Worst (Most Costly) Penalty Doubles

[AAr]

We all have done things like turn -620 to -790 by making risky penalty doubles, which is part of the game, and generally no big deal. You can never score a +800 or +1100 if you don't make chancy doubles once in a while. If you double 4S (You thought you could make 4H and set 4S.) and they make it, and would have made it if you didn't double, the extra 170 points lost only cost about 4 or 5 IMPs or turn perhaps a 40% MP board to a bottom. No really big deal. My topic is REALLY costly penalty doubles.

 

I just recently played a goulash tourney where, in MPs with neither vul., the opponents made a bidding misunderstanding and bid 5S on a 4-0 fit! I could have let them play that undoubled, which was likely down about 7 or 8, but I decided to double, even though I was not sure I could even set any run-off (I had a low singleton in !Hs and it was goulash) since it's MPs which is all about outscoring the game bonus if possible, and if we let them play in 5S undoubled, we'd have to set it by NINE (at that vul) to outscore the game bonus. Granted, there was no way I would have doubled if this were IMPs or if the opponents were vul., but I figured I better double here. But, they ran to 6H, I doubled, and they ended up making 6Hx with an overtrick. But, again, this was MPs, so the worst a bad double could do is turn a top into a bottom (which is costly enough in an 8-board tourney).

 

But, that's not the most costly double I've witnessed by far! Several months ago, and this was in an IMPs tourney, another bidding misunderstanding also could have forced the opponents to play 4H in a 4-2 fit. My partner ended up doubling (And, I certantly would not have doubled 4H with his hand, and I'll just leave it at that.), and they ran to a normal 4S in a 6-3 fit. I doubled, thinking my partner should not have doubled 4H if he is also not sure he could set 4S. They ended up redoubling and making 4Sxx with two overtricks (for -1880). The rest of the field made 4S undoubled with 2 overtricks (-680) and 4H would have been down four, giving us +400. Essentially, that double turned +14 IMPs to -15 IMPs, for a total loss of -29 IMPs!!!

 

So, my question for Today is this: What is the costliest penalty double you or your partner has ever made? It could be either they redoubled and made the contract with overtricks, they ran to a making contract while the other contract would've been down multiple tricks, the double helped them in the play and make the contract they would've otherwise went down in, or whatever. Just discuss what is the costliest penalty double you've ever seen. (I know the ultimate is doubling 1NT, having it redoubled and make with several overtricks, but I haven't seen that one YET. (You can usually run somewhat safely from a 1NT redouble with 2-level bids to not chance this ultimate disaster.))

 

And, while we're at it, perhaps you could discuss a big IMP swing gained because of a bad penalty double your opponents made.

[Guest Jlall]

In the denver nationals one of my teammates in the national swiss psyched after a 2C opener by the opponents. This led to the opponents getting to 6N which is going to go down 11 red (yes 11, the 2C opener had a black 2 suiter and the defenders could run a LOT of red suit tricks). My teammate decided to X it, and the opponents ran to 7C. This was Xed again and the wrong red suit ace was led, so 7C X red made. My partner and I got to 6C making 6 (the right ace was led). I wasn't too pleased <_<

[Guest Jlall]

http://web2.acbl.org/nabcbulletins/2005fall/db10.pdf

 

Page 4 "Just your average 7-5 hand"

 

It seems I exaggerated, 6N could only be set 9.

[luis]

I have it :-)

It was my opponents who made the worst penalty double I've ever seen

It's in the hall of fame of hands here in Argentina, it happened about 5 years ago in a national pairs tournament, IMPs, last match and we needed a big win in the last match to finish in a good position (we were far away from the winner)

 

Number of kibitzers: Zero

 

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=skxxhqxxdkxcqjtxx&w=sqjxxxhjtxxxdxcxx&e=sxxxhakxxxdqxcaxx&s=saxhdajtxxxxxckxx]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

I was south. And for reasons beyond human comprenhension I decided to open 1♥.

 

Bidding

 

1♥ - pass - 2♣ - pass

2♦

 

Number of kibitzers: 5

 

2♦ is so far the best second suit ever bid in the history of bridge: AJTxxxxx

 

1♥ - pass - 2♣ - pass

2♦ - pass - 2♥ - pass

3♣ -pass - 3♠ - pass

 

Number of kibitzers: 16

 

3NT - pass - 4NT - pass

5♥ - pass - pass

 

Number of kibitzers: 20

 

3♣ was a futile attempt to move the trump suit from hearts to clubs

5♥ showed 2 keycards (am I completely nuts? maybe)

 

Now my screen mate looks at me very sad and moves his head from side to side saying "no no" and proceeds to double!

