The goals in bidding are
i) bid to your right level
ii) push the opps too high and when it's right penalise them
iii) penalise the opps when possible for 'making noise at the wrong time'
My observation would be that a lot of players think the goal is to win the auction which often means bidding to the wrong level...and as a result they are giving up a lot of their best scores....but in order to take advantage of these opportunites to punish the opps a few simple techniques such as the trap pass and the 'dont mess with us' redouble need to be learnt.
Here is a hand from Friday mornings tournament where the proper use of redouble was the way to the top score.
Of the 16 souths who faced this bid only 6 redoubled...but then only 2 pairs ended up penalising the opps for the top scores. 3 souths passed (how partner then understands any bidding is beyond me..), 2 bid 2nt; 2 bid 1s; 2 bid 2d and 1 bid 1nt.
If you are going to use the 'dont mess with us' redouble or have it used against you you there's a few things you need to understand...
I'll illustrate this by a few questions
1. The auction goes
West North East South
1h dbl redbl
pass pass ?
What does west's pass mean? What does east bid?
2. This time the auction goes...
West North East South
1h dbl redbl
1nt pass pass ?
Is north's pass forcing? Can south pass?
3. Now the auction goes...
West North East South
1h dbl redbl
1nt dbl pass ?
Is north's double penalty? optional? What does south bid?
4. As a final option the bidding goes...
West North East South
1h dbl redbl
1nt pass pass dbl
pass ?
Is south's double penalty? What can north bid?