Thursday, May 01, 2003 11:31 AM

D.S.I.P. Pre-empts

PITBULLS:

When playing in a tough field there are certain auctions where you have to trust the opponents . These auctions are where their actions dictate that they have their trump suit wrapped up and they are making tactical game bids based on lots of trump . These auctions quite often include bids like Michaels , Unusual 2NT , pre-empts or just leaping to game in a major or minor . These type of auctions are automatic D.S.I.P. doubles for the defending side .

These doubles are pulled quite often depending on the vulnerability or the playability of your hand . The D.S.I.P doubles always have less then 3 trump to an an honour ( maybe xxx ) in their suit and just says I have some defense or offense so do something intelligent. If for some bizarre reason you do have their suit you must pass and partner might make a D.S.I.P. double !

The Steve Willards of the world love jumping to game on almost any kind of hand or distribution . The auction 1♥ 1♠ overcall 4♥ is a very frequent bid in Steves bridge vocabulary . Why ? Years of experience has shown that the opponents can not handle such a bid . He either steals the hand when 4♠ is cold , plays 4 hearts down 3 undoubled , opponents play 4♠ doubled going down as a pseudo sacrifice or an unwise penalty double for +790 . D.S.I.P. doubles are the best defense by far for this type of action . Doubles do not show trump in any of these auctions . It says I do not know whether to defend or bid but I do not have an abundance of cards in your suit or I would have bid. I will not have a singleton in your suit or their trump as I would wait until you make a D.S.I.P. double and convert for penalty.

D.S.I.P. doubles are essentially negative doubles in these pre-emptive auctions . You just can not expect a trump stack when the opponents are daring you to double them . Having this trump stuck mentality will just destroy you in these auctions . The doubles are far more useful as saying I do not have a clear cut action – YOU do the right thing . They make a Michaels Q and you double and they still jump to game anyway . Good players are not suicidal so when either defending side doubles its is D.S.I.P. as I do not have clear cut action . In these auctions “do not pull my penalty doubles” are thrown in the waste basket where it belongs.

At higher levels dealing with pre-empts , negative doubles & D.S.I.P. doubles converge. Negative doubles have disciplined suit requirements and Tom & I still play negative doubles to 4♦.Beyond 4♦ right up to 7♦ , D.S.I.P. doubles apply & just show “cards”. These “cards” will not be in their suit however as you just pass and hope for a re-opening double. You hold x x Kxxxx AKQxxx and the auction goes 1♣-4♠-X-? If you play trump stack doubles there could be a lot of wasted spade values there and maybe its best to just pass and collect your plus. Playing D.S.I.P. doubles , you do something intelligent and bid 4NT to show both minors. Partner bids 5♦ and you are plus +600 . Partners hand is xx AK10xx Q1098x x . I actually watched an opponent bid 5♥ with that hand and go 3 down vul !!