Friday, October 11, 2002 10:32 PM

Hand Evaluation - Forcing Pass ( Doubles )

 

PITBULLS:

 

                       One of the very basics of bidding is to know when particular auctions set up a force on the partnership . There is nothing more discouraging in Bridge then to pass the decision around to partner thinking that the pass is forcing & partner passes !! . Partner just cannot do that – for any reason other than an outright psyche ! Regardless of partner having minimum values or is ashamed of a previous bid or any other excuse that can be thought up , she cannot pass when  there is a forcing pass auction. This erodes partnership confidence , trust & will lead to disasters in the long run. Even when the result is right , the means to get that result is wrong & is not worth it.

 

            There are many ways a forcing auction is established - the common ones being a 2♣ opener , 2/1 , Jacoby 2NT , 4th suit forcing , a new suit by responder , new minor forcing , a redouble , a Q bid , a systemic bid showing limit raise or better  etc . All these bids allow nice & slow auctions until game is reached so when the opponents interfere they cannot buy the contract undoubled .

 

            Another bid that sets up forcing auctions is the penalty double . I wish that were a generalization so it is easy on the memory but no such luck . Assuming that none of the above “forcing considerations” apply a penalty double initiates a force on the partnership for a round. Let’s review some common situations :

 

  1. The opener re-opens with a double & partner converts . This sets up a forcing auction if the opponents try to wiggle out . Either partner can pass the bid around to partner for some sort of action.
  2. A direct  penalty double of 1NT sets up forcing passes thru the two level . i.e, the opponents cannot buy the contract at the 2 level undoubled unless the partner of the 1NT doubler has run herself. ( partnership understanding )
  3. Take out doubles at the 3 or 4 level & partner converts for penalty . Forcing situations apply when the opponents start running
  4. When either partner makes a direct penalty double as opposed to a negative , responsive etc

      5.   Systemic penalty double ( unusual 2NT or Michaels etc ) 

 

O.K. that is a nice generalization and easy on the memory . All penalty doubles set up a one round force . Wrong ! An exception is made for penalty doubles after take out doubles at the one & two level . Why ! The logic behind this exception is the nature of the T/O double. The take out doubler is announcing the unbid suits with the opponents bidding one of them . This may be a psyche or an ill advised bid by the opponents. The partner of the take out doubler can convert or make a penalty double with a lot less than normal strength. The penalty double is made on the assumption that the take out doubler has some length in that suit also .

 

When you put too strict a requirement on your penalty doubles after take out doubles , i.e. holding enough values to punish them even if they run elsewhere trouble could ensue. You are going to miss out on a number of good sets or be the victim of psyches .  Say partner made a 12 HCP take out double , you doubled their suit bid with your 8 HCP . They escape , so partner passes it around to you . When you play that pass forcing , you have to bid at the 3 level vul & maybe go for your life !! When the takeout doubler bids again , she is doing it on her hand , not because you doubled for penalty initially.

 

Some example auctions :

 

            Dbl      

1♥                         1♠                    RHO could be psyching a spade with hearts . You double 1♠  because you  expect to beat it or

                                                             expose the psyche . You do not have to hold enough values to establish a forcing auction

            DBL                         

 

           ♠KJ10xx ♥x ♦Axxx ♣xxx

 

 

             DBl

1♣                        P                      The pass of 1♣ doubled does not set up

       a forcing auction

 

 1♠            P

       

     ♠xxx ♥QJx ♦x ♣KQJ1098

 

                  Dbl

1♠                        2♣                          You were about to bid 2♣ but they did ! The double does not set up  

a forcing auction because partner has announced  clubs with the t/o double

                                                         

              Dbl                      ♠J10xx ♥xx ♦xx ♣AQJ10x

 

            

   Now for the infamous Susan/ Pat auction :

 

            P DBl

1♠                    1NT

 2♣                    2♠

           DBL                      

                 3♦

 

                    The original double of 1NT is for takeout so could easily announce clubs. The double of 2♣ is still bidding the takeout double not  saying that I have  a rock ,  thereby setting up a forcing auction . Is 3♦ a forcing bid ? Absolutely not . It shows a very good hand ( like the hand Susan held ) but not forcing. You cannot be forcing based on partners penalty double of 2♣ as the penalty double was already made based on partner’s  take out double ! This is double counting reasoning.  If Pat had horrible wasted values in clubs or spades with a stiff diamond , 3♦ is the place to play it . The auction sounds like a good 6-4 in diamond & hearts , So with the hand that Pat had , I would have bid 4♦ not because the 3♦ bid was forcing but because I had 3 trump with my points in hearts so the hand must fit well .

 

♦xxxx ♥Qx ♦x ♣KQJ1098    I would double 2♣ and 

pass 3♦ on this auction

 

              With a non takeout double auction & you make a penalty double , the ground rules change . When you do not have enough overall strength to establish a forcing auction , you just let them play it there as it is a bad spot for them. When you do double , the expectation is that you have enough values to stand partners double if they start escaping . As noted previously , the takeout double auctions are an exception to this penalty double rule …

 

            Some partnerships say that a penalty double never sets up a force on the partnership . I think this makes no Bridge sense as the penalty double conveys information to partner about the overall strength of the doublers hand for further action by the partnership . This non forcing concept may be good in match points ( non Bridge )  possibly but very silly otherwise.