The Forcing Pass vrs D.S.I.P.
PITBULLS:
I am not sure when
forcing pass theory came about . I think sometime in the 1940’s . Experts put a meaning to a pass
when their side owned the auction.
The pass at higher levels above game
meant a mild slam try or a “green light” for partner to bid again. There is a
“pecking order” in forcing pass theory . The double shows the worst hand of all
the alternatives. This bid shows a “bad “ hand . A bad hand can be a number of
things in forcing pass theory. A bad hand could
mean a doubleton in the opponents suit , so we are warning partner of
two quick losers in their suit. Bad hand also could
mean duplication of value in their trump suit similar to a trump stack double.
Lastly a bad hand could just mean
that your hand will be a disappointment for your partner in that your hand is a
dead minimum for your previous bidding. Warn
partner of your dog by doubling and just take your plus.
Be
careful though about the warning aspect of the double in forcing pass
situations. If the auction dictates that partner is very short in the opponents
suit , do not issue a warning about the length in your suit. Maurice & I
had an auction recently where this came out and it was a disaster for the
opponents. 1♦-3♠-4♥-4♠ 5♥-P-P-5♠ X-P-P-P . The doubler had a doubleton spade so was warning partner
about his length in that suit. Partner had a void in spades and was worried
that the double showed duplication so she passed. I made 5♠X and the opponents make
7♥ unless we cash our club Ace. I know its counter-intuitive
, but trust the opponents to show
their length in these types of auctions.
The 2nd
best hand is shown by passing. This bid usually has no extra for slam purposes
but partner feels that our game contract can make in light of the auction. A
pass gives partner room to Q bid or the
green light to bid. Usually the
pass shows shortness in the opponents suit so this hand would rather play the hand than defend. The pass can
also show a good opener and is getting out of the way for partner to Q bid or
make a decision. Your pass is just describing your hand type to partner.
The 3rd
best hand is shown by bidding your trump suit. Remember by bidding you
are prevent partner from doubling them , so you are probably have a very
distributional hand unsuitable for defense. Also since you preventing partner
from doubling them, you are
convinced that you can make the contract. The next best hand in forcing pass
theory is a Q bid . This is an obvious slam try in the traditional Q bidding
sense. The best hand of the bunch is shown by a pass and pulling partners
double. This bid probably shows controls in both the unbid suits and just needs
a suitable minimum hand by partner for a slam . Grand slams might be reached on these types of sequences. When
you are at very high levels a pass shows 1st round control in the opponents and
an interest in more .
I was playing with Maurice and held Jx AJ109 AKQxx Kx vul and the auction went
p-p-2♠-x by me.
LHO bids 3♠ and Maurice
contracts for a vul 4♥ game . The
vulnerability here and the type of auction turns on forcing passes. LHO now
sacrifices to 4♠ and partner
makes a forcing pass and around to you. Partner’s pass shows a willingness to
play 5♥ hearts. So he is either short in spades or maximum for his
bid with the club Ace and the KQ of hearts. Anyway if partner has given you the
green light to bid , you certainly go for +650 with this hand. Not a tough
decision in light of partners pass. 4♠x only goes for 300 so you save 8 IMPS
due to partners forcing pass. Say the auction went a little differently . Say
Maurice held xx xxxxx xx xxxx
& of course he passes 3♠. I double
again as I have 25 HCP’s and I force Maurice to a vul game. Maurice bids 4♥ . I pass
and LHO sacrifices to 4♠ . Since my
bidding has turned on forcing passes , Maurice must double to prevent me from bidding
again. This certainly is a minimum hand so lets just take our plus ! I hold xx AQJ10 AKQx AKQ
and his double prevents a minus in 5♥ . 4♠x goes for 500 which is
much better then –100 in 5♥ . What if Maurice held x Kxxxx Jxxx xxx ? In light of this auction
and his previous pass he actually holds a good hand ! He should make a forcing
pass . I would bid 6♥ and we collect +1430
.
You
hold Kxx AQ109x x KJ10x and you
are vul against non vul . Tom
Gandolfo your vul partner opens 1♥. RHO bids 2♦ and you
turn on forcing passes by making a slam try vulnerable with a 4♦ splinter.
LHO is Steve Willard so of course he bids 5♦ . Tom passes
so what do you do ? Toms bid is only saying that in light of your bid I think
we can make 5♥ but I am not interested in anything
higher . You have your bid so there is nothing really extra for you to over
rule partners decision. You bid 5♥ and collect +650 as Tom
held Qx KJxxx xxx AQx . Tom held no duplication of value in diamonds so he
felt that 5♥ could make and he was right. What If Tom
held Ax KJxxx xxx AQx ? Still only
14 but the controls and no duplication of value shows an interest in bidding so
by bidding it can be interpreted as a mild
slam try . If Tom bid,
I would continue to 6♥ and that makes with
that hand. What if I also held the stiff diamond Ace ? With Toms bid , I would
be encouraged to make a grand slam try of 6♦ . Tom with
his hand should bid 7♥ as he has nice controls
for his 5♥ bid.
Playing against opponents like Steve Willard and Alex Fowlie your forcing pass theory gets a work out but
that’s why it was invented . This
high level judgment is what partnership Bridge is all about . Forcing pass theory
is just a tool to help deal with those type of players. The opponents are
irritating you with their interference. Forcing pass theory fights back and uses the opponent’s
interference to give information. Discuss with your regular partner so you are on
the same wavelength.
A
number of local experts are working on D.S.I.P. theory which is quite similar to forcing pass theory but
differs in that you do not
necessarily own the hand. The same
type of discipline and judgment
is required for D.S.I.P. theory. D.S.I.P. theory borrows heavily on forcing pass theory so it is essential
that you really understood those principles before venturing into D.S.I.P.
theory. The pass in forcing pass theory asks partners permission or gives
partner the green light to bid . In D.S.I.P. theory , the double does that same function. The D.S.I.P. pass is similar
to the double in forcing pass theory. All
this comes about because we do not own the hand in D.S.I.P. theory and trump
stack penalty doubles no longer exist in competitive auctions.
Some experts call D.S.I.P. theory inverted passes and doubles because they
have been assigned the opposite meaning
to that of forcing pass theory. The D.S.I.P. double is the green light to bid rather then the pass .
The pass says I would rather defend then bid and could mean a trump stack in
the “negative double” sense and request partner to make a penalty double on his
behalf with a suitable defense hand. You have to get your mind around both competitive theories of forcing passes
and D.S.I.P. and why they are different
.They are different because in one situation you own the auction and the other
you are not sure if you do.
You are
not sure because partners bidding can be very variable
as to defensive values or playing strength. There was no definitive
proclamation in the bidding that suggests you do own the auction but you might if partner is
top of his range with defense. You double to convey your defense and offensive
interests and find out that information by allowing his input into the decision. A double in
D.S.I.P. is an asking
bid but gives
information . You are asking partner to do something intelligent
by telling him you have some defense but you want to play the hand if partner
permits it. Stay tuned ….