Scary Doubles
Doubles involved in normal conventional bidding are used happily and freely but when it comes to penalty doubles most players are fearful. All they can see is the pitfall of doubling opponents into game,
if vulnerable, giving opponents a very good board and you a zero. But there are two things to remember. It’s only one board and one zero and you could be successful. According to most professional bridge players and bridge book authors it is considered a thorny subject hence there are very few books written.
Penalty doubling requires experience and many situational judgements not easily taught. So what are you to do? S.J. Simon has a long complicated answer. It starts with a reminder that before you double, think and remember your double is the final bid for your partnership and if partner has remained silent he can be of no assistance. You’re smug enough that holding 20+ points in your own hand you feel invincible, thinking incorrectly that “The bigger the hand the better the double.” But says Simon, the opponents unless fools must feel, in a suit contract, they have distribution and strength in their own suit to make the contract and chances are they do. You are better off with fewer points in your own hand and at least some points in partners, allowing him to give assistance in the defeat of the contract. NT contracts should be thought of differently. Strength in your hand in NT is different and if you are on lead and can take all the setting tricks at your first chance, a double should be good.
We had a small Evergreen game on Friday, Oct. 26 since many were at the Charlotte Regional tournament. Winning at Evergreen were: 1st Patsy Reynolds and Fern Albracht, 2nd Wade Lowder and Fred Bachl, 3rd Carol Bachl and Dick Brisbin.
Wednesday, Oct. 31 Bridge at Rufty game winners: 1st Becky Creekmore and Dick Brisbin, 2nd Fern Albracht and Everett Halsall, 3rd John and Myrnie McLaughlin, 4th Nancy Stanback and Beth Shafer.
Congratulations to Becky Creekmore who obtained her Life Master level at the Charlotte Regional. We’re so happy for her. Congratulations to all of our players who attended the tournament. All got some points.
Note: Our Christmas party this year will be Thursday, Dec. 6th at 6:30 p.m. at Monterrey Restaurant in Salisbury. Let me know if you expect to attend. We will need a count to give the restaurant.