Saturday, May 17, 2003 3:24 AM

Hand Evaluation – ELC ( Concept )

PITBULLS:

Overcall & T/O dbl styles have changed over the years . Decades ago it would be unheard of to overcall two of a minor with 16 + HCP . One would double first , then bid our suit . The modern style is to not make ambiguous take out doubles with one suited hands when you can avoid it . So just overcall with your good one suited hand. I subscribe to that philosophy, as it has worked much better for me from my own experiences. This style makes T/O doubles with a one suited hand almost obsolete unless game might be missed. This style means that T/O doubles are defined to mean a two or 3 suited hand. This treatment also affects our overcalls. When overcalls have defense , they tend to be one suited hands. When overcalls have defense measured in quick tricks with more than one unbid suit , they magically turn into T/O doubles.

Toys like Michaels , unusual 2NT are usually weak or strong to avoid ambiguity. With intermediate 2 suiters you have a choice between overcalling & making a T/O double. I double with intermediate two suiters when they have defense measured in quick tricks. I overcall with two suits when they lack quick tricks. How does partner know that you only have two suits for your double ? Equal level conversion or a jump conversion is the answer.

Given this style of overcalling & two suited toys , Rodwell/Meckstroth have come up with something they call “Minimum Equal Level Conversion” for T/O doubles. This understanding allows some flexibility with weaker off shape take out doubles . In fact , T/O doubles with only the majors or two suits is the better & more frequent bid with this equal level conversion understanding. You need equal level conversion to inform partner that you only have two suits rather than three suits after your double. One suited hands are not possible after you doubled for T/O or very rare. Jump Q bids help in that regard. When you have a nice two suiter ( defensive ) double & jump in your lower ranking suit. Jumps always imply distribution ( usually 5-5 ) rather than strength when you have a Q bid available. You can also use the rank of suits to your advantage by forcing the auction to a higher level which shows two suits with a good hand.

Why did Meckwell come up with the equal level conversion concept ? Bridge is a “bidders game” especially for these two. Handling off shape T/O doubles allows them to enter the auction immediately where other players may pass due to not having the correct shape for a T/O double. This allows them to compete better or reach tight major suit games not reached by other pairs. Trapping is better defined for them as they will now only trap with extreme values in the opponents suit , not just because they do not have the classic shape for a T/O double. In my opinion , for places in Bridge like balancing , negative double theory & combating their pre-empts you just need equal level conversion concepts !!

I like equal level conversion also for another reason. Overcalls are defined better as lacking two suits & defensive values. Doubles now are more likely to mean defense & suits. Overcalls are more likely to be a one suited hand or when holding two suits an offensive hand without quick tricks. This understanding helps combat terrorism as more & more auctions have an initial T/O double. Starting an auction off with a double means that penalty doubles are easier to find later. ELC helps reduce ambiguity between T/O doubles & overcalls relative to defensive strength.

Matchpoint players do not like this style of T/O doubles , as they prefer a double to show all 3 unbid suits for accuracy in partials. They also cling to the old fashioned notion of doubling with one suited hands. Doubling with one suited hands destroys equal level conversion unless you are strong enough to up the level to game. Accuracy with partials is so very important in Matchpoints. IMP players realize getting to major suit games is their goal , so T/O doubles are defined as showing either two suits or 3 suits. When the T/O double is two suits , they must be both majors after a minor opener or the other major & a minor after a major opener. We add an additional requirement in that you must have quick tricks for a double as with soft values you would have chosen an overcall or toy instead.

Doubling first & converting to your own suit showed a good single suited hand in standard bidding in the past. As Kiz Fung says , good hands can take care of themselves. You can always jump Q bid initially with a good single suited hand , so use equal level conversion as a scrambling bid. Far more useful & far more frequent . Equate doubles with defense ( type of HCP’s) , other bids with softer values.

The rank of suits enters the picture with equal level conversion. With equal length suits you bid up the line. Say you had 5-4 in the majors with a decent hand. Partner doubles , so you Q bid showing the majors but partner bids the other minor instead. You now bid 3♠ so since you bypassed the lower ranking major , you must have 5 of them. This length is a standard inference , when you do not bid up the line as a default.

It goes 1♥ to your right and you hold

A	x	A	x
K	x	J
x	x	10
x		x
		x

Do you overcall 2♦ & lose the spade suit when they jam in hearts ? Do you overcall on your 4 card spade suit & lose your possible diamond contract ? Rodwell/Meckstroth recommend doubling & when partner bids 2♣ or 3♣ when pushed there competitively , make an equal level conversion to diamonds. This does not show extra as you stayed at the same level . To show a single suited diamond rock you would have to go to another level . Of course with a strong two suited hand , you would have used a toy ( weak or very strong ) .

This treatment allows Rodwell/Meckstroth to solve the age old 6-4 problem of whether to overcall or make a takeout double. With diamonds you can always double with 6-4’s holding the other major because pulling partners club bid to diamonds is an equal level conversion so does not show extra. With the club suit you are still forced to overcall clubs rather than double with your 6-4.

With 5-4 in the majors & a good 5 suit it is always been better to overcall your 5 card suit even with defense rather than double . Not any more. Sometimes though this old overcall style jams you out of your heart/spade fit & might even miss game . Equal level conversion to the rescue .

