Prebalance red vs white at MPs?

[kfgauss]

Red vs white at matchpoints, you hold (in 2nd seat):

 

AK86 76 A72 9754.

 

RHO opens a 12-14 1NT, and the bidding proceeds (with 2D a transfer)

 

1N P 2D P

2H ?

 

Do you act?

 

Andy

[toothbrush]

Too risky to bid imo, V vs NV

NV vs V I would dbl

[mcphee]

I see no reason to get in when partner can balance. I think at pairs to pre-balance with this hand is begging for minus 200 or worse. Surely if they are passing 2H our partner can take action.

[Free]

No need to bid: I'm on the lead, and my suit isn't worth a vulnerable overcall.

[pbleighton]

I play a 10-13 NT and love it when people do things like this.

 

Peter

[hatchett]

No!

[Finch]

Put me in a minority of one, but I think it's clear to act and it's close at IMPs as well. Partner won't be able to balance with long hearts, and you could be 25 high - even more if partner's double of 2D would have shown diamonds (rather than a strong balanced hand).

[whereagles]

It took me about 5 years to learn this: at matchpoints you must act now. Sure, it might go wrong, but the likelyhood of ending up playing 2♥ is high and that's bound to be a bad score for you.

[P_Marlowe]

I see no reason to get in when partner can balance.

He cant, on average he will hold at least a

3 card hear suit, i.e. he wont have a

reopening dbl.

You hold the hand with the heart shortage.

 

I am not claiming you have to bid,

but if you pass and responder passed as

well, 2H will be the final contract.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Finch]

I play a 10-13 NT and love it when people do things like this.

 

Peter

So do I in some positions, and we get some big penalties.

That's why you play it: to give people this sort of problem (and, by the way, this is an argument in favour of using transfers in response to a weak NT: you don't know if you are balancing or not in this position).

[pclayton]

Put me in a minority of one, but I think it's clear to act and it's close at IMPs as well. Partner won't be able to balance with long hearts, and you could be 25 high - even more if partner's double of 2D would have shown diamonds (rather than a strong balanced hand).

Its nice we are having a redux of some of these issues.

 

I'm just as convinced that its wrong to act here. I don't like prebalancing in general, but this situation is very dangerous because LHO is unlimited and they have no guarantee of a fit.

 

Pard's in there too and can balance, even with length.

[awm]

This is very similar to direct seat after an "intermediate" 2♥ opening (like those played by fantoni and nunes, or by riton 2♣ players). Basically you know that your opponents have some hearts, but it could be seven. You know your RHO has some values, but he's limited. LHO is unlimited.

 

I'd pass on the hand in question. I would have made a takeout double of 1♥, but I am quite minimum for that action. I need something better (either singleton heart or another queen or so) to double 2♥. Obviously doubling 2♥ is never without risk -- you can easily go for a number and just as easily be robbed blind by passing. Will partner balance? The more hearts he has, the more he thinks they may not have a real fit. A good case for double of 2♦ showing a strong hand, and I think partner needs something close to a strong notrump for us to have game here regardless.