Wednesday, May 19, 2004 8:22 AM

Hand Evaluation - Opening Leads ( Rosenkranz )

PITBULLS:

It is an understatement that opening leads are important. In every IMP match you can point out numerous hands that could have been beat with a different opening lead. George Rosrnkranz came up with a simple treatment to assist in opening leads. He reasoned that it is silly to double the opponents suit in forcing auctions for penalty. They could get downright ornery & redouble or you help them play the hand in their final resting spot. He rightly assumed that this bidding was an ideal opportunity to help partner with his opening lead.

Rosenkranz Double

A convention devised by Mr. George Rosenkranz of Mexico to help an overcaller more accurately judge and evaluate his holding in respect to the response of the responder. If a player overcalls an opening bid and the next player makes a bid, a double by the partner of the overcaller shows a raise in partner's suit that includes the Ace, King or Queen of that suit. If the partner of the opening bidder makes a Negative Double over the overcall, then a Redouble by the partner of the overcaller shows a raise with one of the top three honors.

Conversely, if the partner of the overcaller, in either situation, merely raises the suit bid by the overcaller, this indicates that he does not hold one of the top three honors in the suit of his partner.

I an not in total agreement with Rosenkrantz doubles as originally defined. When the opponents just make a simple raise after partners overcall I feel the double should be responsive as it is more useful. 1♥-2♣-2♥-x shows spades and diamonds which is a better tactic to compete or get to a good game. However, if the opponents make a forcing bid or a negative double , Rozenkrantz doubles should apply. 1♦-1♠-2♥-x What are you doing doubling a forcing bid ? It must mean either the spade King or Ace so you help partner with her lead against their final resting spot. This gives you the negative inference if you did not double that a spade lead might give a trick away. Of course , if they redouble we have a safe resting spot with partners suit.

Rosenkrantz redoubles apply over the opponents negative doubles. 1♣-1♠-X-XX . You hold ♠Ax ♥xxx ♦xxxx ♣Q10xx so you redouble for a lead. If you had ♠xxx ♥Axx ♦Axxxx ♣xx you would just compete with 2♠. If they buy the contract , partner is warned that a spade lead might be dangerous. I think this treatment is very helpful. With the old fashioned redouble just compete with a 1NT bid or make a lead directing bid in their suit .

When our side use toys like Michaels & unusual NT , Rozenkrantz understandings still apply. If you double a Q bid of their suit as opposed to just bidding the suit yourself it is lead directing. Say the auction goes 1♠-2NT-3♣-X , you have ♠xx ♥Q10xx ♦xxx ♣AJxx you would double 3♣ for a lead. If you held ♠xx ♥xxxx ♦Kx ♣Q10xxx you would just bid some number of clubs as a sacrifice. Same with any Michaels bid when the opponents are Q bidding partners implied suits. 1♦-2♦-2♥-X . The opponents play the two heart as a limit raise in diamonds. You double for a heart lead with the heart Ace or King & bid hearts if you want to compete but without the Ace or King of hearts. Use the auction to help partner out with her leads !!

A hand came up in Calgary where Gordon Campbell & I failed to find the killing lead against 4♠ . We held ♠void ♥AQ10xx ♦J10xxx ♣xxx , the auction went 1♠ to our right so we bid 2♠ Michaels. Both sides ended up in 4♠ making when it should have been down two !. Both of us were reluctant to lead a heart since with the bad trump break coming for them , the last thing we wanted to do was give them a trick on the lead. At our table they bid a forcing 2NT Jacoby bid. Since they made a forcing to game bid even if it is NT , Rozenkrantz doubles should apply ( what are you doing doubling a forcing bid anyway ) . A double of 2NT should call for a heart lead with this partnership understanding. Partner had the KJ of hearts so the double of 2NT would have netted us 10 IMPS.!!

With all toys that show two suits you should have a default lead directing double for 3NT contracts. Say the auction went 1NT-2♦-3NT-X . The 2♦ bid shows the majors . The double could key off the higher ranking of the two suits. Therefore , if partner does not double , a heart lead is preferred or no preference at all. If you bid 2♣ which shows the minors , the double again should key off the higher ranking suit so you have the inference of a club lead if partner does not double.

Anyway , Rosenkrantz was not wrong in his doubles & redoubles for leads. They can be a lucrative source of IMPS !