Sunday, May 02, 2004 6:57 PM

Subject: High Level D.S.I.P.

When forcing passes are not on due to ambiguity , D.S.I.P. reigns supreme. Lisa should pass as she has lots of defense and only 3 hearts. She can not double as that means please bid 5♥ if possible. She wants you to pass and defend or double if you have some defense . You also have the option of bidding 5 hearts. With the 6^th heart I would opt for the 5 heart bid as it “takes out insurance” against a lucky make of 4 spades. This brings in the principle you mentioned of “boy do we have a hell of a lot of hearts “ which kills us defensively and in this case the 6^th heart is the deciding factor to put pressure on the opponents. I am trying to use D.S.I.P. to better guide us in these tough sequences. Perfection is not the goal but better guidelines are the goal. Bridge judgment is still required . Ambiguous penalty doubles at high levels are of no help in these sequences. Making high level decisions together as a partnership is better then stupid penalty doubles as they are only done from one side of the table. They are usually wrong. You rightly bring up the point of joint decisions which is the basis of D.S.I.P..

In a standard auction Lisa doubles 4 spades as she has 15 HCP and only 3 hearts. 4 spades doubled is the final contract which might even make when you are cold for 5 hearts. Do not pull my penalty double ! With D.S.I.P. you have the option of bidding 5 hearts as “penalty passes” are pulled more often .

-----Original Message-----
From: Stan Cabay [mailto:stancabay@shaw.ca]
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2004 10:34 AM
To: Bob Crosby
Cc: Tom Gandolfo; Maurice Delasalle
Subject: Re: D.S.I.P. Clarification at low levels

· Doubler has previously limited his hand in such a way that he couldn't be positive of beating the contract and

· Doubler's partner will know there's a safe alternative to passing -- because the partnership has already bid and raised a suit, or because doubler has shown a two-suiter or one very long suit.

I don't know what the guidelines should be, but it must be more than this. But good, since this is the point of all your work. I am sure that Kokish has thought long and hard about this in his coaching position; but I can't find much in print.  One guideline I like and many use I am sure is "a dble of a confirmed fit at the 2-level is not penalty". Example from yesterday:

Me: AJ, KQJ2, K108,10743 ---- Lisa: Q53, 753, A963, KQJ. Unfav Vul.

P - 1C (me) - P - 1D
1S - Dble (support) - 2S - Dble (cards, DSIP, don't know what to do, like a 2N bit but not necessarily with a stopper)
P - P (I'm purdy defensive) - P (Gulp)

We are +500 rather than -100 (in 3N). It doesn't always work this well, but because the opponents continue getting in with garbage, the frequency is high.

Another hand from last night which fits in with your recent emails on high-level DSIP's (match breakers), and which remain very difficult to bid (actually worse than that).

Me: 8, 1095432, J86, AKJ --- Lisa: 5, AK8, AQ102, Q10765.  Both Hot.

P - P(me) - 1S - Dble
2S - 4H - 4S - ?

Firstly, a pass by Lisa is not forcing (to create a force, I must bid 3S  - being a passed hand, this guarantees hearts – maybe I should have). Given the bidding as is, with only 3 hearts and sitting over the opener's diamonds, Lisa's hand looks defensive. So, sticking with your theme on nobody's hand, Lisa must pass (which says that either she has already said her all or she wants to defend).  Back to me, in view of the bidding I have both a defensive hand (AKJ in clubs looks pretty good) and also a hand with a lot of hearts which makes 5H (or 5C) extremely tempting. Perfect for DSIP (I'll ask partner's permission to sacrifice - I have both offense and  defense - let's make this decision together). Have I been listening correctly to your emails?  Back to Lisa - glug!

Comments, please.

P.S. Not fully familiar with the nuances of your high-level DSIP doubles, Lisa doubled showing extra defense and I made an unhappy random pull to 5C (converted to 5H, of course).

Possible Guideline: When it's nobody's hand, and when we and the opponents each have a 10-card fit, we don't let them buy it below the 5-level. DSIP's don't apply! Now we just have to figger out if it's nobody's hand. Just kidding, but not entirely.