Sunday, December 04, 2005 6:09 AM

Hand Evaluation  - Redoubles & Forcing Pass

 

PITBULLS:

 

            No not forget that playing D.S.I.P. theory necessitates that you switch between two different modes of Bridge thinking. If you “own the auction” forcing pass theory applies & D.S.I.P. theory does not exist. Redoubles by responder or opener imply that you “own the hand . Penalty doubles turn on forcing passes at any level. If you double 1NT  or systemic bids like unusual NT , Michaels or other systemic toys you “turn on “ forcing pass theory , so trump stack penalty doubles come into play.

 

            My partner had quite a hand that drives this point home .AJ109xxx J KJ10x ♣x , I opened 1 & LHO doubled. he redoubled ! My RHO bids 2 , I doubled so all pass. When the smoke cleared , +1100 against NV opponents for our side. Hard as it was for partner to believe , my double was penalty ! I held ♠x AK10xx Q98 ♣KJ10x , so I thought that defending was a good idea.

 

            Maksymetz/Jacobs introduce a twist to forcing pass theory when partner doubles a conventional bid like unusual NT or Michaels. They call this concept the “double pass” or inverted double. Even though penalty doubles should apply in these auctions , they revert to negative double theory or D.S.I.P. theory . They play the first double by opener as just showing a good hand suitable for defensive action. A bid of course would be an offensive hand that you planned to pull the penalty double anyway. A pass could be a trump stack penalty double in their system or just a minimum.  The initial doubler must re-open with a double in all cases.

 

            The advantages to their idea is that a penalty double is only going to occur if the openers hand is suitable defensively. If the original doubler has their suit , of course the double gets converted which I suspect if the most frequent action. If the opener has their suit , of course the double gets converted the other way.

 

            The drawback ? to this system is the “single handed” trump stack double is impossible by the original re-doubler. If opener passes just with a minimum , the penalty double must be pulled as the doubler might not even have that suit. This is insurance against them making a doubled contract with light major suit openers. As usual,  with these type of understandings you must give away something to get something. They must feel this a safer way to play penalty doubles in these type of auctions.

 

AKxxx Kx xx ♣KJ109             1♠-2NT-X-3♣ 

P-P-X-P 

P-P-P             Partner’s hand is ♠xx Axxxx AKJx ♣xx

 

 

AKxxx Kxx Axx ♣xx         1♠-2NT-X-3♣ 

      X-P-P-P         Partner’s hand is ♠xx Axxx xxx ♣AKJx 

 

            There style is similar to how we play penalty doubles of 1NT with them escaping. The 1st double just shows cards so the pass is the penalty double. The penalty double responder  must re-open with a double so the contract gets converted for penalty. This in effect is introducing D.S.I.P. concepts in a forcing pass auction.