Friday, February 04, 2005 3:04 AM

Hand Evaluation – Balancing ( Re-opening Doubles )

PITBULLS:

Re-opening doubles in the balancing spot when the opponents have failed to respond are takeout doubles. Re-opening doubles in negative double auctions are card showing doubles . Why the difference ? The first case , the double is discretionary but the 2^nd case the double is virtually forced systemically. What about re-opening doubles in “live” auctions where there has been bidding up to high levels beyond negative double range ? The re-opening double should also be a card showing double. You have defensive cards , no fit with partner but no trump stack. It does not necessarily show the unbid suits but “we have the balance of power” partner.

You are vul , they are not . You hold ♠AKxxx ♥xx ♦xx ♣Kxxx , you respond a spade to partners 1♦ opening bid . LHO bids 3♥ & around to you so what do you do ? The most flexible bid is a card showing double . Partner can convert for penalty , support your suit or do something intelligent. Do not bid 3♠ that is redundant , bidding 4♣ or passing is silly. A double is a flexible build that retains your options. In general , you play negative doubles to 4♦, so a double is mandatory.

You open 1♦ , LHO bids 4♠ so around to you again in the re-opening position ♠KQJ10 ♥xx ♦AKxxx ♣xx . You have a clear cut pass . If you double , partner is going to make the wrong decision 99 times out of 100. She expects you to hold ♠x ♥Axxx ♦AKxx ♣KJxx for such a double . What if you held ♠Axx ♥AKx ♦AKxx ♣J10x and the same auction. You have too many HCP’s with no trump stack so you should double. Doubles at this level are not takeout per se but card showing which means partner pass or bid depending on your holdings in their suit.

INT by partner , you bid Stayman with ♠x ♥Axxx ♦Kxxx ♣Kxxx and LHO bids 3♠ around to you again. Doubling with values in their suit for penalty is not recommended when you are “in front” of the suit. A double here should be D.S.I.P. so leaving all options open. With values in spades , bid 3NT and yes they wiggled out of a penalty double.

Even after a 2/1 , a re-opening double is D.S.I.P. ( card showing )

1♦-1♠-2♣-2♥

P-P-? ♠Axx ♥xxx ♦Jx ♣AKJxx You should double 2♥ as it cannot be a trump stack when you are in front of the suit. Playing support doubles when the opponents bid in the sandwich position a re-opening double is always D.S.I.P. ( cards ) as partner may have a trump stack and convert. A double of a pre-empt in the sandwich position is a special D.S.I.P. double called a “thrump double” . 1♦-P-1♥-3♠ X The double says bid 3NT with a spade stopper . A pass or a direct 3NT bid would show spades.

Partner opens 1♣ and LHO overcalls 1♦ . You bid a heart with ♠Kxx ♥AKxxx ♦xxx ♣Jx and partner re-bids 2♣. RHO re-bids 2♦ so what now ? You have a D.S.I.P. competitive double saying “partner my HCP’s are where you expect them” so I would like to compete to 3♣ but I have defense. The double can not be a trump stack unless you assume the opponents are suicidal when they bid and rebid a suit. When you do have a trump stack , hope partner re-opens with a double.

When the opponents overcall and make a jump raise of their suit , a re-opening double is always D.S.I.P. competitive. You hold ♠A10xxx ♥Jxx ♦J10x ♣Ax , the auction goes 1♣-1♦-1♠-3♦ P-P-? having this bid reserved for penalty is silly. The double is card showing saying I want to compete.

A special case of a D.S.I.P. competitive double is when the opponents make a jump rebid in their suit . How many times do you want to punish them when they have jumped in their suit ? A double should be D.S.I.P. competitive .

1♦-P-1♥-X

3♦-X This double should be D.S.I.P. competitive saying I have cards to compete but I do not know where.

In summary a double or competitive double in the re-opening chair is never penalty no matter what the auction is. You are making a “card showing “ D.S.I.P. double. When you have their suit , bid 3NT or pass. Penalty doubles were simply not designed for the re-opening position .