Saturday, November 26, 2005 1:37 AM

D.S.I.P. - Raising Overcalls

PITBULLS:

Still another use for the versatile D.S.I.P. double. With the number of pre-emptive raises and negative free bids & nuisance bids in today’s game , you need a bid to assist in responding to partners overcall. Enter the D.S.I.P. double to show cards. This double can have support or may be responsive. You assume a responsive double and partner will clarify if she has support. A D.S.I.P. double is neither a support double nor a responsive double but it can be either .

The D.S.I.P. double relieves the overburdened Q bid to show limit raise or better with only 3 card support . The double also allows an “invisible Q bid” when the opponents suit out ranks your sides. If the D.S.I.P. double has support it just means partner is too strong to raise immediately and a Q bid was not appropriate with defensive hand & 3 card support.

1♠-2♥-2♠-? You have a limit raise in hearts but you can not Q bid as you are forced to game. Enter the D.S.I.P. double and then support partner. This allows you to just compete to 3♥ with competitive values. All the pre-emptive raises after partners overcall 1♥-1♠-3♥*-? Make a D.S.I.P. double with a limit raise in spades and only 3 trump. Partner assumes support in these auctions and 3♠ is the death response.

1♠-2♣/♦-3♠-? You make a D.S.I.P. double with a limit raise or better in partners suit. This leaves the door open for a 3NT bid by partner to play. A D.S.I.P. double in these auctions with a minor overcall is similar to a TRUMP double in non overcall situations. Bid 3NT with a stopper in their suit as I have cards and most likely 3 cards in your minor.

When partner overcalls a weak two , a pre-emptive raise by the opponents is all too common. Enter the D.S.I.P. double to announce “cards” & possibly support.

2♥-2♠-3♥-? This D.S.I.P. understanding allows you to compete to 3♠ with competitive values. You do not pre-empt over a pre-empt so 4♠ would be to make . This implies the double here would be interpreted as responsive or just “cards”. The context of the auction defines the D.S.I.P. double. One thing is certain in all these auctions , we do not have their suit.