Friday, April 30, 2004 4:33 AM

The D.S.I.P. Double Thurs Nite

Maurice:

The auction 1♣-P-1♦-1♥ 2♣-4♥-x-P ? This is a classic D.S.I.P. situation . Single handed penalty doubles do not exist !! If you want to double for penalties either due to a non club fit or duplication of values you PASS . This signals to me that you want to defend. With any defensive hand consistent with my 2♣ rebid I am forced to double. AKx xx xx AKxxxx or AQx xx xx AQ10xxxx all bring a double from me . You convert and we get our pickup .

Now the double by you . This shows an offensive hand & a tolerance for clubs . You are inviting a 5♣ bid . On this auction you can hold Axx Jxx KJxxx xx or something similar . You have some defense but you are not sure if 4♥ doubled is the right spot . You double to let both of us decide. With a defensive hand I pass and with the hand I had , I “Do Something Intelligent” and bail to 5♣ . Kx x Q10x AQJ10xxx . This either makes with the club king on side . It’s a win – win situation because if the club king is offside they make 4♥ !!

The Vinnies held the same hands and Osama made an old fashioned penalty double with your hand and they redoubled . The Vinnies got –1080 as of course that wraps. With the hand you actually held you should pass hoping that I double and you convert. I would have just passed and they would have made their game . The beauty of D.S.I.P. is that you brought both partners into the decision to double 4♥ for penalty and with my distribution I declined to double.

Single handed penalty doubles do not exist in D.S.I.P. theory . You have to bring partner into the picture by “passing for penalty” This is a new concept contrary to the basic idea of penalty doubles that were invented back in the 1920’s.