DONT

 

Here we look at hands where they open 1NT and we use DONT.

 

 

17th January, 2007           Board 29      Dealer North       Both Vul

 

 

Only 6 HCP’s, and vulnerable to boot, but nonetheless we’d jump into the fray over North’s 1NT bid, at least if we had a two-suited bid available, such as is provided by DONT and Cappelletti.

 

If we were playing DONT, we’d bid 2♣, planning to show the Spades freely if the auction permitted that at the two-level, as in:

            East     South   West    North

                                                1NT

            2♣       Dbl      Pass    2♥

            2♠

That may see like a lot of bidding for a 6-count, but let’s not forget the old adage “Six-five, come alive!”

 

If we were playing Cappelletti, we’d have to start with 2♠ (Spades and a minor), at which point we would be done (other than to show our minor, if asked).

 

 

4th July, 2007                     Board 18      Dealer East       N-S Vul

 

Here we look at the E-W auction with both hands on view.  Let’s start with the West hand, and let us assume that we are playing DONT.

 

            West                East

            ♠ AKQT5        ♠ 98632

            ♥ QT43           ♥ A

            ♦ Q                  ♦ KJ975

            ♣ T54              ♣ 93

 

            West    North   East     South

                                    Pass    1NT

            ??

Is this a major two-suiter?  Or a Spade one suiter?  Surely the latter!  There’s nothing wrong with DONTing on 5-4 hands, but the discrepancy in strength is so great, that Spade suit almost looks like a 6-bagger.  OK, this is a Spade one-suiter.  DONT gives us two ways to show a Spade one-suiter:

            Either, bid 2♠ directly, this is the weaker way to reach 2♠

            Or, Double to show a one-suiter and then bid 2♠ (the stronger way to get there)

We’d say that this is the weak version, though it’s not that far removed from stronger action.  So, we bid 2♠ directly, and the spotlight shifts to East.

 

            West    North   East     South

                                    Pass    1NT

            2♠        Pass    ??

Partner has showed a Spade one-suiter, and he had a stronger way of doing that (via the aforementioned DONT Double).  Are we worth a game-try?  Yes, we do believe that we are!  What game tries are available?  The recommended treatment is:

-         3♠ here is purely preemptive

-         2NT is a game-try

So, 2NT it is!  Now, back to West.

 

            West    North   East     South

                                    Pass    1NT

            2♠        Pass    2NT     Pass

            ??

 

Partner has invited, do we accept?  We say “Yes!”  Previously we decided not to show a good Spade one-suiter, now, as bad one-suiters go, we would say that this one is pretty good!

 

 

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