Tuesday, August 10, 2004 5:59 PM

 

D.S.I.P.  Balancing Principles

 

PITBULLS :

 

Balancing obviously should be thought of for D.S.I.P. purposes to when they balance & also  after you balance. When partner fails to respond to an opening bid & a competitive auction ensues , penalty doubles apply  not D.S.I.P. doubles. This is the "pre-empt" principle as partner already knows a great deal about your hand anyway since you passed. This principle  also applies if partner passes originally in a competitive auction & comes in belatedly or supports partner later in the auction. D.S.I.P. theory does not apply.

 

            When your side balances,  you can use D.S.I.P. doubles to clarify the  situation. You hold ♠Jxx ♥Axxx ♦Q10x ♣Kxx and the auction goes 1♥-3♦-3♥-4♦ 

  P- P - ?    . This is the semi-balancing  balance of power D.S.I.P. double.

You have the 4th heart for offensive purposes with maximum defense for your previous bid , so you should double. 4♦ X goes for 500 , 4♥ went one down !

 

 

Balancing is a very ambiguous art form so any help in clarifying the auction is gratefully accepted . I held ♠A10xx ♥Ax  ♦A109x ♣xxx , the auction went

 

P

P

1♣

P

1♥

P

P

X

P

2♦

2♥

?

 

This is a time to use the D.S.I.P. double. You have defense & you want to compete to 3♦. If partner has a trump stack in hearts , this contract doubled will be the optimum spot.

 

When partner balances & the opponents make a jump rebid , a double is always D.S.I.P. This is because in the balancing seat , partner does not promise perfect distribution soits very rare that you will catch someone with a trump stack your direction. 1♦-P-P-X  3♦-X is D.S.I.P.  so does not show diamond values.

 

When you have a good hand but a bad suit , the safe approach is to balance rather then giving the opponents the option for a penalty double by bidding directly.  I held this hand ♠KJ109  ♥K10xxx ♦KQx ♣x  and the auction went

 

1♦

P

1♠

P

2♣

P

P

2♥

P

P

3♣

?

 

Sounds like the opponents are in a 4-4 fit with a 4 –1 break . I would like to compete further with my hand so I make a D.S.I.P. double. Partner has ♠xxx ♥Jxx ♦Axx ♣QJ108  & converts for +500 . Change his hand to 4 small clubs and 3♥ has a good chance.

 

Support doubles & redoubles go hand in hand with D.S.I.P.  The purpose of a support double or redouble is to show a 3 card fit with partner. I held ♠Axx ♥Axx ♦AQxx ♣xxx , the auction went 1♦-1♥-1♠-X  XX with the double alerted as a systemic heart raise. I redoubled to show a 3 card raise , the opponents leapt to 4♥ . Around to me again & I am vul against not vul but 1 have 3 1/2 defensive tricks. I make a D.S.I.P. double saying I wanted to bid 4♠. Tom had ♠KQ10xx ♥Jx ♦109xxx ♣x and we get to a beautiful 620.

 

Both not vul so this auction shows the D.S.I.P. 2nd double in action . Tom held ♠x ♥Q1098x ♦AKx ♣AQxx & the auction went

 

1♠

X

2♦

2♥

2♠

3♥

4♠

P

P

?

 

 

 

This is a classic D.S.I.P. double in the pass out saying I have lots of defense so I would not mind if we bid 5♥ or if your hand is defensive lets play 4♠x . I would bid 5♥ which makes unless they get a ruff. 4♠ makes so its a win - win.

 

When they balance after we open the bidding ,  we play the “over–under rule” . If the double is in front of the bid suit , it is D.S.I.P.  If behind the suit , the double is penalty. This principle applies to the overcalling side also. We can not make a penalty double in front of the suit in the balancing chair . BJ held ♠Jx ♥Qxxx ♦Axx ♣xxxx , they opened 1♣. I overcalled 1♠ & they doubled with a pass by BJ. Opener bids 2♣ so I compete with 2♠ which gets passed around to opener who bids 3♣. This bid gets passed around to BJ who doubles in the balancing chair. This double is not penalty by the “over/under rule” . I bid 3♠ which is cold for +140 .