 

1♥ - pass - 2♣ - pass

2♦ - pass - 2♥ - pass

3♣ -pass - 3♠ - pass

3NT - pass - 4NT - pass

5♥ - pass - pass - X

6♣ - pass - pass - X

? -

 

Number of kibitzers: 28

 

6♣ is now known as the "resurrection" bid

RHO doubles on general principles and passes the tray without waiting for my bid

 

At this point I took a redouble card from the bidding box and threw it over the screen to the other side while yelling "hey my turn!"

 

Number of kibitzers: 33

 

RHO lead the heart ace while I tabled dummy

 

LHO: Did you open this hand 1♥

Me: No, how can I open 1♥ with a void?

LHO: Ah....

 

Pd ruffs the heart in dummy and plays the club king.

RHO still in shock takes this with the Ace. LHO appears again under the screen

 

LHO: Are you sure you didn't open 1♥ because...

ME: Don't you see I have a heart void? How can I open 1♥

LHO: yes, right, but...

 

RHO tries for the second time in a row to cash a heart when dummy was still displaying a void, pd ruffed with the last trump and now.... in a super way to end the hand returns to his hand with a DIAMOND!!!! (not a spade), draws trumps and claims

 

ME: Are you crazy weird piece of psycho? why not return with the 5 card suit instead of the 10 card suit

PD: I didn't notice you had 8 diamonds

LHO: somehow I think you opened that hand 1♥

RHO: I need water

LHO: Did he open 1♥

RHO: Water please!!!

LHO (scratches head): I must be so tired, I'm thinking you opened 1♥....

RHO: Somebody give me water!

LHO: Pd did you double 5♥? Because I have 5 cards in hearts....

RHO: I think I need a doctor

ME: Let's get out of here

PD: Yes, let's run

 

So from 5♥ down a zillion to 6♣xx made make your maths.

 

I don't do this kind of things any more but how fun the old days were.... :-)

 

Pd and I still play together

RHO retired for some months and now is back he had no health sequels

LHO never played again to our knowledge

[luke warm]

hahahahahaha

[AAr]

It seems like, the moral of this thread is that more importantly than not doubling for penalties if you are not sure you can set the CURRENT bid, but to not double them if you can't set anything above (any runoff) above their current bid.

 

Yes, my worst bugaboo when it comes to penalty doubles is that I have conceded many bad boards by doubling 3NT, pretty sure of set, but have them run to 4 of a suit (and in some cases, 5 of a minor!), which I also double but they make while 3NT is down several. (I have also had opponents make 3NTx with overtricks several times in the past when they were able to run long suits that I did not have stopped.) Now, I don't double 3NT unless I'm pretty sure that not only can I set 3NT, but also 4 of any suit they would bid, and I expect my partners to do the same. I usually get good boards when I let them play in 3NT undoubled expecting a multi-trick set (They usually do go down several while other tables are in safer contracts for pluses or smaller minuses), so I rarely double 3NT nowdays even if tempting.

 

So, I'm asserting that good advice is to not double for penalties, reguardless how tempting it is or how much you expect to set the contract by, UNLESS you ALSO expect to set any run-off they might have. (Meaning, for example, don't double 4S if you're not sure you can set 5C, even if you expect to set 4S by four or five tricks). Is this good advice, or are there times where it is correct to chance having the opponents run to a making contract because of a penalty double? Or, does it depend on vulnerablity and/or form or scoring? Or, perhaps, should you still double agressively if you think you have game on and might need to outscore the game bonus, even if you risk having them run to a making contract? (Ex: Is it OK to double them in 4S even though you are sure you can set 4S, but are not sure you can set 5C, but you think your side can make 4H. Or, should you still let them play in 4S undoubled or perhaps bid 5H?)

 

I'm just wondering when the risk/gain odds favor doubling for penalties when you are sure you can set the current bid, but are not sure you can set any runoff, or is this something you should never do, like risk going down in a cold game for overtricks in IMPs. When should you double for penalties when you are sure you can set the current bid, but are not sure you could set any run-off?

[Miron]

Well, the most costly (re)double I have ever heard was done by my sister. She played with my father that time against not very capable opponents (but she is also beginner).

My sister's side can make 7♥ but with their bidding (1♥-3♥, they would stop in six, if not in four), but oppennents interfere:

1♥ - pass - 3♥ - 4NT

 

The 4NT was ment on minors, but just on one side of the table.

 

x - pass - pass - xx

 

xx Help!

 

pass - pass - pass

 

4NTxx, made no trick, 5200 for my sister. That was just 23 IMPs, because the average was 2210 for 7♥ :lol:

[Free]

Sometimes you need a Dbl to set the contract. A hand from competition can make this clear:

[hv=d=s&s=sjt9xhxxxdxcakqjx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

Bidding went (we play MOSCITO):

1♥! - Dbl - 2♠! - 3♦

pass - 3NT - pass - pass

???

