Saturday, July 08, 2006 12:35 AM

D.S.I.P. – XX 3NT

PITBULLS:

Coming with the territory of modern weak two’s , threes & overcalls at the one level are bad penalty doubles of 3NT by the opponents. You overcall 3NT or double & bid 3NT with the partner of the pre-empter doubles. The pre-empt or overcall is so undisciplined that partner has no idea whether your contract is going down or making with doubled overtricks. From my experience , it does not deter them from doubling with their 14 HCP’s or whatever. I think everybody has been the victim of bad penalty doubles. You or partner take them on their word and pull to 4 of a minor and much to your chagrin 3NTX would have made with an overtrick. Next time you pass and they hit partner with a real pre-empt and you go for –800.

I was playing with Tom Gandolfo in the CNTC’s and Larry Pocock had an agonizing auction to 3NT after Larry balanced at the one level after my opener. Eventually I doubled for a lead and LHO immediately XX. Alert says Larry , “ the redouble expresses doubt whether this contract can make” . Armed with that information they pulled to 4♣ and made it when Tom got finessed out of the only queen he held. Larry told me that this understanding only applies to 3NT contracts. I liked it J

Changing the meaning of XX to a D.S.I.P. redouble of 3NT only to counter modern bidders is an excellent idea in my mind. This understanding now gives 3 levels of meanings for the partnership in these pre-emptive type auctions after your side reaches a 3NT X contract. A pass now has the traditional meaning of the XX , I think we can make it . The only thing we lose is the punitive XX. The direct XX expresses doubt whether we can make it but D.S.I.P. and if you have the hand for it leave it in. The direct pull means from my perspective 3NTX has no play. The trouble with the traditional XX in these auctions is either opponent pulls so often.

The beauty of this bid is that when modern undisciplined pre-empters bid , nobody knows what is going on. You overcall a 2♦ opener with 3NT with ♠Ax ♥xxx ♦A ♣AKQ1098x and LHO doubles. Partner holds ♠Qxx ♥Qxxxx ♦Jxx ♣Jx and redoubles to “express doubt” whether 3NT can make but showing some values. The XX says I am not broke partner but you will need extra to make it. As In D.S.I.P. double theory . you over rule partner and pass. This type of XX gives both sides input for the decision whether to leave 3NTX in or not . It allows for the possibility that the 3NT bidder might have extra and leave in the XX. This XX also allows iffy 3NTX to be pulled where there is a real chance of going for a number. I like it !!

Balancing over pre-empts is another gray area for 3NTx. A weak 2♥ and passed around to the balancer who bids 3♣. Partner tries 3NT and LHO doubles for penalty. A 3♣ balance can have a pretty substantial range but the 3NT bidder is also the great unknown. A direct pull to 4♣ would be cowardice so why not just make the D.S.I.P. XX to express doubt that this contract can make. If partner has extra , this is where we play it otherwise discretion is the better part of valour and you escape to 4♣. D.S.I.P. !!

I would like to play this D.S.I.P. XX understanding for all 3NT contracts. I held ♠xx ♥Ax ♦xxx ♣AKJ10xx & opened 1♣. Maurice made a “modern” overcall of 1♥ , BJ bid 1♠ & Tom bid 2♥ . I bid 3♣ and BJ bid 3♦ so I responded 3♥ which got doubled & passed around to me . I tried 3NT which got doubled by Tom in the pass out for a lead. Now I think both BJ & myself can get into the act with the D.S.I.P. XX . I pass saying that 3NTX seems fine from my perspective and BJ held ♠J9xxx ♥xx ♦AKQx ♣Qx so pulling full weight to his club queen BJ passes also. What if BJ held the spade queen instead of the club queen ? I think he should make a D.S.I.P. XX saying he has some doubts. With my hand , I will pull to 4♣ and a disaster was prevented as the clubs do not run. Change my hand to ♠xx ♥Ax ♦10xx ♣AKQJ10x and I pass BJ’s XX and we get XX’d overtricks.