Wednesday,
January 14, 2004
6:59 AM
Hand Evaluation – Balancing ( Negative DBLs )
PITBULLS:
Before
negative doubles , everybody played direct penalty doubles.
The rule for leaving in the direct penalty double was do you have what partner
can reasonably expect for an opening bid
with respect to quick tricks ? If so ,
you passed the penalty double & if not , you pulled. In more modern Bridge , negative doubles were invented so re-opening
doubles were re-defined. A re-opening double
was designed to protect partner’s penalty double.
It does not show any extra as partners penalty pass is unlimited.
I just cringe when players think they must have extra to double in the
re-opening chair. I also cringe when they think they must have a T/O double
shape. No , you are just bidding partner’s possible penalty
double pass . It is that simple.
Negative Double theory “plays the
vulnerability” . Partner will not trap
with a huge hand you vul vrs not
so you do need extra in the re-opening
chair on that one vulnerability scenario only.
You are no longer protecting partner’s penalty double as she does not have a
huge hand. She would have bid some number of NT directly on that vulnerability.
You are merely announcing your own good hand
with a re-opening double.
A
double in the re-opening spot is never penalty
no matter what the auction or what level. Even
if you do not play competitive doubles , a re-opening double says I
want to compete again.
1♦-1♥-1♠-2♥
2♠-P-P-X
says I am maximum for my bid & I do not want to
sell out.
Even when
partner has opened 1NT , a re-opening double is not
penalty. This is simply an application of the over/under rule
based on frequency.
1NT-P-2♣-2♠
P-P-X
This is not a penalty double but a “re-opening double” announcing “cards” . Partner can convert if she wishes.
Some
European pairs play “inverted doubles” when they own the hand.
Playing those methods a direct double & a re-opening double both
show shortness. A direct pass in those auctions says I may have their suit so you double to protect partner’s pass. When you do not
own the auction , the rules
are different . When you have a trump stack in their suit in the re-opening seat , this means that partner has a stiff & took no
action. This is a clue for you to do the same , so
let’s defend an undoubled
contract.
Minimum equal level conversion definitely
applies over direct takeout doubles
as Meckwell invented them for that purpose. Spurning
traditional T/O bidding methods , I feel that minimum equal level conversion should apply also in balancing situations & re-opening situations with
negative doubles. This is to scramble after your off shape double was not converted.
Our
philosophy of balancing doubles matches that of
re-opening doubles in negative double theory . In
negative double theory , you bend over backwards to
double in case partner has a penalty double conversion.
In my mind , there is no difference in the balancing
seat . You bend over backwards to double , in case
partner has trapped with their suit. A secondary thought is you are making a
T/O double to compete (i.e. bidding your own hand ) . Therefore
, a double in the balancing has to be treated with caution
. It is going to have 10 HCP’s & up
but it might not have the ideal shape . If having partner pass
the double is a disaster , Q bid instead to show
the balancing distributional rock .
O.K.
whenever you have defense in the balancing chair , you will tend to double . ♠xx ♥AKxx
♦QJ10xx ♣xx ,
it goes 1♠ & around to you , I feel a double is right is case partner
has a spade trap. What if partner bids 2♣ ?
Minimum equal level conversion to the rescue . You bid
2♦ which at the
same level does not show extra. This is not an auction where you are too strong
to balance 2♦ a la
Goren. These strong hands can be bid by other means .
Let us
review all the traditional heart balances over a spade opener. 2♥ is just a bid . 3♥
is an intermediate jump with a single suit . A double
followed by a 2♥ bid
is a hand traditionally in the 16 HCP range probable only 5 cards and another suit . A double followed by a 3♥ jump would be up in the 18-20 range and
a Q bid followed by hearts is a game force demand 2 type of heart hand .
I feel
you do not need the double followed by a 2♥ bid to show a good hand
. If the suit is good , bid 3♥ going in & if the suit is not good
, choose another bid . 2♥
should be equal level conversion to encourage re-opening doubles with a 5 card
heart suit with defense for partners
penalty conversion. You cannot have it both ways . You
want to re-open or balance with a double to catch speeders. If you miss
“getting” them, there is no reason to play in an
inferior partial because you might show a strong hand.
Re-opening doubles playing negative doubles or in the
balancing spot , cater to punishing the
opponents first & describing your distribution
second ! People who open weak 2’s on any kind of
suit escape horrendous sets time after time because partnerships under
use the double card in the balancing chair .
Catching them speeding is easy . Think double as your
first bid holding quick tricks &
other bids only if you cannot stand a
penalty pass. Partner will give you leeway with your off shape balances .
Off shape doubles will be more frequent
than huge hands in the re-opening chair anyway. Very simple.
In order to
encourage this practice of doubling with off shape hands to catch bad pre-empters, minimum equal level conversion
must apply in these balancing sequences also . There
are always other ways to describe hands that are strong .
Upping the level is an easy out to describe them.
I had a hand
with Tom in Pentiction , ♠Jx ♥AQxx ♦AJ9xx ♣xx
& LHO opened 2♠ so around to you in the balancing seat.. You double
so partner bids 3♣ which is alerted as constructive. I passed & we
went two down vul in our 4-2 club fit cold for 130 in
diamonds. 330 is a lot of IMPS to waste. Minimum equal level
conversion to the rescue , so you bid 3♦ . What if you did have a diamond rock
in the balancing spot ? Say ♠Jx ♥AQxx ♦AKQ10xx
♣x with the auction going the same way . You can always bid 3♠ to ask him to bid 3NT
after your double & if he does not , bidding
diamonds at the 4 level will now show this hand. Good hands take care of
themselves.
Susan held ♠AQxxx ♥KJxxx ♦Jx ♣A
& opened 1♠ in 4th seat vul vrs not with a passed hand 2♣ overcall by LHO . Do
you re-open with 2♥
or 3♥ or a double ? This hand needs more for a 3♥ bid so your choice is between a double
& 2♥. The
vulnerability & 5-5 point to a 2♥
call but your controls dictate otherwise. You have 3 quick
tricks with the 1 ½ , ½ , 1
combination so that is very adequate defense if
partner passes your double. You double & partner does pass & 2♣X
loses 2♠ tricks & a ruff , 2♥ tricks & possibly 3 more trump
tricks for 500 . Partner held ♠xx ♥AQx
♦xxx ♣J98xx
so a game your way is anti-percentage but with these meager
values will never invite game if you re-open with a mere 2♥ bid anyway. Good hands start with a double as Klimo has
been known to say.
Do not
forget that partner is doing her best to protect your penalty double with a
re-opening double of their 2♠ bid after partner's 1♥ opener. You have ♠J9xx ♥x
♦Qxxx ♣xxxx
, partner does not need extra for her double. In
matchpoints , you can go for the throat & convert ( it’s only a
zero if it does not work) . In IMPS , bid a scrambling
2NT to avoid a disaster. You are nv vrs
vul so discretion is the
better part of valour.