Gainesville Bridge Club

Bidding Quiz on Balancing

Jon Shuster

Gainesville Duplicate Bridge Club

One of the most important parts of Matchpoint Bridge is to be able to compete for part scores.  If you let your opponents play in their comfort zones, they will generally get good scores.  It pays to take significant risks to push them into less comfort.  This is one of the areas beginners and intermediates have the greatest trouble in mastering.

Construct the weakest West hands you can think of,  that fit the following, assuming neither side is vulnerable:

South                     West                       North                      East

1H                          P                              2H                          P

P                              ?

1. West bids 2S.
2. West bids 2NT
3. West Doubles

1. As West, you should feel free to bid 2S with hands unsuitable for a double, but with as few as four Spades.  Since you have not overcalled 1S over 1H, you cannot have a decent 5 card Spade suit.  For example, you can rule out a hand such as S-KJxxx H-xx D-K10xx C-xx, since that hand will make a 1S overcall over 1H.  (Pass of 1H is too timid for my taste.) Minimal hand might be   S-AJxx H-xxx D-xx C-K10xx  (8  HC points).  Double is wrong because partner is likely to bid 3 Diamonds. 

Note that  definitely has at most 2 Hearts, and if s/he has 2 or fewer Spades, s/he pulls to 2NT with both minors, or three of a 6 card minor.  The 2NT call does not show Heart stoppers in balancing situations.  East leaves 2S in with a tripleton.  Also, East only competes to 3S over 3H with 4 card Spade support, regardless of how strong the East hand is.

2. This shows both minors and at most two Spades, not stoppers in Hearts.  A typical hand might be as weak as S-xx H-xxx D-AJxx C-Kxxx (8 points).
3. This shows support for all three unbid suits, usually 4-4-3-2 with a doubleton Heart and any tripleton.  The hand might be as weak as S-Kxx H-xx D-KJxx C-J10xx (8 HC Points).

Even with 4-3-3-3, three Hearts and 9+ HCP, I would try 2S if the 4-card suit is Spades, or double if the 4-card suit is a minor. 

Personally, even vulnerable, I am equally aggressive in the balancing seat.  Make your opponents work hard to get good scores against you.

Footnote advice to the opening side: (a)  If your opponents do balance against you, the hand with the extra trump goes to the extra level (no exceptions).  If you raised 1H to 2H with a four card suit (partner is entitled to expect  three),  it is your job to go to the 3 level.  If you opened 1H with a six card suit, likewise, it is your absolute responsibility to bid 3H.  These are to play, not invitational.  (b) Assuming your side lacks nine Hearts, if your EW opponents balance, and your side has the balance of power (for example you made a conservative 2H raise with 10 HCP and three card Heart support), double your opponents immediately.  South will pull the double to 3H if s/he has a six card Heart suit.   Even if they make their contract, it will usually cost you few matchpoints.  But a doubled one trick set vulnerable or two trick set non-vulnerable will convert a bad board undoubled to a top if doubled.

Next: Pre-balancing