Thursday, November 30, 2006 2:24 AM

D.S.I.P. - 2/1 Auctions

PITBULLS:

D.S.I.P. doubles and 2/1 bids by your side do not mix. When you go to the two level either directly , in competition or as a passed hand with a 2/1 , the assumption is that we own the auction. This understanding means that doubles are in accordance with forcing pass theory . These doubles can be trump stack penalty doubles and all the headaches associated with that bid. It would be nice if doubles were still D.S.I.P. but it is just not practical. Vulnerability is also not a consideration. 2/1 bids turn on forcing passes pure & simple.

I do not play “cheesy” 2/1 bids in competition. If I do not have full values for the bid , I choose a weak jump shift or negative double. I show a good hand or a good suit and not just a scattered 10 HCP’s as in more standard methods. A 2/1 is a big bid unless partner rebids her suit so the underlying initial assumption is that we own the auction until we hear differently.

The element of competition defines D.S.I.P. doubles. When we make a 2/1 , we are announcing that we have the majority of power so the opponents are intruding in our auction and we not competing. Yes , there are times when we just think we own the auction , but in those situations penalty doubles need to be pulled with unsuitable hands . It can be argued that full blown forcing pass theory is not on but rather we are just defining the double in these auctions. The double is simply penalty as in standard bidding.

4^th suit partner opens 1♦ on ♠QJ10 ♥xx ♦KQ109x ♣AJx and they overcall 1♠. You have ♠void ♥QJ1098 ♦AJx ♣Q1098x and bid a 2/1 of 2♥ . They jump to 4♠ . A double must be interpreted in the forcing pass sense. Two passed hands are in game so it is ludicrous to say we are just competing & D.S.I.P. doubles apply. Partner doubles as in forcing pass theory “to shut partner up” . If partner does not double , you take that as a green light as in forcing pass theory, & bid 4NT. The final contract of 5♦X goes for 800 with foul breaks.

When partner makes a Q bid signaling a limit raise or better , forcing pass theory applies from the opening bid side when either side reaches game. If your side has overcalled at the one level, a Q bid still means we are still competing and D.S.I.P. theory applies. Why the difference ? Simply an overcall is very variable in values and we can not guarantee we own the auction with a limit raise or better bid. An overcall at the two level is a different animal. These overcalls are done with respect and close to opening bid values or better. Therefore , it is easy to infer that we own the auction when partner makes a Q bid or a forcing bid in a new suit after partner overcalls at the two level.

T/O doubles and a Q bid turn on forcing passes because we mean business and are not just competing. To distinguish between a forcing pass double and a D.S.I.P. double always ask yourself are we just competing or do we own this auction ? The meaning of your sides double depends on your answer. D.S.I.P. doubles are competitive doubles so if you are not just competing & show serious values , all bets are off. D.S.I.P. doubles were designed to help you compete. When you own the auction , the theory is that you do not need any help.

You can not play D.S.I.P. doubles if you fail to recognize auctions when competitive doubles do not apply. Do we own this auction is the operative question to ask yourself. Opponents are either intruding or competing . The difference defines your double as competitive or penalty. D.S.I.P. doubles are the default when neither partner can tell if you own the auction. In other words , the double will be pulled if the issue of ownership is murky.