'The most interesting questions from visitors to the Dutch sister site (Bridgevaria.nl)'. 

Dear Peter and Ed,

What does DONT mean? I can't find it anywhere.

Kind regards,

Will Snelder

Answer Ed Hoogenkamp (South)

Dear Will,

I'm confining myself to giving a link, where the convention is extensively explained. I simply don't know enough about it myself to say intelligent things about it. I am a Multi-Landy man.
Oh, almost forgot to mention: DONT is a convention against their 1NT opening.

http://home.comcast.net/~kwbridge/dont.htm

(below I have copied a part of it, in order to give you an idea)

Overview of DONT actions

• Double = Unspecified one-suiter; relays advancer to 2♣.
• 2♣, 2♦, 2♥ = Two-suiter (usually at least 5-4); shows the suit named plus a higher-ranking suit.
• 2♠ = Spade one-suiter.
• 2NT = Major-minor two-suiter (6-5 or better), monster hand. (This relays partner to 3♣, over which opener identifies his two suits via a fairly complicated code. See the original Bridge Today article for details on these follow-up bids.)
• 3♣, 3♦, 3♥, 3♠ = Long suit (usually 7⁺ cards), preemptive.
• 3NT = Major two-suiter (6-5 or better), monster hand.

Let's see what Peter has to say about this. I guess he thinks DONT means: 'Don't do it!' Just imagine: after his right hand opponent has opened 1NT he puts down a red 'double' card. His partner alerts and explains: 'DONT'. Quickly Peter removes his bidding card...
This is how they do things in Norway.

Un saludo desde Barcelona

Answer Peter van der Linden (North)

Dear Will,

Firstly, I have to do the usual reprimanding of Ed: no, that's not how things are being done in Norway. For we have genuine tournament directors over here and we respect the Laws. In Spain you are probably used to being allowed to take back bids (provided you offer el arbitro a drink). That's understandable: it's hot over there and the Laws are similar to the ones in bullfighting: it's known in advance who is going to win (by the way: what's FC Barcelona's budget for — let's call it — 'refereeing costs'?).
Secondly, I have to reprimand Ed once more: he doesn't explain the name DONT: it stands for Disturb the Opponents' No Trump.

About the convention itself: I have little to add.
A few things: the idea behind DONT is that most often it doesn't pay to pass their 1NT opening. This is why:
1. If they subsequently play that contract they often either make it, or end up too few down — meaning +50 or +100 to the defenders — to compensate for their own makeable part score (+110 of +140). Often it is said therefore, that 1NT is a pre-emptive opening!
Real matchpoint sharks therefore rarely pass a 1NT opening of the opponents. The scores mentioned earlier indicate that DONT works best at match-point play. At IMPs such small profits are not important enough to compensate the main risk of DONT: getting doubled for penalties.
2. If the hand is theirs, they are seriously disturbed by the intervention (as the name suggests). The partner of the 1NT opener cannot apply Stayman and Jacoby-transfers. This advantage applies to IMP play as well.

Another strong point of DONT — both in MP and IMP play — is that many pairs haven't agreed upon effective counter measures (but this of course applies for all conventions).

All in all the effectiveness of DONT at IMP play is in its destructive character. The convention is not without risks however:
1. I did already mention the possibility of a penalty double: after all DONT bidders enter the bidding over a strong no trump, so the partner of the 1NT opener doesn't need much encouragement to swing the axe.
2. If the side of the 1NT opener overcomes the destruction caused by the DONT bid and succeeds in bidding the right contract, the intervention will have made declarer's task much easier, since the intervention has given away much about the distribution (this applies for all interventions of course).
3. A typical DONT disadvantage: unlike 'normal' overcalls DONT doesn't suggest a good lead to partner. The convention is used on all kinds of hands and on bad suits (or in the case of a two-suiter: usually at least one of the suits is bad...). Frequent accidents occur, like a ♥K lead from ♥K10 (hearts being one of partner's two suits), only finding that 'heart suit' to be ♥9764...

En hils fra Orkanger