From: scaramuz@julia (Roberto Scaramuzzi)
Subject: Re: WANTED: Info on BROZEL, DONT and CRASH
Date: 1 Feb 1995 00:29:14 GMT
Organization: Louisiana State University InterNetNews Site
Reply-To: scaramuz@math.lsu.edu

[snip]

b) DONT 

X = 1-suited hand - if spades are held, good hand
2C = clubs and a higher suit
2D = diamonds and a major
2H = majors
2s = spades, bad hand
2N = some sort of big 2-suiter

[snip]


From: kwalker@prairienet.org (Karen S. Walker)
Subject: Re: DONT (Was Help: on 2/1 bidding)
Date: 17 Oct 1994 21:09:34 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In a previous article, jtedward@dal.mobil.com () says:

>> I forget who taught me DONT, but that person (and most of the people
>> with whom I've played it) and I had the agreement that the one-suiter
>> double showed some strength to speak of (say, 11 HCP) with a suit that
>> could run if you can get in again.  Thus, advancer can decide with the
>> right sort of hand to convert the double into penalty.

   This agreement is not part of Marty Bergen's original description of
DONT.  In fact, it seems to defeat the whole purpose of the "Disturb their
Opening NoTrump" theory (the source of the acronym).  If you have to
promise such good defensive values to show a one-suiter, you're going to
give up lots of opportunities to "disturb" their auction.  According to
Bergen, "The doubler ... could be light in high cards, so partner should
'never' leave it in." 
   Playing this agreement, do you have to pass an opening notrump with a
hand like xxx, Q1098xx, AJ10, x?  Or do you have to put your neck on the
line and bid 3H to avoid showing an 11-count and a semi-solid suit?
 
The original description of DONT appeared in Marty Bergen's column in the
Sept./Oct. 1989 issue of Bridge Today.  It's 7 pages long and includes
more details than Cohen gives in his Law of Total Tricks book
 
>I have a few questions:
>1.  Is it usually played so that with "the right sort of hand"
>advancer can pass the double?  Or is it more normal to play that
>the double calls for an automatic relay?
 
Passing the one-suited double would be extremely rare.  I guess you could
do it if you had a bundle of points and, ideally, an honor in every suit
(giving you an extra assurance that partner's suit might run).
 
>2.  After a suit overcall, showing that suit and a higher suit, are
>advancer's new suits, other than the cheapest suit, to play or are they
>pass or correct?
>
>For example, I believe that:
> 1NT    2C    P    2D    asks overcaller to pass or bid his second suit.
>
>But what about:
> 1NT    2C    P    2H
>  Does that show an independent heart suit or does it show a willingness
>  to play 3D if diamonds are the overcaller's other suit?

This shows a fairly decent heart suit, but it does not show any interest
in playing in diamonds or spades, or clubs for that matter.  Opener can
"run" to his other suit if his hand is totally unsuitable for hearts. 

>3.  After the suit overcall, 2NT is a rarely used strong artificial
>inquiry.  According to Cohen in "To Bid or Not to Bid", the overcaller's
>responses to 2NT clarify his strength and define his second suit.  How
>does that work?

   Bergen's article said that in cases where overcaller's second suit
isn't identified (when he has overcalled 2C or 2D), responder's 2NT shows
a good hand and asks him to show his second suit at the 3-level.  This
promises excellent support for either of overcaller's possible second
suits.  The example Bergen gives is that after 1NT-2D-P, responder's 2NT
shows at least an invitation in whatever overcaller's major is.  
   2NT can also be used directly over 1NT-2S (to show a game try in
spades) or *after* overcaller doubles and shows his suit (as in
1NT-2C-P-2D, P-2H-P-2NT). 

>4.  Anyone want to offer a simple defense to DONT?
Here's what Marty Bergen recommended in his Bridge Today article:
 
After a one-suited double:  System on (Stayman, transfers, etc.)
After a 2C overcall:  System on, but double is Stayman.
After a 2D overcall:  Treat as a natural overcall for diamonds
                    (transfers off, Lebensohl revolves around diamonds)
After a 2H overcall:
   2S = Minors (weak or strong)
   2NT = Lebensohl
   3C or 3D = natural and invitational
   3H or 3S = shortness, game-forcing
   3NT = to play, but with no major-suit stoppers (Lebensohl treatment)
 
A 2S overcall would also be treated as natural, using spades as the 
stopper-asking suit for Lebensohl.
 
>5.  I realize that bidding over the opponents' notrump opening is
>controversial, but I'll ask anyway. Any comments on how DONT compares
>in practice to my usual notrump overcall conventions (Hamilton, Brozel)?

   I highly recommend it.  It's far better than Hamilton (in my opinion) 
because you don't end up at the 3-level when your fit is in a minor.
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