Saturday, January 06, 2007 1:55 AM

Hand Evaluation – Systemic ( Support Doubles )

PITBULLS:

One of the basics of Bridge bidding is showing partner your 4^th trump. Hand evaluation depends on this information for game tries , penalty doubles & alternative game contracts like 3NT. The 4 th trump allows competitive decisions in line with the law of total tricks. The importance of the 4^th trump in major suit games can not be over emphasized. The negative inference that you did not make a support double or XX , warns partner of shortness in her suit.

Meckwell came up with an invention that helped partnerships identify the 4^th trump for simple major raises in competition. At very low levels up to but not including 2♠ , a double of a bid in the sandwich position says that I have a simple raise of your major or better but with only 3 trump. This of course , leaves the direct simple raise to show 4 trump. This idea is also extended to doubles in the sandwich position. A direct XX shows 3 card support also. This convention is easy to remember as there are two S’s ( sandwich = support ) . Partner is trained to re-open with a double in case they have run into a penalty doubles as in all D.S.I.P. / conventional double situations. A support double to show a 3 card fit with partners diamond suit response makes no sense as they will out bid you anyway. It is best to have a double show cards or even penalty.

Playing support doubles should not be an option in today’s game. They should be standard. Raising partner’s major directly with 3 trump is archaic bidding , passing with 3 card support is not much better. For those who want to cling to the old ways – get over it ! Support doubles of majors are now standard Bridge. They are only at low levels because you do not want to force partner to a Moysean at the 3 level.

Therefore 1♦-P-1♥-2♠

X is not a support double. Doubles of pre-empts remain as penalty in any system.

What about overcalls ? Do support doubles apply there also ? Yes , but for some strange reason they are called “snapdragon doubles” . These doubles promises the 4^th suit along with support for partners suit. 1♦-1♥-1♠-X I have clubs along with support for your hearts. These doubles differ from “fit showing jumps” in that the support for partners suit are not as robust . Of course , doubling a forcing bid for penalty is nonsensical.

Since Bridge is played in a clockwise direction, there is only one sandwich position in Bridge. The opponents are “sandwiched” between an opening bid & a response. After partner responds a major to your opener, they bid in the sandwich & you double , the double shows 3 card support. This is not rocket science.