Wednesday, June 28, 2006 2:26 AM

Equal Level Conversion II

PITBULLS:

In my mind , an overcall shows a one suited hand especially at the two level & higher.. You have a multitude of toys to show all kinds of two suiters and of course 3 suiters are handled by a T/O doubles. Rules are made to be broken so with the wrong combination of suits , you overcall at the one level with two suits. If they open a minor , a double shows at least both majors . If they opened a major , a double shows at least the unbid major and other suit (s). Equal level conversion handles the non shape T/O doubles.

Say you had this hand KJxxx xx Ax AKxx and they open 1♦ . You have two suits but a 1♠ overcall is just a better bid than a T/O double. What if they open 3♦ ? I would now choose a double as it is more flexible & I have equal level conversion to protect me. If partner bids 3♥ , I will bid 3♠ and since we are at the same level it does not show extra and shows spades & clubs. This sequence gives partner an option to bid 3NT with a little extra. Overcalling 3♠ could be a disaster resulting in a huge set or partner might pass 3♠ with x Axxx xx Qxxxxx & other hands where 5♣ makes and 3♠ goes down. Bidding 5 card suits at the 3 level & passing should not be options with this hand. Partner might even convert your double for penalty !! Still another advantage a double has over an overcall ! An overcall with a 5 card suit is so final .

What about even higher levels where the opponents have pre-empted ?. Here is where I feel an overcall must show a one suited hand. The pre-empt has done its dirty work so you can not have shape T/O doubles all the time. Equal level conversion goes hand in hand with pre-emptive auctions from the two level up to the four level. Double with defense and two suits and allow equal level conversion to sort things out.

Here is Tom Gandolfo in action tonight. ♠KJxxx ♥AKJ ♦Ax ♣ AKx and RHO opens 3♦ nv vrs vul. A double is obvious and partner bids 3♥ . Bidding 4♥ is a mild underbid and it would be nice to have the 4^th heart for a 4♦ slam try. A Q bid must imply a fit and be a slam try on these auctions. A double followed by 3NT would show the rock but not just a single stopper normally . You do not have a perfect bid so I would try 3NT. At least I have shown my balanced hand in the 2NT HCP range.

One bid you can not make is 3♠ as that is equal level conversion and is not forcing. The old fashioned notion of doubling and bidding a suit to show a rock is extinct playing equal level conversion. As Kiz Fung says “big hands can take care of themselves” . With Toms hand , he had many options to show a moose so he does not need the 3♠ bid as strong. It is all the intermediate two suiters and 5-4’s that need help with equal level conversion.