Friday, January 24, 2003 3:02 AM

Hand Evaluation - Dbls ( Partnership )

PITBULLS:

Bridge is a partnership game . This means avoid making single handed decisions for the partnership in competitive auctions. Try to make a bid that puts partner in the picture so that a joint decision can be made even when the opponents reach a game . This partnership aspect of Bridge is one of the prime incentives for inventing D.S.I.P. double theory. Before D.S.I.P. theory , partner’s hand was bid for her instead of by her when partner made a trump stack penalty double in competition. Even not playing formal D.S.I.P. theory , doubling to allow partner some input into the competitive decision is still sound Bridge. The double is the only bid in competition that allows partner some say also. Redefine the meaning of the double in competition. The main difference between a penalty double & a competitive double is that the latter transfers the final decision to partner.

The opponents are vul , you are not . In 4^th seat , they open 1♥ , partner overcalls 1♠ & RHO bids 2♥ . You have ♠J10x ♥xxxx ♦Axx ♣KQx so you could bid 2♠ since partner is a passed hand . No , this is wrong because that bid does not describe your defensive strength or playing strength . You could leap to 4♠ since partner is marked with a stiff heart & the opponents are vul . No , again this is too single handed . 4♥ may not make & you are bidding partners hand for her . So you Q bid 3♥ which shows a spade raise with limit raise values .

The opponents now bid 4♥ vul so around to you . In IMPS , you can afford to double . If they make it , it is not a disaster but the meaning of the double is two fold . Partner can pull to 4♠ with the appropriate distributional hand & 4♠ doubled will be an excellent sacrifice with her marked stiff heart. You are sacrificing from the correct side , as you gave partner an option to leave it in . Tom had overcalled on a 4 card spade suit to the AK & 4♥ doubled goes for at least 500 . In fact a trump lead , may get the contract for 800 !! 4♠ doubled goes down 2 for a phenomenal swing . Tom will happily leave the double in with his 4 spades . With distribution , he will take out cheap insurance as it is IMPS . ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦xx ♣Jxxxx he will pull & 4♠ doubled makes with the queen of spades onside !!

Do not bid partners hand for her . She is fully capable of bidding her own hand if you allow her the opportunity to do so . Again doubling games in IMPS should be a more common practice than in other forms of Bridge but put partner in the picture first . Give her an option to join the party by doubling , as bidding or passing is very single handed & final !! Doubling in competitive auctions should be cooperative & descriptive . These are not “trump stack” doubles that must always end the auction . In fact with their trump , I would not even double & just take my plus as we are not making anything anyway . Cooperative doubles are far more useful in competitive auctions as you are requesting partners input also. D.S.I.P. by leaving the double in or pulling .