Tuesday, July 20, 2004
7:24 PM
Hand Evaluation – Doubles ( Balance of Power )
PITBULLS:
“Balance
of Power’ is a hand evaluation concept.
You most know when your side does not own the auction in a forcing
pass sense but has the balance of
power nevertheless. This balance of power is normally computed by just counting
the HCP’s based on the bidding. Translating the
bidding into HCP’s during the auction is another essential Bridge
skill. When you have the balance of power , you should use the double
to announce that fact. Use the context of the auction to define this additional meaning for
the double. Do
not restrict a useful bid like a double in
competition to mean just a trump stack penalty double. Yech !!
There is an article
in the Bridge Bulletin where the author is describing “Balance of Power” penalty doubles. The author stipulates that these do
not have a trump stack but show a willingness
to compete. In other words , Do Something
Intelligent Partner. He advocates that these doubles just indicate that the
balance of power is in your
direction. Your subsequent doubles tells partner the nature of your HCP’s. They are in quick tricks suitable for defense rather than soft values.
Here are some example auctions he gives :
1♦ X P
1♠
2♦ P P X ♠Kxxx ♥xx
♦Axx ♣J9xx
(maximum for previous bid )
2♥ X
P 2♠
P P 3♥ X
♠Axxx ♥xx ♦Kxxx ♣Qxx ( maximum for
previous bid )
1♦ 1♥ P 1♠
2♦ P
P
X ♠AKxxx ♥xx ♦10xx
♣AJx D.S.I.P.
1♣ 1♠ X
2♠ ♠Kxx ♥AJxx ♦K10xx
♣xx (
good negative double )
1♦ 1♥ 2♣ 3♥ ♠AKQ
♥Jxx ♦AKxxxx ♣x
( good hand & no bid )
1♥ 1♠ 1NT
2♠ ♠x ♥AKxxx ♦AKxx ♣Axx ( D.S.I.P. )
The author insists that the penalty double is a “depending on context
bid “ and you should be able to work out
auctions that do not promise a trump stack . He says if you are not behind the suit ,
it is not a trump stack double. I go one step further .
Throw out the trump stack double
altogether in competition , so you will get these auctions right all the time !! Take your
plus with trump stacks & hope partner doubles ! I agree that balance of power doubles should
be included in the D.S.I.P. double
family.
The reason we do not make these “card showing” doubles now is that we are
afraid of partner leaving them in with unsuitable
hands fixed on the “never pull my
penalty double” platitude.
In fact , partners who made penalty doubles just based
on HCP’s were considered dangerous as the contracts made more often than not .
These contracts will not make with D.S.I.P. theory when partner converts for penalty
however. Use a double as a tool to
describe your hand not just for penalty. When you do not use
a double in this manner , your pass becomes ambiguous either showing a bad hand or a good hand.
A Tormentee
held a gilt edge 1-4-4-4 with controls & 15
HCP everybody vul.
She opened 1♦ , they overcalled
1♠ & I freely bid 1NT which should show 8-10 HCP’s with at least one minor ( I did not make a negative
double showing hearts) . They bid 2♠ so with her 15 HCP & support for
one of partner’s minors , she doubles. This says
partner we have the balance
of power maybe up to 25 HCP near game so do something
intelligent. I bid 3♣ which is cold & they make 2♠ for a double
partial swing. Actually the Tormentee passed , not knowing how to inform partner that we have the balance of power so we lost a double
partial swing. Traditional Tormentee thinking is that
a pass shows a 15 HCP opener so
you figure it out.
J
Another Tormentee held a flat 10 HCP & they opened 1♥ in 3rd seat nv & partner makes a vul T/O double. They pre-empt to 4♥ as a passed hand
nv vrs vul
so the Tormentee doubles with her 10 HCP’s to announce
that her side has the balance of power.
When she does not , she loses 7 IMPS as they doubled
with the same auction at the other table. However , it
is more than that. You are
describing your hand to partner that you have “some cards.” Traditional Tormentee thinking is that a pass shows exactly 10 HCP’s
or zero , so you figure it out partner. J