Sunday, September 17, 2006 7:58 PM

Hand Evaluation – Extended Snapdragon

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Those players fully committed to D.S.I.P. doubles now have a further competitive advantage. Bridge theorists have expounded on the value of fit showing jumps. Descriptive fit showing jumps makes bidding easier & more accurate by identifying the fit & showing where you live . We have discussed a version of Snapdragon doubles where there is only one unbid suit ,  therefore a double shows the unbid suit with support for partners suit. In effect , the double replaces a fit showing jump when partner overcalls.

 

            What if there are two unbid suits ? I think you can use an unusual NT bid to describe the two unbid suits without a fit for partner. 2NT is never natural anyway so replaces the responsive double after an overcall. A D.S.I.P. double , rather than being defined as responsive to an overcall , should key off the higher ranking unbid suit while showing support for partners suit. What this does is free the natural bid to deny support for partner . This treatment also frees the jumps to all overcalls as splinters. The double is also handy when the rank of their suit has taken away your Q bid .

 

            Here are some examples :  Axxxxx x K10x ♣Q10x    1-2-3-X   shows the higher ranking suit (spades) & a fit for partner. You now have the inference that 3♠ directly does not promise diamonds.

 

            KJxxxx Kxx Kxx ♣x         1♣-1-3♣-X

 

            Ax AQJ9x 109x ♣xxx      1♠-2♣-2♠-X

 

            Kxx Q10xxxx KxQx      1♠-2♣-2♠-X

 

            ♠xxx KQxxx Kxxx ♣x          1♣-1♠-2♣-X

 

 

            My partner & I had a hand against the Cabays vul vrs nv . 1 by Lisa, a vul 2 overcall by partner followed by 2 by Stan nv . I held xx J9x KQxxxAxx so I was too strong to bid 3 but not strong enough to Q bid 3 forcing to game. I chose a double , Lisa passed which allowed us to find our secondary diamond fit which we played doubled in 5 for +750. What if Lisa jammed the auction to 4 ? The initial double saying I have the higher ranking suit diamonds with a heart fit describes my hand at the two level. Partner can make an informed competitive decision when Lisa bids 4& bid 5which again gets doubled. I like it !!