this is where we play it otherwise discretion is the better part of valour so you escape to 4♣. D.S.I.P. !!

 

            I would like to play this doubt showing XX understanding for all 3NT contracts. I held ♠xx ♥Ax ♦xxx ♣AKJ10xx & opened 1♣. Maurice made a “modern” overcall of  1♥ , partner bid 1♠ & Tom bid 2♥ . I bid 3♣ ,partner bid 3♦ so I responded 3♥ which got doubled & passed around to me . I tried 3NT which got doubled by Tom in the pass out for a lead. Now I think both partner & myself can get into the act with the doubt showing  XX . I pass saying that 3NTX seems fine from my perspective . Partner held ♠J9xxx ♥xx ♦AKQx ♣Qx so pulling full weight to his club queen , partner passes also. What if partner held the spade queen instead of the club queen ? I think he should make a doubt showing  XX saying he has some doubts about this contract. With my hand , I will pull to 4♣ so a disaster would be prevented as the clubs do not run. Change my hand to ♠xx ♥Ax ♦10xx ♣AKQJ10x so I pass partner’s XX & we get XX’d overtricks.

 

            Hear is the classic hand for the doubt showing XX showing that you do not like the lead the opponents for which the opponents doubled.. Tom Gandolfo held ♠10xx ♥AQx ♦x ♣J109xxx & in 4^th seat vul Maurice opened 1♦. Tom bid 1NT which was raised to 3NT & RHO doubled for a diamond lead. Tom did not psyche the NT response but does not like the diamond lead. He XX’s to tell partner that he has some doubt that 3NTx will make with a diamond lead but as I did not pull directly , I did not psyche my 1NT response. Maurice held ♠KQx ♥Kxx ♦A987 ♣AQx so he leaves in the XX. This makes with a XX’d overtrick. What if Tom pulls directly to 4♣ ? This is too single handed as he left partner out of the decision. Does this action mean he did not have a response in the first place ? The doubt showing XX lets both sides decide to leave in 3NT after you have passed valuable information to partner. Bridge is a partnership game !!