Stripe-Tailed Ape Double
A stripe tailed ape double is a strategic double of an opposing game contract. The doubler actually expects that the opponents can make a slam, but hopes they'll settle for the smaller score of the doubled game contract. Should the opponents redouble the contract, conventional wisdom recommends running like a "stripe-tailed ape" to a sacrificial contract. Examples of the scoring difference between a doubled game contract (making an overtrick) versus a small slam:
| Contract | Vulnerable | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
5 / -X |
Not vul. | Made 6 | 650 |
| 6/ |
Not vul. | Made 6 | 920 |
| 5/-X |
Vul. | Made 6 | 950 |
| 6/ |
Vul. | Made 6 | 1370 |
4 / -X |
Not vul. | Made 6 | 790 |
| 5/-X |
Not vul. | Made 6 | 750 |
| 6/ |
Not vul. | Made 6 | 980 |
| 4/-X |
Vul. | Made 6 | 1190 |
| 5/-X |
Vul. | Made 6 | 1050 |
| 6/ |
Vul. | Made 6 | 1430 |
Example
The following deal comes from a team game during the 1997 ACBL Fall Nationals. It was originally reported by Phillip Alder, 1 now the New York Times bridge columnist.| Vul: None | Dummy | |||
| T8543 | ||||
| QJT7542 | ||||
| West | 6 | East | ||
| K972 | -- | AQ6 | ||
| -- | K | |||
| QJ72 | South | K9543 | ||
| KJ932 | J | 8754 | ||
| A9863 | ||||
| AT8 | ||||
| AQT6 |
|
West Dbl. 5 |
North 4 6 |
East 4 Dbl |
South 1 5 All Pass |
made for +1210 for North-South. At the other table, East-West did not compete over ,-X