Friday, December 09, 2005 4:19 PM

Hand Evaluation – Tactics ( Let Sleeping Dogs Lie )

PITBULLS:

Penalty trump stack doubles means “bidding the table” . You do not double a contract just because it might not make. You must ask yourself some questions like do they have a better spot to play the hand ? Will your double push them into another contract that makes ? Trump stack doubles must be chosen with care.

I held ♠xx ♥AQJ109x ♦xxx ♣xx , Scott Brimsmead my partner opened 3♠ & they overcalled 4♥. With your trump there is a chance that 4♥ might not make. Unfortunately , do you have defense against a grand slam in a minor ? I quickly passed , LHO went into the tank . Finally the green card came out so all passed. They went 3 down , we collected +300 . The field was in 6♣ for +1370 .

The following is a strory related by Susan Culham. “The cliche 'don't double the only contract you can defend' was applicable playing set against Steve Clements & Chris Saturday evening. Maurice opened 1NT, I Staymaned, Maurice bid 2 hearts so I had an easy bid of 4 hearts with my 10 count. This was quickly doubled by Steve but Maurice bid 4 NT. What is going on here.?. I had no idea so it seemed best to pass. We played 4 NT making 4 & took our $12 for the hand. Maurice had accidentally pulled out the 2♥ card instead of 2♠ so we would have played in our 4-2 fit going down. Steve doubled with 6 hearts & about 5 points! “

My partner had a hand with the same “trump stack” mentality. He held ♠xxx ♥xxx ♦J1098x ♣xx , they opened 1♦ & responded 1♥ so I doubled with ♠AKJx ♥Jx ♦K ♣QJ1098x . The opponents rebid 2♦ so around to me in the balancing. I balanced 3♣ as they passed it out in 2♦ so partner must have some values. They bid 3♦ so if partner now makes the bad bid of doubling they could escape & get to their cold 4♥ or 3NT contract. Partner has no defense against 4♥ or any other contract for that matter. The field did get to 3NT or 4♥ , so doubling 3♦ is plain silly. You can beat 3♦, but it depends on finding a spade lead. Letting “sleeping dogs lie” gets you 10 IMPs , doubling gets you –2 as they make their doubled contract. Only –2, because the field is in game.