Sunday, August-03-08

 

Hand Evaluation – Competing  ( 4 Level )  

 

PITBULLS:

 

       In the trenches of Bridge when you are competing for a contract , the battlefield is normally at the one , two or three level. Competing to the 4 level is rare , as 10 tricks are just too high & there is a risk of pushing them to game. D.S.I.P. competitive doubles are "level dependent" as they are a competing tool. When the rank of your suit means that you must escape to the 4 level   in order to pull partner's competitive double , a red flag should appear. Partner's D.S.I.P. doubles have turned into a co-operative penalty double at that level. Yes , you can still pull the double , but partner prefers you to pass unless you have an extraordinary distributional hand that you have not shown on your previous bidding. This is of course , unless the context of the auction has indicated that they own their suit.

 

         These competitive auctions normally appear at the 4 level when the opponents own the bully suit , spades. They bid spades to the 3 level , so a D.S.I.P. double becomes co-operative penalty. Since we have a fit with cards, the 4 level will not be a disaster but partner really feels that 3♠X cannot make. The ranks of the suit sometimes force you to the 4 level. Tom & I had an auction where our suit was the lowly club suit so a D.S.I.P. double required that partner goes to the 4 level. I opened 1♦ on ♠AJ10x ♥KJx ♦KJxx ♣Jx  & Tom bid 3♣ vul which is an intermediate jump shift in our system.  Stan Cabay doubled & I did not XX to show a good hand . Lisa bid 3♥ so around to me. I could just compete to 4♣ , pass or double. However , they are at the 3 level , Tom shows a 9-11 HCP hand so we outnumber them quite badly in HCP's &  I am reasonably short in Tom's club suit. I decide to make a co-operative penalty double. Unfortunately , Tom has a minimum ♠xx ♥Qx ♦Qxx ♣KQ109xx so he has a tough decision. I would pass though since partner's double is more penalty orientated when it pushes  partner to the 4 level. 3♥X only goes one down but with a bad club break , 4♣X goes for -500.

 

            The context of the auction helps determine the meaning of these co-operative doubles as well as the level. In the auction above, one opponent forced the other to bid . There is no indication from the auction that they own their suit. If the auction determines that they own their suit , the competitive double is “cards” measured in quick tricks. Partner is more likely to want you to bid but they could be just too high. Another indicator whether the double was co-operative are we actually competing in the traditional spades vrs hearts sense. This auction was not a traditional competitive auction nor do we own the auction. We just outnumber the opponents in HCP’s. The doubles are co-operative penalty rather than just penalty. Pure trump stack doubles still do not exist , we just take our plus.

 

        There are competitive auctions where the rank of suits would mean that you would have to pull to the 5 level. This is where D.S.I.P. & penalty doubles converge. They are still co-operative doubles but co-operative penalty when made at the rarefied 4 level. You only bid at the 5 level when you are taking out insurance against a disaster with your distributional hand. Partner's double tends to penalty though so doing something intelligent normally means pass. The playing field for competitive doubles are the one , two  three level. Competitive double are more co-operative penalty at the 4 level or when the double will force us to the 4 level. Penalty doubles directly at the 5 level & when you own the auction. Ranks of suits & the level are two very important Bridge hand evaluation concepts.

 

            D.S.I.P. doubles at the one , two & three level deny wasted values in their suit by definition. At the 4 level or when forcing to the four level, you may have cards in their suit or compensating quick tricks. It is difficult to play “pure” D.S.I.P. doubles at this high a level.