Friday,
February 24, 2006 1:19 PM
Hand Evaluation - Competition ( The Default )
PITBULLS:
D.S.I.P.
competitive theory is a balancing act with forcing
pass theory. There are many auctions that the bidding does not
reveal that you own the auction , however , you may.
In all these situations , we still must revert to our
default so assume we
do not own the auction. Our
default is competitive double D.S.I.P. theory. Pre-empts by partner are a well known exception to D.S.I.P. competitive
double theory.
The
auction went 1♠-3♠-4♠-? With the 3♠ bidder being
vulnerable but the opponents not , do we own the
auction based on the vulnerable bid to the 3 level ? Are the opponents bidding
4♠ to sacrifice or to make ?
The answer is we simply do not know.
If we interpret the 3♠ bid to be a pre-empt due to the
long suit , penalty doubles
should apply. This pre-emptive vul bid usually
defines the meaning of partners double to be penalty .
If we interpret the 3♠ bid as an unknown overcall , D.S.I.P. double theory applies.
Since
it is rare that the 3♠ jump is done on a
“rock” hand with a variable HCP range, we should consider the bid as a good
solid “pre-empt” . Penalty doubles
by partner should apply rather than D.S.I.P. doubles. My partner
held ♠QJ10x ♥Kxxx ♦x ♣Kxxx
so has an
easy 4NT bid if he wanted me to bid my minor. My
partner doubled 4♠ for penalty , so that should end
this auction.
I
find it is easier to learn forcing pass rules which is
the way Eric Kokish interprets his “two way doubles”.
It is much better to figure out when Forcing Pass Theory is applicable or the rare cases where the
penalty double is allowed ( opposite a pre-empt ) than
trying to figure out if D.S.I.P. theory
applies. D.S.I.P. theory is just the default when a penalty double & forcing pass theory do not apply.
As my
partners have expressed it , we need triggers that
determine the meaning of penalty doubles.
I think it is easier to go this route. Figure out if & when forcing pass/penalty doubles apply so default to D.S.I.P. in all the other cases. We allow penalty doubles when we are no longer competing
or after we have already made a D.S.I.P. double. If we know our rare penalty
double situations & know forcing pass theory ,
D.S.I.P. competitive double theory situations are just what is left over.