Saturday, August 26, 2006 6:06 AM

D.S.I.P. - Good Bad 2NT

PITBULLS:

D.S.I.P. doubles & Good-Bad 2NT are both competitive tools to distinguish between an invitational good hand & a hand where you are just competing. The two bids are not redundant as the good bad 2NT was only invented for the two level and D.S.I.P. doubles are defined right up to 4♠. The good-bad 2NT was invented for the opening bid side when the opponents bid in the sandwich position preventing you from making a jump bid to the 3 level. A D.S.I.P. double in these auctions is defined to be the old fashioned 2NT bid. The 2NT bid showing a flat NT hand is extinct playing the good-bad 2NT & has been replaced by a D.S.I.P. double.

It is silly to overuse the good bad 2NT in other scenarios. The good-bad 2NT is also defined with T/O doubles but only when the rank of their suit has taken away your ability to jump to the 3 level. In all other competitive auctions , the D.S.I.P. double replaces the good–bad 2NT at the two level. Think about it . The lack of a D.S.I.P. competitive double allows you to compete without partner taking you for the worlds fair. If you wanted to compete with values, you would simply make a D.S.I.P. double. Do not bid 2NT ( which forces your partner to bid 3♣ ) followed by you bidding a suit saying you are weak , just compete instead. Bidding already shows your are just competing in the absence of a D.S.I.P. competitive double.

A hand came up against the Cabays where the good-bad 2NT does not apply. 1NT by Lisa and a 2♥ transfer by Stan doubled by BJ Trelford. Lisa duly bid 2♠ so what if I had a decent hand that I wanted to compete lacking an over abundance of hearts ? I would , of course , make a D.S.I.P. double. My hand was ♠xx ♥109 ♦KQJ109x ♣Jxx so I competed with 3♦. This was not an auction where to show a good hand I was prevented from jumping to the 3 level . I had a D.S.I.P. double at my disposal. The 3♦ bid meant I had a suit and wanted to push them up a little. BJ Trelford passed and I made 3♦ for +110 which turned out to be a push as everybody was in 4♠ down one for a 100 !!