Thursday, April 14, 2005 4:45 PM
Hand Evaluation - Game Bid Interference
PITBULLS:
In
all auctions with
the opponents intruding right
up to but not including
the 5 level , only two scenarios
can apply – forcing pass theory or D.S.I.P. theory. The 3rd
option of simply old fashioned trump stack doubles do not apply in competitive
auctions unless at the 5 level & above or a
pre-empt took place. A double
does not mean you have a trump
stack and a pass
means you do not have a trump
stack. When the opponents
enter the auction, this should turn on a red light.
You have an obligation to think forcing pass theory or D.S.I.P.
theory . Your passes & doubles will have new
meanings depending on which mode
of operation the auction takes.
Lets discuss the auctions where we have bid
game & now
they interfere. Its not that
we bid game that turns on forcing passes its how we bid game .
A jump to game never
turns on forcing passes no matter what the vulnerability with one important exception.
If they pre-empt ,
we do not “pre-empt over a pre-empt” so a jump to game turns on forcing passes.
Otherwise, to turn on forcing passes the partnership must have redoubled ,
doubled or made another strong bid like a Q bid , 2/1 or a reverse. All forcing
pass & D.S.I.P. theory entails is keeping the partnership
informed in order to make the best possible competitive
decision. Pseudo sacrifices
at the game level are prevented
by D.S.I.P. theory as duplication of value
in their suit is highlighted during the
auction.
Undisciplined
players do not
play Forcing Pass theory. It interferes with their
destructive style that their bids can mean
anything because they are trying to “fool” the
opponents Poker style. The fact that partner is fooled also means she is just the
3rd opponent. Who cares ? Playing against Peter Jones & Lorna,
the auction goes 1♠
by Lorna , 4♠
by Peter Jones . I had a decent hand with a long diamond suit so I “bid the
table” & bid 5♦.
Lorna has a decent hand but she is nv vrs vul so decides that in light of
partners pre-emptive bid , a sacrifice in 5♠ is called for. My partner
doubles but they go down only one as Peter tables an Ace with an outside KQ
combination. 5♦X
goes for –500 but there is no semblance of forcing pass theory due to the
undisciplined 4♠
bid. Undisciplined jumps to game in the major always seem to get
partner rather than the opponents.
My partner in the Calcutta held ♠Axxxx
♥Kxxxx
♦xx
♣x , I opened 1♥ . Would you ever consider pre-empting to 4♥ with 1 ½ defensive tricks ? Slam is , of
course , cold but partner will
never move after the pre-emptive bid is made. You hold ♠QJ10xx
♥KJx
♦xxx
♣Ax , partner opens 1♠ vul & they interfere 2♠ . What is the hurry to leap
to game with such a strong
hand ? Make a bid that turns on
forcing passes to put partner in the picture. The opponents quite
often crawl in at the 5 level at this vulnerability so lets put partner
in the picture re forcing pass theory.
These
auctions would turn on forcing passes. 1♠-P-2♠-3♥
X ( game try ) , 1♠-P-2♠-3♥
4♥ (
Q bid ) , 1♠-P-2♠-3♥
4♦/♣
( 2nd suit ) . In the absence of these bids , say we jumped to game
or got pushed to
game , D.S.I.P. theory applies. Also a red flag appears if the opponents have
made a takeout double. If we do not take
the time to redouble or Q
bid before bidding our game , forcing passes do not apply.
What
if in competitive
auctions your side makes a game try & you bid game ? They subsequently
interfere at the game level. Is it forcing passes or D.S.I.P. theory that rules
? A game try is a sign of strength so if game accepted
, forcing pass theory applies.
In all competitive auctions , we bounce back and forth
between forcing pass theory or D.S.I.P. theory depending on whether we eventually own the auction. It is essential that you know the signs that cause either
understanding to apply. It is easier to know the forcing pass rules as they are quite
strict. In all competitive auctions , D.S.I.P. theory applies by default.
You must own the auction
for forcing pass theory to come into effect. If you are in doubt whether the auction has
turned on forcing passes, default
to D.S.I.P. theory. In D.S.I.P. theory , you are allowed to pass the auction out.