Thursday, June 16, 2005 6:48 AM

D.S.I.P. Serious Intent

PITBULLS:

Meckwell came up with something called the “serious 3NT” . The bid means that one side has “serious” slam interest as opposed to Q bidding as a courtesy in case partner had slam interest. D.S.I.P. doubles in competition have similar “serious” intent. If partner just bids , no inferences can be taken from the fact that she bid again or bid again “freely” . There is no game try intended and in fact the bid may be an advance sacrifice against their game or partial. Partner is not expected to bid again based on partners actions.

We have the above understanding because of the meaning assigned to the D.S.I.P. double in competition. D.S.I.P. doubles are competitive doubles defined by removing the “trump stack” element from the double. The double says I “seriously” want to compete again and I have defensive tricks. Based on my double you can convert , compete again or even bid game. I am not just competing , I am very serious about it. The double is a very versatile bid in Bridge . It leaves the most options open. Using the double as a trump stack in competition puts a useful bid in a “straight jacket”. How many times when the opponents are supporting each other’s suit vigorously do you have a trump stack in their suit ? Wasting a bid for that remote eventuality is just poor Bridge judgment.

In the event you do have a trump stack in their suit , you can use the negative double concept of a pass. Partner with controls in line with his competitive bid must re-open with a double. The penalty conversion now takes place. What if partner does not have enough to double ? Taking your plus can not be bad. With duplication of value you can not make anything your way anyway. It is not Match Points where it is important to double because +200 beats +140. You do not have to take those risks in IMPS. D.S.I.P. theory is IMPS orientated. The more I think about it , trump stack doubles are a match point & rubber bridge tool to punish bad bidders. In IMPS , quite often we do not want to take the chance of locating trump for a good declarer. Why not redefine the penalty double for IMPS ?

Variability of overcalls , opening bids , takeout doubles needs one more bid in the Bridge vocabulary to show extra defense in the nature of controls. Reserve the double to describe that situation in competition and not the trump stack. The trump stack in competition is shown by the “green card” . A pass after competing should be a “red light” for the partnership . It either means I am too weak to even compete again or I have their suit. Partner must as a courtesy ask permission to compete again with a D.S.I.P. double.

Quite a few penalty doubles rescue opponents from bad spots or help them play the hand with the bad trump breaks. Converting partners D.S.I.P. guarantees that the “partnership” has enough to beat the contract. A trump stack double is one of the most single handed actions in Bridge. Do not pull my penalty doubles because I know what is best for the partnership. Not the partner I would like to have in high level Bridge. A penalty double is supposed to warn partner not to compete again as I have their suit. A pass does the job better. You have one more option with that bid and that is to also pass. Once you have doubled and partner does not like it , it is too late as she may get doubled in her contract. Duplication of value in their suit guarantees that our contract will not play very well. This is the competitive advantage of D.S.I.P. double theory.

Bridge is played in a “clockwise” direction which makes the penalty double concept in Bridge useless in some competitive auctions. You have a nice juicy trump stack double in their suit and you are competing in your suit. Before you get a chance to double , partner rescues them by competing again. You can not double out of turn but you would like to. How about if partner wants to compete again he must do so with a double if he had defense ? This is happiness as he has let you in on the competitive decision. D.S.I.P. double theory makes a lot of sense.