Monday, April 21, 2003 3:25 AM

Hand Evaluation – Handicap ( Trump Stack Mentality )

PITBULLS:

Penalty doubles based on trump stacks in competitive auctions should be reserved for rubber Bridge or possibly match points . In IMPS they should not exist ! Why , because in IMPS , if you have a trump stack in their suit you probably should not have overcalled r made a bid in the first place . In addition , with a trump stack , you should not raise partner to encourage her to bid game or compete. Penalty doubles are ambiguous as to HCP’s or a trump stack. Taking the trump stack part out of your system for initial doubles or 2^nd dbl’s after a T/O dbl removes the ambiguity of doubling in competitive auctions. In most cases , when you have their suit , stay out of the auction until the balancing or doubling starts. D.S.I.P. theory is based on the non existence of trump stack doubles in competitive auctions as the initial action.

Your Bridge style should be based on frequency. In good games , where the opponents announce to the table they own their suit guess what , they do. Going into contortions to reserve your penalty double to show a trump stack is folly. The one rare chance that you do have a trump stack penalty double renders the better & more frequent use for the double useless. The penalty double should show “cards” . A double shows extra defense for your opening bid , overcall or T/O double when it is obvious they have their suit wrapped up. Partner can read between the lines on these “depending on context” situations. Do not handicap your system by reserving a double to punish weak opponents who make bad bids or got unlucky with trump distribution. The bid is just not cost effective !!

You hold ♠Axxxx ♥AK109x ♦xx ♣x , RHO opens a heart . Why overcall a spade ? You could just be rescuing them from impending disaster . You are encouraging partner to “sacrifice” to 4♠ with her heart shortage if they get to an obscene 4♥ game . Alternatively you have ♠J10x ♥KQJ10 ♦Qxxx ♣xx , the opponents have opened a heart with partner overcalling a spade & RHO bids 2♥ . Do you compete in spades ? No , because you are setting partner up for a pseudo sacrifice or a wrong competitive decision . If RHO had passed, bid 1NT to show the duplication rather than raise spades.

From this competitive discipline comes a new understanding with doubles in competitive auctions even when the opponents reach game . If you have supported partner , an initial double can not show a trump stack in competition. Conversely , if you have not supported partner or competed, a double is always short in partners suit type of penalty double or a trump stack. Removal of the “trump stack mentality” in competition is the basis for D.S.I.P. double theory. Not competing with a trump stack in their suit , although not compulsory , is a good safety valve.

In all forms of Bridge , when the opponents are getting a bad trump break in either a partial or game , quite often they get rescued by a braying partner who will not stop bidding her suit . Established partnerships who have the discipline to avoid competing with trump stacks in the opponents suit , have a big advantage . A double can mean a sound overcall with a willingness to compete only . The double is not penalty , so the opponents are not rescued by bidding as partner can convert for penalty with their suit.

♠AKJxxx ♥x ♦KQxx ♣Kx 1♥ , you overcall 1♠ , LHO bids 2♥ partner passes & RHO bids 4♥.

I have seen players single handily bid 4♠ here & hit partner with ♠x ♥QJ109 ♦xxx ♣QJ10xx . –500 your way instead of +800 your way . A double by you should be D.S.I.P. , because you would not be bidding with a trump stack in their suit or making an enforcer penalty double. Partner will bid 4♠ or leave it in at her discretion. Say she had a hand too weak to bid 2♠ over 2♥ . ♠Qxx ♥xxx ♦J109xx ♣xx is a hand that she will pull the double as cheap insurance so gets rewarded with +790 !!

Since we overcall on very good hands with expert opponents leaping to game on weak distributional hands quite often , a double of a game must be clarified . Having it never being a trump stack double is an excellent understanding . If you do have some trump values so you feel you can beat their game, just put the green card on the table . Bridge is a partnership game so partner will go wrong in these auctions if doubles alternate between good hands or trump stacks. Remove the ambiguity of penalty doubles.

A recent auction by my teammates show the ridiculous confusion brought about by trump stack doubles. The vul opponents open a weak NT , you pass with ♠J9xx ♥void ♦Q10xx ♣Axxxx , LHO bids 4♥ vul which partner promptly doubles . With the “trump stack mentality” to confuse things & looking at your void in hearts, 4♥ X is going for a huge number vul right ? Wrong , LHO has ♥AKQxxxxx of hearts so –790 is the result ! What makes matters worse is 4♠ might make your way ! With this auction , even playing trump stack doubles directly, you should have freedom to double in the balancing spot for a cheap not vul sacrifice. The trump stack mentality removed from your partnership makes it simple.

This removal of the trump stack mentality from your system also applies to opening bids , overcalls & T/O doubles. You must have a bid to inform partner initially that you have extra HCP’s or controls for defensive purposes . Trump stack doubles can occur later in the auction or when you own the auction. Openers , overcalls & T/O doubles are so variable in nature , use the double or 2^nd double to inform partner that you have extra . With this understanding , the trump stack mentality must go & good riddance . Trump stack doubles to punish bad bidders are for beginners against weak opponents in matchpoints. Kiz Fung had a gilt edge 17 HCP for her T/O double of 1♠ this evening. They bid 2♠ & partner bid 2NT Lebensohl . Opener bids 3♠ so Kiz has an easy double to inform partner that she does not have a 11 HCP dbl but a super 17 HCP hand. A “balance of power” double so to speak. Susan is looking at 1 ½ quick tricks for her Lebensohl bid , so she decides that the opponents are just too high & passes for +500. It is absurd on the auction that the T/O doubler magically has a trump stack when the opponents have announced to everyone that they have their suit wrapped up. They are bidding on their suit & fit ! Penalty doubles are a hand evaluation concept to be interpreted on the context of the bidding. You do not just insult the opponents & interpret the double as a trump stack because the opponents are not to believed that they own their suit.