2008-01-04 22:51

Hand Evaluation - Pulling Penalty Doubles

PITBULLS:

Playing with one of my Thurs nite partners of old, I pickup ♠AQ109 ♥xx ♦xxx ♣KQx , partner opens 1♥ , RHO bids 2♥ ( Michaels ) vul so I double saying “let me at them” partner. They bid 2♠ , around to me so I double which ends the auction. Partner dutifully leads his trump so with the help of ruffing finesses in hearts for declarer, we come to 1 heart trick , 4 trump tricks for –670 & an obvious disaster. At the end of the hand , partner questions my double & said “something is wrong with this auction” . I scratch my head as I have played Bridge for 40 years & when I have held hands like this opposite an opening bid , +800 seemed to be the average in these types of auctions.

What went wrong ? A difference in philosophy for opening bids. Partner had 11 HCP with only one quick trick for his opening bid. I was expecting him to contribute to the defense of this hand as he opened the bidding. Partner says no , partner must have the contract beat pretty well beat in my own hand as his opening bids do not promise quick tricks as in the “modern” game . He went on to say that modern Bridge is a bidders game & defensive quick tricks are no longer a requirement for opening bids. He has bought into the Meckwell religion for opening bids surfacing in the 1990’s.

Lets examine the repercussions of what he is saying. In my mind , this mentality destroys the partnership aspect of the game of Bridge. You must make single handed Bridge decisions almost entirely on your own hand playing this way. If you have the controls for a game you bid it. If you have the controls for a slam you bid it. If you have them set in your own hand , you double. This is preposterous. Bridge is a partnership game. If the combined assets of the partnership dictate it , the opponents get doubled or you bid a game or a slam or compete again.

What if partner did hold 2 ½ or 3 defensive tricks for his opening bid ? By not doubling 2♠ , I have just thrown away a +800 gift. The opponents can bid with impunity around us. I have a rubber bridge background where I have had years of experience dealing with psyches . If partner has psyched , he pulls the double. If partner does not have what he said he had , he pulls the double. Standard Bridge , in my way of thinking. Partner did not hesitate on this auction to even consider pulling the double. He had his 11 HCP with one defensive trick so he has an opening bid in accordance with his methods. In his methods , he can not pull as I might have 2♠X beat in my own hand . As he was not asked to contribute to the defense with his perception, he passes. He of course , never pulls penalty doubles no matter what his hand with his mentality. Defense measured in quick tricks is assumed when you open the bidding , make a T/O double or a general “cards” double. This has been the norm for most players world wide since Bridge was invented in the late 1920’s.

A penalty double is a very single handed part of Bridge. The real solo artists say “never pull my penalty doubles” no matter what. This is , of course, non sensical when partner has done some bidding. A penalty double is also a partnership bid where the combined assets dictate whether your side decides to leave in the penalty double. A penalty double is left in only if you have what partner reasonably expects from the bidding. If you have passed thoughout, your contribution can be nil. If you do not have what you said you did , you weigh your options. The risk of you going for a horrible set against them making their contract . If you feel bidding is the lesser of the two evils , you pull.

Another old partner of mine held ♠J1098xx ♥QJ10x ♦void ♣xxx , I passed & RHO opened 1♦ . He bid 2♠ as a tactical nv vrs vul bid taking into consideration I was a passed hand. They subsequently bid to 3NT which I doubled. Since I am a passed hand , he knows they are in a 26-28 HCP 3NT game vulnerable & doubled. Since I am a passed hand , my double must have spades as his bid only promises 5 -10 HCP. Partner is playing me for the average of 7 HCP for my bid. My partner adhering to the rigidity of the never pulling penalty doubles mentality , left the double in !! They made +1150 & a huge IMP pickup , so we lost the KO match by one IMP. It turns out 4♠X goes for a maximum of –500 ( win 3 IMPS ) to –300 ( win 9 IMPS ) depending on the defense.

Recently a good player decided to make a nv vrs vul psyche of a response with ♠J109xxx ♥Jx ♦xx ♣xxx when partner opened 1♦. Partner made a support double so he knows they have a 9 card spade fit. Holding 3 small clubs, he knows from the bidding ( they overcalled & raised clubs ) the clubs are 6-3-3-1 , 5-4-3-1 or 6-4-3-0 with a stiff or void club in partners hand. He left the double in for –750 when +420 or –50 your way in spades was the normal result. All penalty doubles are co-operative when you have bid. By bidding , partner is using that information for her penalty double. If you did not bid , you do not pull penalty doubles , there is a huge difference. I gave this hand to two very good B players who left the double in also . This is poor bidding judgment , hopefully they will realize it after they gain more Bridge experience..

Here is one of the biggest swings possible from “you are not allowed to think , just blindly pass partners penalty double” mentality. Bridge players who are novices just adhere to rote rules no not pull penalty doubles. Once you have progressed in this game , the notion is , of course , suicidal. A Tormenttee held this hand ♠void ♥109876x ♦x ♣AKxxxx vul vrs not. Partner overcalled the 1♠ opener with 2♦ & RHO bid 2♠. You are far too distributional to make a responsive double. A double shows the unbid suits with defense but artificial doubles never replace natural bids. 6-6’s are made for bidding naturally not doubling & adding ambiguity to the auction. The Tormenttee made a bad bid & doubled , LHO bid 4♠ & partner doubled. Since you were involved in the auction , partners double is often predicated on your bid. The rule of thumb for leaving in penalty doubles is “do I have what partner can reasonably expect with my previous bid ?” In no way shape or form does your 6-6 qualify for what partner can reasonably expect. You pull to 5♣ , partner bids 6♣ & you make 7♣ vulnerable. The Tormentee passed 4♠X thinking that she already showed partner her 6-6 with her double or following the rote rule of not pulling partners doubles even though you contributed to the decision for the penalty double. For poetic justice , 4♠X made !!