Thursday, May 17, 2007 11:48 PM

D.S.I.P. - 2/1 Passed Hand

PITBULLS:

D.S.I.P. doubles & 2/1 do not mix as forcing pass theory applies. 2/1 as a passed hand is another matter. A 3^rd seat opener is the great unknown & may not even be an opener per se. D.S.I.P. doubles fit in nicely when partner makes a 2/1 as a passed hand. The double can actually clarify things by saying yes I have a real opener.

A good auction came up where D.S.I.P. doubles clarified the auction. BJ Trelford held ♠Kx ♥Jxx ♦Qxxxxx ♣KJ , I opened 1♣ with a heart overcall to his right. He bid the obvious 2♦ , I bid 3♣ so they bid 3♥. BJ is not going to punish me by going to the 4 level as I could have a very light 3^rd seat opener. 3♣ comes around to me so I double. I have a real opener & I have quick tricks outside the heart suit with no duplication of value in hearts. BJ has no duplication of value in hearts either so his black cards opposite a 6 or 7 card club suit are pulling full weight. BJ bid 4♣ , that ends the auction so we wrap up a baby +130 . This wins only one imp though as the field is playing the hand in 4♥X as his RHO has a clear cut 4♥ overcall.

Good players open very light in 3^rd seat for opening lead purposes. Should there ever be a forcing pass situation after a 3^rd seat opener ? In my opinion , forcing pass theory should still exist but with a restriction. The passed hand must have made a strength showing bid like a 2/1 or a Q bid or a leap to game after an opponents pre-empt. In addition , you have reached game first and the opponents continue to aggravate you.

What about the mixture of vulnerability & passed hands ? If you bid a vul game against non vul opponents , forcing passes always apply passed hand 2/1 or not. With other vulnerabilities , the 5 level rule should apply . In other words , forcing passes are not turned on unless they are at the 5 level after you have reached your game.

Forcing passes are not 100 % fool proof. However , a 3^rd seat opener & you reached game with them being at the 5 level is enough for the “forcing pass “ gamble. If you double them & they make it , just say “lose 4” when you compare with your partners. The other 9 times out of 10 say “win 12” .