2007-07-25 17:28

D.S.I.P. – Ambiguity

PITBULLS:

Another reason D.S.I.P. doubles were invented was to remove ambiguity & clarify your previous bid. Opening bids , T/O doubles , Q bids , responses , negative doubles & overcalls have huge ranges. D.S.I.P. doubles help announce defense measured in controls or huge hands via a double. We can convert or double the opponents ourselves based on than knowledge. In other words , we have clarified our initial bid.

There are certain auctions where we have limited our hand within a very defined range so we modify D.S.I.P. doubles in accordance with the over/under rule . If partner opens 1NT & they balance , we know partners hand pretty well as it is an unambiguous 15-17. Since we have minimum ambiguity to deal with , a double is D.S.I.P. if we are in front of the balancing suit . If we are behind the suit , a double is penalty.

One of a major & a simple raise gets passed out to a balancing double or suit. Our simple raise limits our hand , so it is reasonably unambiguous so the over/under rule applies. You double behind their suit , it is penalty. You double in front of their suit , it is D.S.I.P. In ambiguous auctions , the double is always D.S.I.P. as you have to announce your overall strength first before doubles become penalty. A D.S.I.P. double quite often “sets the table” for a penalty double later in the auction. This of course implies competitive auctions where forcing pass theory does not apply.

I was playing with a new convert to D.S.I.P. doubles the other night & Osama opened 1♣ . This was passed around to me who balanced with 1NT. This is a reasonably unambiguous bid as most NT bids are . Osama could not stay out of the auction so he bid 2♥ which got doubled. This double is not D.S.I.P. as you are behind the bidder & we define his 2^nd bid as a balance. In addition , I bid 1NT which is an unambiguous bid . Partner held 12 HCP’s with ♥Qxx so she doubled . Osama went 4 down for –800 & a top for us. D.S.I.P. doubles are useful , but good old fashioned penalty doubles are not extinct. This is the reason for the over/under rule. If the 2♥ bid was passed around to me & I doubled , it would be D.S.I.P. as I am in front of the heart bidder.