2008-04-17 12:10

Hand Evaluation - Partnership ( Doubles )

PITBULLS:

Hand evaluation quite often involves a concept , once mastered , can be generalized to all bidding sequences. Try this one on for size. Doubles equate to good quality HCP’s showing a strong defensive hand , jumping the bidding does not. When you double , partner will ask herself why did you not just bid instead. Bidding by jumping a level shows a long suit or distribution whereas doubling shows HCP’s with controls. If you do not have sufficient HCP’s measured in quick tricks for a double , you may use a toy , Q bid , simple bid or jump bid.

Osama psyched a strong NT against two Tormentees in an IMP game & was very successful. The Tormentees eventually rested in 5♣ making 7 instead of 7NT making 7. The culprit was ambiguity as neither Tormentee was even remotely aware of the combined assets of the partnership. One Tormentee held ♠10xx ♥AK109x ♦AKQx ♣x & decided that a pass adequately described this defensive hand to partner after Osama opened 1NT . Just 16 HCP’s rich in controls & concentrated HCP’s in two suits . As Osama has an honest face , he is to believed , correct ?

LHO opponent bid 2♣ but now more ambiguity takes place. You have ♠AKx ♥x ♦10xx ♣AKQJ109 so you leap to 4♣. Partner now visualizes a pre-emptive hand like ♠xxx ♥x ♦x ♣KQJ109xxx or the like so has no idea of the strength of your hand. Bridge bidding is defined as painting an accurate picture of your hand to partner. Back up & double 2♣ first & see what happens. A double is a universal tool to show strength & you have 4 quick tricks & 17 HCP’s. A double is also a tool to expose psyches . If the opponents run from 2♣, you now can bid 4♣ which partner now reads as strength as well as a good club suit ( why did you not just bid 3♣ initially ? ) . Make bids in the correct order . Partner realizing that you have a good strong hand , takes the 40 HCP in the deck rule into effect & the psyche is exposed. You will now get to slam easily.

Bridge bidding like any language can not have ambiguity. You can not bid 2♠ after partner opens or overcalls 1♠ with ♠xxx ♥x ♦Axxxx ♣Kxxx as opposed to ♠xxxxx ♥x ♦Axxx ♣Kxx or ♠xxxx ♥x ♦Axxxx ♣Kxx as these 3 hands are vastly different. Although they have 7 HCP in controls , one has only 3 trump , one has 5 trump & the last has 4 trump. You have introduced ambiguity as you have described 3 different strength playing hands with the same bid. This ambiguity results in –12 IMPS repeatedly for your side. The same ambiguity applies with bidding or jumping . How is partner to resolve the ambiguity that one time the bid shows length & distribution & the other time strength , measured in HCP’s ? The answer , of course is that she cannot. Always double first , to show your strength when they have bid NT & show your distribution later. A NT bid is a HCP showing bid , so a double clarifies your bid in these NT based auctions.

A double is not just for penalty or T/O in Bridge bidding. A double is a way of describing a strong hand to partner. There is a huge negative inference with a double. Partner will infer that when you did not double initially , you can not be strong in the HCP sense. You must be bidding on distribution or your HCP’s are only in the intermediate to poor range. Doubles are a nice depending on context tool to allow partner to have the optimum advantage to do something intelligent. Doubles show strength but Q bids , toys & overcalls show suits & distribution . Use the red card more often to describe your hand & Bridge will become more of a partnership game.