Balancing problem

[Gerben42]

None vulnerable at IMPs, you hold:[hv=d=w&v=n&s=sat9htdk9854cak32]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

1♣ (3+♣, opps playing weak NT) and two passes to you.

[hrothgar]

1N looks about right...

[pbleighton]

1N, but I wouldn't blame some for 1D. I wouldn't ever pass this.

 

Peter

[kenrexford]

1NT. Then, pass 2D if it is a transfer. ;-)

[luke warm]

dealer has a big hand, probably.. i think he's probably gritting his teeth because his partner passed... our partner can't bid anything at all over 1C, so i think i'd just pass this

[Codo]

My pd may have Kxx, AQxx, xxxx, xx or so, there are even stronger hands up to a balanced 12 or 13, he may had passed.

So I would never pass ths hand.

I have an unbalanced hand, so I won`t bid 1 NT.

 

Hmm, what is left?

Maybe I should bid my longest suit at the lowest level. I know, this very modern approach is not so far known in the western world, but I ´ll give it a try.

 

Okay, 1 Diamond.

[luis]

2♦, 12-15 with 5 diamonds.

I disagree completely with 1NT with an unbalanced hand.

[whereagles]

2♦, 12-15 with 5 diamonds.

I disagree completely with 1NT with an unbalanced hand.

hum.. yes. I wanted to bid but didn't know what! Thx for pointing out 2♦ is an option :)

[mikeh]

I pass comfortably, for several reasons.

 

1. I may be unable to beat 4 of a major

 

2. Even if the opps cannot reach/make game, they may well have a better partscore

 

3. If partner is an aggressive overcaller and/or overcalls on chunky 4 card majors, there is only a slight chance of missing a game our way. We are not vulnerable, so we will lose only 6 imps (unless they make 1♣ and we make game, an unlikely parlay)

 

4. The opps' methods increase the already substantial chance that they are in the wrong spot.

 

5. No bid I can make comes close to describing my hand.

 

 

If I had to bid, I would bid 1N... the fact that 1N is not a very good bid makes my point :)

 

1♦ is just asking the opps to find their major suit fit

 

2♦ hardly disrupts their major suit exploration (LHO can double with most good hands) and describes a hand that bears no particular resemblance to the one we happen to hold. The only good thing about 2♦ is that it is a better bid than double :huh:

 

 

I would rate the calls as Pass 100 1N 80 1♦ 60 2♦ 10, all others 0.

[joshs]

2♦, 12-15 with 5 diamonds.

I disagree completely with 1NT with an unbalanced hand.

2D shows 6D and a reasonably good suit.

[HeartA]

1D.

[pclayton]

1♦; 8-16 (or so)

 

I'm much more worried about missing 3N than balancing the opponents into 4♥.

 

I'm not really prepared if pard transfers into hearts if I reopen with 1N, but I think I can rebid 1N if pard tries 1♥ over 1♦.

 

I'm really dumbfounded why posters think 1N will work better than 1♦.

[mike777]

1♦; 8-16 (or so)

 

I'm much more worried about missing 3N than balancing the opponents into 4♥.

 

I'm not really prepared if pard transfers into hearts if I reopen with 1N, but I think I can rebid 1N if pard tries 1♥ over 1♦.

 

I'm really dumbfounded why posters think 1N will work better than 1♦.

I think this comes back to the issue of what 1D means? For many it means 8-16 for many others it means much much less. Well worth discussing if there is general expert agreement or 1D just has no general range.

[mikeh]

I'm not really prepared if pard transfers into hearts if I reopen with 1N, but I think I can rebid 1N if pard tries 1♥ over 1♦.

 

I'm really dumbfounded why posters think 1N will work better than 1♦.

If opener passes 1N, there will be very few hands on which responder transfers us into a 5 card suit: he was non vul., bidding over 1♣, so the odds of him holding a 5 card major and opener lacking a big hand are as close to zero as one is going to get at the table.

 

I would be far more concerned about opener doubling and partner now transferring, if your methods permit. Mine don't: I do not play transfers over balancing 1N. I wish I did, because I would pass the transfer!

 

Style counts here, as in many aspects of the game: but I do not worry, in my partnerships, about missing game here if partner holds 5♥: he cannot have enough hcp for us to reach game no matter what I balance: he would have overcalled earlier (please don't anyone create wildly unlikely hands that would contradict this assertion: we are talking bridge here, not double dummy problems)

 

As for 1♦ making it too easy: give opener a 18-19 4=4=1=4 (surely consistent with a passing partner and passing RHO) and RHO a 5 card major and 3-4 points, and they will zoom into game, thanking you for your assistance.

While the bid of 1N won't set the stage for a great result in that scenario, 1N is far more difficult for them to bid over and to bid accurately afterwards.

 

Of course, these comments are in the context of my choice: Pass

 

A good hand for my favourite bridge motto: aim low, avoid disappointment

[pclayton]

Yowsers; if pard transfers to hearts, I expect one of two types of hands:

 

1. A REALLY weak suit; like Q7xxx and a moderate hand.

 

2. A fair suit; but not enough firepower to overcall (KJ-5th and out).

 

I suppose this is a good reason for passing, but hearts can also be with my RHO who is bust. Pard may have a good 12-13 and the wrong shape to come in. Again, this mitigates the losses a Pass creates, since we are likely +150 / +200 as they stuggle in their 4-1 fit.

 

Passing a transfer with this could be logically right, while it may be right, isn't my idea of partnership bidding. But I don't create the problem for myself since I don't reopen with 1N.

[hatchett]

Am I playing with Luis? If so I bid 1♠ showing a 3154 shape and 13-15HCP.

[luis]

Am I playing with Luis? If so I bid 1♠ showing a 3154 shape and 13-15HCP.

what?