Responding to balancing call

[ArtK78]

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=sj32ha98dq864c972]133|100|Scoring: IMP

(1♠)-P-(P)-2♥

(P)-?[/hv]

 

(1) What is your call?

(2) What kind of hand do you expect partner to hold?

[hrothgar]

1. I pass

 

2. If I had to make a guess as to partner's hand, I'd expect roughly 14 HCP with either 3=6=1=3, 3=6=2=2, or 3=5=1=4 shape

[helene_t]

According to the principle of the deferred king, a balancing overcall is a king weaker than a direct-seat overcall. Assume 9-14 points. Pass.

[Gerben42]

I am so passing... If game makes, probably partner should have overcalled 3♥ instead.

 

What hand does partner have?

 

12 HCP, 6♥, and probably 3♠ opposite my 3.

 

Heck, I'm glad if he makes 2♥.

[whereagles]

obvious pass wtp?

[Hanoi5]

Pass, someone is making a mistake but it's not me...

[kenberg]

Partner has a hand where he expects that if I have a bit of help for him then he can probably make 2H. Beyond that, it's a guess as to what he has. I have what he hopes for, maybe a tad more in heart length, a tad less in points or shape. I pass. Now if lho bids 2S, passed back to me, I'll have to think again. I think I will leave sleeping dogs lie.

[neilkaz]

Easiest pass ever with a flat 7 count.

[Guest Jlall]

This is a normal pass, what's the catch?

[jdonn]

Obvious pass. If you say made the diamond queen into the ace I would have a normal minimum 3♥ bid.

[pclayton]

Pass. Obvious to me too.

 

For a 2♥ balance, I expect 8-14 or so.

[brianshark]

I might raise with an extra ace. Maybe.

[gwnn]

I might raise with an extra ace. Maybe.

yea

[cjames]

Yes, obvious pass, 2♥ might make.

[ArtK78]

Thanks to all. I thought it might have been me who had lost his mind.

 

My partner raised to 3♥ holding that hand. I held:

 

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=sqxhk7xxxdakjxcqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

Now whether I should bid 4♥ is certainly problematic even after a raise. The two black Qx's are certainly not pulling their weight. But I though that overall I had a pretty good hand for a balancing 2♥ call so I took the plunge.

 

The opponents' misdefense (AK and another spade) was counterbalanced by a 4-1 heart break, so I went down 2 tricks for -200 at IMPs. Amazingly enough, the result was +1.0 IMPs on the hand, as they are cold for 10 tricks in spades with careful play (LHO was AKxxx JTxx -- AJTx).

[pclayton]

Bidding 4♥ looks OK to me after a raise. If pard has another big card: Jxx Axx, Qxxx, Axx, game looks pretty good to me. I might raise on Jxx AQx Qxxx xxx as well. 3N is looking possible now. Even if they lead a high club, they might not be able to read the position and cash out.

 

There are other mundane hand types where bidding game makes sense:

 

Axx, Axxx, xx, Jxxx,

 

Kxx, xxxx, Qx, Axxx,

 

xxx, Axxx, xx, AJxx

 

for instance.