Saturday, November 12, 2005 4:01 AM
Hand Evaluation – DBLS ( Quick Trick Criteria )
PITBULLS:
A penalty double or a competitive double is a unique bid in Bridge . The double tells partner the nature
of your HCP’s, not the total
of your HCP’s as in standard bidding. The double says my HCP’s are aligned in
quick trick combinations so I have “defense” properly defined .
Defense does not mean a trump stack or a large total of soft values reaching a
pre-determined number. Defense equates to quick tricks period. You think quick tricks when
you double. It is that simple.
With D.S.I.P. competitive double theory , a 1st
double in competition means partner I have defense measured in quick tricks , nothing in their suit & I would like to
compete again. In a rare occasion, you can have values in their suit (
transferable ) as long as the criteria
that you wish to compete again is met. Cards in their suit may be good for
offense ( transferable )
since they are well located. My partner had such a hand ♠KJx ♥xx ♦xxx
♣AQ10xx , in 3rd seat everybody vul RHO
opens 2♠. The auction goes pass , pass & I balance with a double. Partner bids 3♣
which I alert as constructive ( we play Lebensohl ) but the opponents bid 3♠ . He in effect has already shown his hand by using Lebensohl
so there is a case that D.S.I.P. theory should
not apply as you have already shown your values in a competitive
auction. Once you have shown your hand initially , a
subsequent double is usually penalty. However , values do not always equate to defensive tricks , so I think D.S.I.P.
theory should still apply. In this particular auction though, values in their
suit are highly likely . Partner paid his card fees so
did not want to sell out for 3♠ , therefore he made a D.S.I.P. co-operative
double forcing me to the 4 level where the two bids converge.
Anyway, I
pulled the double as I have way too many clubs to leave the double in for penalty ( I
thought ) . The opponents doubled 4♣ , partner
makes an overtrick for the rare score of +910 . I held ♠xx ♥AQ10xx ♦Kx ♣987x , If I chose to convert we get +500 for 3♠X anyway as the hearts are very favourably located for our side as are the clubs
and spades. Good hand for yours truly as I
could not go wrong. Change my hand to ♠xx ♥AQ10xx ♦Axx ♣xxx , I would have passed so we get the proverbial telephone number +800 in
3♠X. Partner is supposed to have 3 to 3 ½ defensive tricks for his double
in this auction ( I am a passed hand ) ,
so simple arithmetic in counting defensive tricks allows me to convert.
Usually in competitive auctions , trump penalty
doubles per se are thrown in the waste basket.
When you have them too high by
competing good enough - take your plus.
There are auctions though where the D.S.I.P. double & the penalty double
converge. As long as you are content with partner pulling your penalty double , go ahead & make a D.S.I.P. penalty double. If
partner had a trump stack ♠KQxx of spades with the same hand he would of course
have passed the re-opening double. He should not double if he just planned to push them
higher because he knows 99 % of the time I will pull the double. Possibly he should not even
have competed with a bad trump stack in
their suit , unwilling to pass for penalty in the
first instance.
If I held ♠x ♥AQ10xx ♦Axxx ♣109x , I would double 3♠ based on his “Lebensohl” bid showing values with my maximum defense for
a passed hand balancing double.
Partner can convert for the telephone number. Playing D.S.I.P. competitive
double theory you must bid the table & sniff out the occasions that partner
may have a trump stack penalty double. In negative
double theory ,
you just re-open with an obligatory double in case partner has a trump stack.
In D.S.I.P. theory you must read the table
better & pick your spots before you double again. Playing
D.S.I.P. theory
you must resist the urge to be “trigger happy” initially & wait for partner
to double for you. Not always easy
….