Sunday, February 12, 2006 5:39 AM

Hand Evaluation - KCB ( Interference )

PITBULLS:

Yes Virginia , the big bad opponents do interfere with your KCB auctions both over the majors and minor suit KCB at many levels. They also make lead directing doubles which you can use to your advantage especially in minor suit KCB & Exclusion. There also interfere with your Exclusion Blackwood responses . Here is how my partnerships handle this intrusion.

We play modified DOPI . Instead of the standard , the double is always penalty followed by straight KCB ( 0413 ) steps from there with pass the 1^st step showing one Ace or 3 Aces. The double is penalty or zero Aces . If you have a weak hand with duplication of value, do not bother showing your Aces ,just double. The first suit bid shows 2 without the Ace , the next step if available shows 2 with the queen . This only works thru interference of 5♥ or lower. We assume two Aces is enough for slam so if we get two steps in under slam , we are happy. Hearts are trump so they interfere with 5♦. Double shows zero or penalty , pass is 1 or 3 and 5♥ is two , 5♠ is two with the queen. If spades are trump , they interfere with 5♥ . Double is penalty or zero , pass is one or three , 5♠ is two so the auctiont ends below 5NT . We want to leave 5NT or the 6 level for the asker ( suit asks or King ask ) , so responses must be kept at the 5 level under 5NT.

If they double 4NT KCB for some weird reason , use the redouble as showing zero , pass 1 or 3 and so on. If they interfere with 5♠ , above we play DEPO . Double shows an even # with zero being even and pass shows an odd # of Aces.

With minor suit KCB interference, double again is penalty or zero. Pass shows 1 or 3 so we can use the remaining steps as long as we stay at the same level. The worse case scenario is the bully spade suit. Double is penalty or zero , pass is 1 or 3 and 4NT is 2 but we run out of room at the 4 level. If they double Kickback at the 4 level , it gives you two extra steps pass is zero and redouble 1 or 3 , go on from there.

EKB sequences with interference is the same modified DOPI scheme. Double is zero or penalty , pass is one or 3 , a suit bid is 2 etc so leave 5NT and above for the asker. When an EKB ask is doubled, thank the doubler.   You now have TWO extra bids  available, pass and redouble.   It works like this: Pass = 0   Redbl.= 1 or 3 1st  step = 2.   If a 2nd step response doesn't bypass the trump suit, it shows 2 with.