A	A	x	x
K	J	x
x	10	x
x	x
	x

One diamond to your right , so you are normally forced to overcall a heart. Now you can double & pull 2♣ to 2♥ . Equal level conversion does not show extra so partner knows you have 5/4♥ & 4♠ with a minimum but two suits with defense measured in quick tricks. When you are that strong so you can not overcall a heart , up the level after doubling to show your strong single suited hand. I would overcall with this hand if it were not so rich with defensive values. ♠KJ10x ♥KQJxx ♦QJ10 ♣x is still a 1♥ overcall. When you are weaker , you need to hear from partner to make a spade game so overcalling is less risky. Get in the habit of showing the nature of your HCP’s with a double. Equal level conversion helps with that concept.

You overcall a spade with a minimum hand 5-4 holding both majors, so you hit partner with ♠x ♥Qxxxx ♦xx ♣Axxxx who passes or passes a lot of similar hands in competitive auctions . You are jammed out of your 4♥ games simply by overcall the boss suit spades.. Some hands you make +140 in hearts & –200 in spade contracts. This is just a matter of frequency of hands . It is far more frequent to hold these type of hands, than a hand too strong to make an overcall. You get fixed with these weaker type of hands more frequently.

The auction goes 1♣ , you have ♠A10xxx ♥QJxx ♦Kx ♣Ax so do you overcall or double ? This is easy as the spade suit “buries” the heart suit more often than not. In addition, your spade suit is nothing to write home about. You also have defense with your 2 ½ quick tricks. Anyway if you do overcall , partner leaps to 3NT with ♠Q ♥K109x ♦Qx ♣KQJ10xx so you lose 10 IMPS as +450 in hearts as opposed to –100 in 3NT with a diamond lead. A T/O double instead, you are in 4♥ after one Q bid.

Not all 5-4 in the majors are handled with a double. You can overcall as long as you play a 2/1 ♥ response as non-forcing. You will not lose your heart partial or game that way. You should still double with good 5-4 in the majors when a 4 card ♥ suit & minimum values might produce game or a better partial. This would depend on the quality of your spade suit of course.

Equal level conversion is handy in combating pre-empts. I had a hand in my Masters Solvers Club where you held ♠Qxx ♥Axx ♦xxx ♣Jxxx . The auction goes 3♦-X-P-? . Most of the panel bid 3♥ & I gave the main reason for a 3 heart bid is that we play minimum level conversion. Partner has ♠AJxxx ♥KQx ♦x ♣AKxx so as he converts at the same level , he is not showing any extra. Over the 3♠ bid partner bids 4♠ so a very nice +620 results. Equal level conversion really shines when the opponents jam you at the 3 level. 1♦-P-3♦-X ♠xx ♥KQx ♦xxx ♣Qxxxx Partner has ♠AKxx ♥Axxxx ♦xx ♣Ax for his double with you bidding 3♥ . This brings 4♥ and +620. Change partners hand to ♠AKxx ♥Axx ♦x ♣K10xxx ,he bids an equal ( 3 level ) conversion to 3♠. This shows spades & clubs with just a tolerance for hearts. You now leap to 5♣ so +600 results . Say you held ♠xx ♥KQxxx ♦xxx ♣Qxx on the same auction. You return to 4♥ so that makes. You only lose on auctions where 3♥ precisely makes but the doubler is allowed way more freedom , if he is allowed to convert at the 3 level as a grope for the best spot.

Equal level conversion is a must in the balancing chair especially against suicide weak twos. You bend over backwards to double in the balancing spot in order to catch them speeding. However , what if they escape , so you have to scramble to the best spot ? Equal level conversion is scrambling. When you switch suits at the same level it is saying simply , I do not have that suit nor do I have extra. Equal level conversion is necessary playing negative double theory when your re-opening doubles are also off shape to catch speeders.

Kiz Fung brought up a good point playing equal level conversion in the balancing spot. For the purpose of equal level conversion any bid over NT at the higher level is considered “equal level” conversion. The auction goes

1♥-P-P-X

P-1NT-P-? any bid at the two level is to play , not showing extra. You jump or Q bid to show a good hand. You are just improving the 1NT partial after a balancing bid ( scrambling ) . Kiz actually held ♠AJxxx ♥Kx ♦KQx ♣Axx so a 2NT raise is warranted. Partner bids 3NT with ♠Qx ♥J987 ♦Jx ♣KQJxx . There is no reason to try for a major suit game , as there may be danger of heart ruffs or a 10 trick game may be just too high . If partner has soft values in hearts as advertised ♥Q10xx or ♥QJxx you want to be in 3NT anyway.

Equal level conversion needs card showing doubles by partner or you can be a victim of their pre-emptive bidding. It goes 1♥ & you have ♠AKxx ♥xxx ♦AQJ10x ♣x so you make a T/O double. They bid 3♥ so you know partner has a stiff heart but did not make a double & it comes around to you. Passing would be a good idea as partner would bend over backwards to double playing an equal level conversion style. Partner with a minor can not assume that you have support for her so bidding a minor at the 4 level means that is responder’s suit.

You are nv vrs vul & they open a minor. You have ♠KQJ10x ♥KQJ10x ♦Qx ♣x ( 14 HCPs) so do you make a NV Michaels bid ? Of course not as this is an intermediate hand not weak or strong . I overcall 1♠ & back in with hearts when I get a chance. Change the hand to ♠AKxxx ♥AKxxx ♦xx ♣x (14 HCPs ) & I still can not Michaels but this time I double with my 4 quick tricks & use jump conversion. Partner might double their minor for penalty so my hand will not disappoint her. With this hand ♠AKQxx ♥AKQxx ♦xx ♣x, I do Michaels & show the strong version.

Given our style of strong overcalls , toys either weak or strong & frequent doubles to get in there after their pre-empts or balance , Minimum Equal Level or Jump Conversions make sense to the coach … Does it make sense to Stan , Tom , Pitbulls ?