Friday, April 15, 2005 9:39 PM
Hand Evaluation –
Partnership ( Trump Stack Doubles )
PITBULLS:
Critics of the D.S.I.P.
double feel they have the license to bid on “anything”
against D.S.I.P. doubles
as trump stack doubles are not permitted.
This is straight ignorance on their part. In reality ,
its just the opposite. The D.S.I.P. structure allows more penalty doubles than the conventional
way it’s just done differently by converting
D.S.I.P. doubles.
Trump stack doubles are single handed Bridge rather than partnership Bridge. I double so you do not pull my
penalty doubles regardless of your distribution
or trick taking potential. This
quite often leads to numbers like –730 or –510 as they make their contract.
Penalty doubles assist good players in handling their trump suit for another
disaster. D.S.I.P. competitive doubles on
the other hand are partnership Bridge in action. When
partner doubles , he has the defensive strength to leave in a trump
stack double converted by partner.
In the sandwich position , we have them coming &
going. In other words , the penalty can be extracted
by either
side converting.
1♠-P-1NT-2♥
P-P-X-P The 1NT bidder does
not have hearts as he is “in front” of the heart suit. The spade bidder has hearts , since the 1NT hand is suitable defensively 2♥X is going to be an
ugly spot for them.
1♠-P-1NT-2♥
X-P-P-P This time the 1NT
bidder has hearts so converts partners takeout double for penalty. Partner has
a good defensive hand as he doubled but I have hearts which is a recipe for
disaster for them . This style prevents partner with a
good hand bidding thereby spoiling my trump stack double which happens in single handed penalty double Bridge.
Bridge
is played in a clockwise direction. Either partner playing standard penalty
doubles can bid with a good defensive hand in front of partner & ruin partners penalty double. This happens more often than not so
bad bidders escape their fate.
Not so , playing D.S.I.P. theory . In a competitive auction , partner wanting to bid again with a defensive hand
, must double to ask permission to do so. If the other partner has a trump stack , he says permission denied by passing. Since either partner must double in order to bid
again , we have them coming & going again. They
cannot escape as in “old fashioned” trump stack doubles.
If
you analyze all the successful trump stack
doubles in Bridge , I would say that 90 %
would have the same result by
converting partners D.S.I.P. competitive double. If you analyze all the unsuccessful
doubles ( them making their doubled contract) , the
odds are the other partner did not have the strength to make a D.S.I.P.
competitive double. D.S.I.P. theory does not
exclude trump stack penalty doubles, it just does the job differently.
OK. the D.S.I.P. naysayers cry what about the hands that I have
a juicy trump stack double but partner is not strong enough for a D.S.I.P.
double ? This case has to exist due to terrible Bridge by the opponents. The
opponents have set themselves up for a huge set when our partnership does not
have enough defense to make a D.S.I.P. double in a competitive auction. In these cases you
cannot make anything , anyway so you just take your plus. The IMP scale reduces the reward
for getting these types of gifts anyway.
You must be playing against pretty weak players to have this
opportunity. D.S.I.P. competitive double theory does not hold for those
players. Stick with single handed trump stack doubles playing against weak
players or with weak partners when you want to control the situation by yourself .
Do not forget that trump
stack doubles still exist playing D.S.I.P. theory. In non competitive auctions ,
an out of the blue double is penalty. If forcing pass theory applies like in a
XX situaion , doubles are penalty. When either partner has taken pre-emptive
action , a double is penalty. Penalty doubles occur
after initial competitive doubles. D.S.I.P. theory only applies in actively competitive situations. D.S.I.P. competitive
doubles stop at the 4 level. When you double at the 5 level ,
it is old fashioned trump stack doubles. The vulnerable opponents who own the
auction bid up to the 5♠ level & we were meddling in their auction.
Perry doubled 5♠ which just like in standard Bridge shows a trump stack.
The “green light” concept was built for the 5
level. You double to say do not bid anymore partner as I have a
trump stack. A pass says I do not have a trump stack so you have the “green
light” to bid or sacrifice. Weak players use this “5 level” concept to apply to doubles made at any level.
Knowing
when to leave trump stack in trump stack penalty doubles is a hand evaluation
skill. As usual these decisions are based on fit & location of HCP’s . Here is a decision made by Perry recently
. I open 1♥ & Perry replies with 1NT holding ♠x ♥xxx ♦AKQxx
♣J109x . I bid 2♣ which is doubled & Perry sets the table for trump
stack penalty doubles. They bid 2♠ & I double so do you leave it in
with the heart fit. Generally you do not as you have too many hearts. However , by applying
patterns you will find your answer. Review the bidding. Partner must
have 4 trump as a 1NT bid denies spades. Partner as 9
cards in the majors & has bid clubs so how many diamonds does partner have ? . 9 of your HCP’s are in diamonds so passing the
double is an east decision. They go down 3 doubled against your +140 in hearts.