Wednesday, June 20, 2007 7:37 PM

Hand Evaluation - Forcing 1NT ( Misfits )

PITBULLS:

When responder makes a forcing NT bid to your major , she is generally announcing a misfit auction. Yes , she could have a limit raise for your major but the odds are that she does not fit your major. The golden rule for misfits , is that the opponents play them rather than yourself. When the opponents come into your misfit auction in the sandwich position , your first thought is to make them pay. Tom Gandolfo introduced T/O doubles by opener in this position for our system. These are not D.S.I.P. competitive doubles but actual T/O doubles showing shortness in their suit. If you have a good hand even with 4 hearts ( 1♠ opener) announce it immediately with a double. If you have a hand not suited for a penalty double , you just bid your suit. When you have a penalty double of their suit you just pass. Partner will bend over backwards to re-open with a double with defense & the two level or even the 3 level.

Since these auctions are most likely misfits , the punitive XX is used when they double in the sandwich position. In the absence of a XX , a jump in another suit or your suit is pre-emptive over their double. Obviously , you play the vulnerability in these situations. The opponents were vul , you not , you open 1♠ with ♠AKQxxx ♥Ax ♦Q10xx ♣K . Partner responds 1NT & the vul opponents double in the sandwich position. They are taking a risk by coming into a live misfit auction but they have lost the gamble this time. Most of the time they will have nowhere to go , so you redouble. On this one hand it turns out they do have a resting spot in clubs , so you eventually rebid your spades and partner carries onto game for your +450.

Do not rescue the opponents when they take risks especially in a misfit auction with a forcing NT involved. . Entering a forcing 1NT auction is a huge risk by the opponents as the forcing 1NT bidder can have up to 13 HCP’s opposite a misfit. Bidding rescues the opponents so it should only be done on hands that you were pulling penalty doubles anyway. “Fools rush in” where experts fear to tread (bid) & rescue opponents heading for a disaster. Gear your system on making them pay when they enter a misfit auction. Tom’s T/O double idea allows you to extract a penalty double from both sides of the table. Either opener or responder can convert a double for penalty.

The forcing 1NT responder with a suitable defensive hand , should re-open with a double just like in negative double theory. Remember , partner could hold a penalty double for her pass or just a minimum opening bid. You have the same guessing game as you do with negative doubles. You judgment is always superb in those situations , right ?