 

1♥ shows 4+♠, can have longer m, with 9-15HCP

2♠ is from a 3 card ♠

 

If you don't Dbl your partner will lead ♠ for sure. If you Dbl you ask for an unusual lead. Since West's Dbl showed ♥, and we can hardly have 5 ♦ tricks, it's quite obvious ♣ should be the choice.

 

Yes they could run to 5♦ which is =, but if we don't Dbl they'll make 3NT+4 and still win some imps... When I had to lead, I'd shut up obviously! :lol:

[Walddk]

Hebrew: "Rechav-nefesh, jegareh madon"

English:"He that is of a greedy spirit stirs up strife"

(Proverbs 28/25)

 

There are not that many bridge articles whose first line features a quotation from the Bible, and yet those ancient words in their wisdom bear witness to the disastrous consequences that some greed-driven doubles have had in top level bridge.

 

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=shakq105da1097ckq76&w=sak10632h62dqj643c&e=sq98hj73dk852cj108&s=sj754h984dca95432]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

One greedy double brings us to the 1997 European Championships in Montecatini, Italy, and the match between Sweden and Germany.

 

NS: Rath-Tomski, Germany

EW: Eriksson-Fredin, Sweden

 

Rath opened 1♥, and Tomski responded 1♠. Now came a natural 2♠ overcall from Fredin. With this information available, Rath thought he could make a descriptive void showing bid of 4♠

 

Tomski, on the other hand, had a feeling that Fredin might have psyched and passed confidently!!?? Fredin doubled (sic!), and when the bidding tray came back, both North and East realised what had taken place at the other side of the table.

 

However, a greatly relieved Rath decided to take no more chances and bid 4NT as take-out and raised partner’s 5♣ to 6♣. To make matters even worse for the hapless Swedes, Tomski finally woke up to realize that partner’s sequence had to show a spade void and bid the grand slam! Tick.

 

After they missed the chance to defend 4♠, it is not surprising to report that the Swedes were somewhat reluctant to take the cheap save in 7♠. But this does not conclude the story of what is probably the most disastrous deal in the history of Swedish bridge.

 

At the other table the top Swedish pair of Fallenius-Nilsland let the Germans play in 4♠ doubled. North led his two top hearts and switched to a club, but when declarer took out trumps, Fallenius pitched a very expensive diamond, effectively throwing away the setting trick. Holowsky could now claim his game and +590, which added up with the +1440 at the other table, meant that Germany had managed to collect 2030 for a fat 19 IMPs in this one deal!

 

The bottom line: next time you hold an enormous, and unlikely, trump stack and you are about to double, remember Proverbs 28 and think if a sure gain is not better than risking to push the opponents into finding a superior contract.

 

Roland

 

P.S. Thanks to Pietro Campanile of Israel for compiling the info.

[cherdano]

At least the misdefense against 4♠X cost only 3 IMPs.

[kenrexford]

On a related note, I once got to 7NT XX Vulnerable, down 13.

 

Years ago, I played with a strange lady who did not like Texas Transfers. However, she liked 1NT-P-4D to ask for your point count (4H=15, 4S=16, and 4NT=17). After the answer, 5D asked for Aces, 6D for Kings, and, strangely, 7D for Queens. THIS IS A TRUE STORY. I have to point this out already, because that is the most bizarre agreement I have ever been asked to keep.

 

We never discussed this gem in competition.

 

1NT-X-4D. Oh boy.

 

I answered 4NT, and partner answered 5D. (Her 4D was meant, this time, as natural. When have your heard 4D as natural here???)

I answered 5NT, and partner answered 6D.

I answered 6NT.

 

Partner, with a void, bid 7D. I, dutifully, answered 7NT.

 

This was doubled. Being matchpoints, a redouble could hardly hurt, and I held extra length in clubs or something.

 

When the lead hit the table, I now knew that 4D was preemptive this time. Again, who has ever contemplated a 4D preempt after partner opens a strong 1NT???

 

Anyway, I could see that I was down five or so. But, a sparkle came to my eye. When, in real competition, at Matchpoints, have you been in 7NT, XX, vulnerable, with a real bidding error (not silliness), and found a potential line to lose all 13 tricks. It is not easy, you know. Fortunately, a small doubleton opposite the void helped. With a series of unbelievable jettison plays and extreme perversions of the Merrimac Coup, I managed that elusive gem of the duplicate world, -7600.

 

Despite it being a club game, we still got a bottom.

 

On a related note, in that same club I once redoubled 6NT as S.O.S. -- not for partner but to induce the opponents to run. They did. The person who was on lead with AK in a side suit made a bad double, because her partner ran for us.

