Monday, May 14, 2007 4:24 AM

Hand Evaluation - Dbls ( Transferable Values )

PITBULLS:

A D.S.I.P. double is defined in a competitive auction as showing no duplication of value in their suits , defense measured in quick tricks & wanting to compete more. You are asking permission to compete again in part for the simple reason that Bridge is played in a clockwise direction. Partner may not want to compete at all as she has their trump . Not playing D.S.I.P. doubles , you bid “in front of her” much to her dismay. Pseudo sacrifices , bad games & bad competitive decisions are the norm as partner is not part of the decision making process to compete. Single handed competing , if you will. D.S.I.P. theory brings partner into the decision making . A double is the only Bridge medium that allows this dual decision. The double informs partner of the intent & lack of duplication of value in their suit & transfers the decision to partner who now is in a position to know better.

What if you have a good hand with duplication of value in their suit but still want to compete ? Making a D.S.I.P. double is silly as partner will never convert for penalty as you have their suit . In addition, you do not want to encourage her to put full weight on a stiff in their suit for her to compete again. You have two options when you have wastage in their suit with a good hand. You can just bid , hope to push them up a bit so luck out if partner has enough defense to make a D.S.I.P. double. The 2^nd option is just pass & take your small profit if partner cannot bid again with a double. This is one of the fixes or costs of playing D.S.I.P. theory in competition . You cannot make a single handed trump stack penalty double i.e. wastage in their suit. Experience shows this is not a bad thing.

There is one instance where you can make a D.S.I.P. double with values in their suit. This is where you hold “transferable values” in their suit. This is an Eric Kokish term , which means values that are good on defense as well as offense. I think you have to be careful with that one. If you have a 15 HCP hand with the AQJ of their suit , 50 % of your hand is tied up with values in their suit. We all know how well that plays opposite partners stiff. Your HCP’s are supposed to be elsewhere , so partner can use hand evaluation similar to splinter theory. In my opinion , an Ace in their suit is the only transferable value & even that can be wastage opposite a void. KQ , KJ10 , QJ . AQ in their suit is just what partner does not want.

We invented D.S.I.P. theory in part since Bridge is played in a clockwise direction, partner becomes part of the decision to compete & to convert for penalty from either partner to catch modern bidders who are speeding. Duplication of value is a hand evaluation concept, so the D.S.I.P. double arms partner with that information. The D.S.I.P. double is measured in quick tricks which is another hand evaluation concept. A D.S.I.P. double by the primary bidder ( not responder ) is within a ½ quick trick of booking their contract.

Competing without D.S.I.P. double theory becomes singlehanded shooting dice. You just bid & if partner has duplication of value in their suit you are “unlucky” . If you do not bid with partner not having duplication of value in their suit , again you are unlucky as they stole the contract. With the craziness of modern bidders , two heads are better than one to make a competitive decision. You need a bid that informs partner that your side has the balance of power & a defensive hand. You need a bid in competitive auctions that does not rescue “modern bidders” that should be punished. This is where D.S.I.P. theory comes in & why it was invented.