Balancing bid...

[Guest Jlall]

red/red BAM. QJTx K9 x KQT98x. Partner opens 1H, 1S on your right, you bid 2C, 2D on your left passed back to you. What's your call?

[Echognome]

Ugly hand. You have the values, but has misfit written all over it and the opps are getting out at a low level. I don't think we particularly want to defend 2♦.

 

I need to know one thing here though, if partner had doubled, what would it have shown? If all suits bid naturally, some would argue penalties. That being the case, I bid 2♥. I want to push them up a bit higher and partner should not take this as too forward going. If partner couldn't double for penalties, then I double as a flexible action asking partner what he wants to do. Leaving them in 2♦ seems bad.

[Guest Jlall]

X of 2D by pard would be penalty. You cannot pass 2D systemically (and I don't know any system where you could).

[awm]

I'll try 2♥, should play okay and keeps the bidding low. Usually I prefer to support with support (fit jump or whatever) in competitive auctions, so partner should be able to read this as doubleton.

[HeartA]

3NT (or 3D).

[paulg]

As double would be penalty (in Justin's system) then I think 2♥ is the best option. Even if double was takeout I'd be very nervous of partner passing it and would probably go for 2♥ anyway.

 

One of the better players I know has a principle of making the lowest possible sensible bid in complex situations. This looks a good time to use it.

 

Paul

[Guest Jlall]

a X here by YOUR hand would be cards t/o oriented. Had partner doubled directly over 2D, that would have been penalty (I think that's what Matt was asking).

[P_Marlowe]

2H

 

Assuming 2C was forcing, partners pass is forcing,

hence I cant pass, even if could, I would not.

 

I take it for granted, that a direct 2S bid, would have

shown primary support, but I am unsure if 2S is just

inv.+ (my preference) or game force.

 

Marlowe

[Kalvan14]

2♠ would be game forcing, that's sure.

My preference would be for a t/o X, with 2♥ a close second.

Pard should not be too eager to transform the X into penalty: he had already a chance to double for penalty, and passed it.

Pls. note that I'll go for t/o X if we do not play Flannery. Otherwise, no doubt: 2♥

[kenrexford]

Second vote for 3NT. It makes. I have no idea why, but it does.

[Echognome]

Just thought of something. Not sure how barking mad it is.

 

Are the opponents playing snap-dragon doubles and fit-jumps by advancer?

 

If so, LHO cannot have 2♠ and 5+♦ (X) or 3♠ and 5+♦ (3♦).

 

Then, partner is likely to be 3-5-3-2, 3-5-4-1 or 3-6-3-1. I don't believe he's 3-5-4-1, unless his diamonds are really poor. I guess he could also be 3-5-2-3, but then his clubs are poor. With both balanced holdings, he has a weak NT (assuming you are allowed to open 1NT with a 5 card major).

 

Since lefty doesn't have a fit, I believe him to have 6♦. So diamonds are likely 6-3-3-1 around the table and they've found a good fit. I need to take some action here! The hand is not going to play well in NT unless we have 9 top tricks or partner has a double stop in diamonds. I imagine if he did, he would have bid 2NT over 2♦. So let's rule that out. We have only 7 (potentially 8 in clubs) card fits outside of that and suits are breaking badly. I don't want to push the boat out too far here, but I think we need to push them up a level. I'll stick with 2♥ and hope partner doesn't raise me.

[Fluffy]

If 2♣ was forcing then I cannot pass. I wouln't anyway, but my 3♣ rebid now doesn't show anything but 10-11.

[Guest Jlall]

I also chose 2H at the table. It went pass pass 3D p p X and we beat them 2. I thought it was close between X, 2H and 3C.

[Winstonm]

I'm betting partner holds: xx, AQJxx, Kxxx, Jx. Bad breaks are headed our way so I pick my long suit and bid 3C - yes, even at BAM.

 

Winston

[Chamaco]

2H.

This should show some tolerance, not necessarily a huge support.