Friday, January 05, 2007 6:14 AM

D.S.I.P. - Pre-empts

PITBULLS:

D.S.I.P. doubles were also designed to assist partnerships when the opponents pre-empt at the 3 level in the sandwich position. Opener must double with a good defensive hand (Thrump or cards ) & if she just bids , forcing passes are not turned on with 3 of the 4 vulnerabilities. BJ Trelford held ♠x ♥Axx ♦KQJxxxx ♣Kx and opened 1♦ both vul. I responded 1♥ and there was a 3♠ pre-empt in the sandwich position. The double is the only bid ( other than a Q bid ) that turns on forcing passes . BJ decided that our side did not “own the auction” & he bid 4♥ based on distribution. My RHO got into the act and bid 4♠.

I held ♠x ♥QJ1098x ♦10x ♣AQxx so I prefer that we play this hand. I would like to bid at the 5 level so I double asking permission to do so. BJ accepts the offer to play the hand but he does so by bidding 5♦. This gets doubled and with favourable club spots gets rewarded for +750. The negative inference that BJ did not double 3♠ is the key to the auction. D.S.I.P. doubles are like a setup man in baseball , they turn on forcing passes ! This allows the freedom to bid on distribution without partner getting carried away. Bids have entirely different meanings when forcing pass theory is not turned on. My double now changes from penalty to asking permission to bid.

What would a 5♣ bid by me mean ? Since forcing passes are not turned on , this bid must show a very strong hand . This is a slam try knowing that partner previously just bid on distributional values. Possibly with a hand like ♠x ♥QJ109xx ♦Ax ♣AQJx where 6♦ would be cold. A 5♥ bid by me would mean I think we can make it or even bid because I feel 4♠ would make & 5♥ would be a good tactical bid. Switching back & forth from D.S.I.P. & forcing pass theory takes bidding skill and reading the clues correctly. D.S.I.P. theory is not for beginners.