 

One last "bad double." It was the finals of a knockout. Our opponents, a happily married couple, were having a one-sided discussion the entire set about the merits of one players' calls and plays. On the last hand, I took a position and bid 6S, doubled by the expert as a lead-director.

 

The pupil, not recognizing this call, lead her own Ace (we were off two cashing Aces) and then gave partner a ruff-sluff to ditch his other stiff.

 

We were not done yet. Partner was far from claiming (my position was unsound). The expert, distracted quite noticeably, could not believe the non-switch and followed suit instead, with his Ace, establishing this as a penalty card, and a revoke.

 

Frighteningly for my partner, this did not enable us to make the contract yet. Again, my position was off a tad.

 

When the director was summoned, the expert, quite frustrated at his own error apparently, dropped his entire remaining hand face-up on the table, establishing eleven more penalty cards, with my partner enabled to elect when and how he defended the hand. Frighteningly, the ruff-sluff and two-trick penalty still was not easily enough. My partner declared the hand double-dummy, taking about ten minutes to figure out the series of jettisons necessary, and eventually brought home the contract, just barely when adding in the penalty. It was a brilliant line.

 

So, I suppose my position turned out correct, if one assumed a ruff-sluff, a two-trick penalty, and 11 penalty cards. That's all I needed.

 

We did win the event.

[kenberg]

This can't compare with some of the extreme cases already put forth but I offer two examples.

 

Playing at imps, the opponents reached 6NT doubled by partner, on lead with an AK. They ran to 7D, doubled by partner putting me on lead. This made, after which partner explained that his second double was lead directing and the result was my fault.

 

This second example is not of a double, but is roughly in the same category. The opponments reached 7H and I, on lead with the ace of hearts, did not double lest they run putting partner on lead who might not have or lead a heart. I also cashed the ace at trick one, insuring that even if a revoke occurred we had our set. Our partners came back and began by saying "We ran short of time and didn't play one of the boards..."

 

 

 

 

Ken

[kenrexford]

How about the worst FAILURE to double?

 

Years ago, a friend of mine and I agreed to try opening 1C when 5-5 in the black suits. So, he opened 1C.

 

My RHO decided, white on red, that this was a great time for a psychic and overcalled 1H, holding a void in hearts and AKQxxxxx of diamonds. I held AKQJ10xx of hearts and smalled a rat. With extra values, I decided to leap to 4NT and take over.

 

LHO next raised the stakes by bidding 5H on his xxxx support. This cleared up the psychic fairly well.

 

Now, partner shined. He remembered that, with 5-5 in the black suits, we agreed to open 1C and then bid spades later. This was later, so he bid 5S.

 

I, of course, took this as two Aces (DOPI) and asked for Kings. 5NT.

 

Partner's response was 6D, and RHO, get this, PASSED!!!!

 

So, we played in 7NT, vulnerable, for what should have been a doubled -2300 instead of 6H for +1430, but we made the grand, for +2220. We gained 13 IMP's instead of losing at least 23 IMP's. We would actually have lost 24 IMP's because I would have redoubled.

[keylime]

Here's my story.

 

I've had a few, um, "adventures", playing a forcing club system back when I was really trying to mature in the game.

 

The most comical one is this one.

 

Pard opens a 14+ to 17- 1NT. You hold a nice hand for them:

 

AQJTxxx

KJx

Kx

A

 

After transferring into spades, you have a rebid problem. You want to force to slam but want to ot miss grand. So you decided in your infinite wisdom to bid 3C; hey, I'm lying about minor but at least we're going to game.

 

Pard rebids 4C, accepting spades and liking clubs. You launch into RKC for spades, and pard rebids 5C, showing 1 or 4. RHO now doubles, you redouble and get dropped in a 4-1 club fit when 6 spades and 6Nt are frigid. Did I mention that -1000 is not good versus +1430/+1440, especially at imps?

 

Needless to say, there were many words said afterwards.

[pclayton]

There is a gutbuster in Right Through the Pack.

 

I think its the 3 of ♠ section.

 

The innocent North player held: ♠T6542, ♥void, ♦void, ♣AKQJxxx. He heard his pard open a strong 2♠; 7♥ on his right!

 

7♠ said this hand, doubled on his right. This hand redoubles. Sounds innocent right?

 

Pard has THIRTEEN solid hearts (and decided to psyche) and RHO held the remaining 8 spades and 5 running diamonds and leads the cunning ♠3 which holds the trick!

 

Down 13 redoubled.

[Myon]

A friend of mine experienced the following some years ago:

 

Pd opens 1♠, RHO doubles, redouble from him. Now LHO bids 1♥(!). Pd bids 1♠ again, again doubled by RHO, and again redoubled by him. Now LHO ponders a bit and passes, Pd passes, and RHO says "ah, you've got the spades" and passes.

 

1♠XX +3.