Balance?

[jonottawa]

Unfavorable, IMPs, dealer

 

P - 1N (15-17) - P - P

?

 

xxx J976xx x KJT

 

Yes or no and is it automatic/%/coin-toss/anti-%/insane?

[mgoetze]

Can't be automatic, Diamond didn't do it.

[gnasher]

I wouldn't. There's too much risk of going for 500 or more, and not enough upside. We won't often make 2♥, and on some of those hands partner will be raising. Even if we push them into 3♦ it's quite likely to make, because they'll play partner for the trump length.

[wank]

and on some of those hands partner will be raising

that's the key point for me which people often forget: when you can make 2♥ you'll often be playing in 3. we're a passed hand which provides some protection admittedly but vulnerable games are the ticket and partner will be striving hard to get us to one.

[benlessard]

Way too crazy for me I think preempting 2H directly is a bit safer than passing and bidding 2H here, people who preempt 2H R/W are called crazy so... too crazy seem appropriate.

 

Also i much prefer that passing and bidding show hands that i cannot preempt initially because of shapes not because of suit quality (2 suiters, 6H+4S or 5H+ 5/6m).

[dake50]

Us: 5 with 13 verses Them: 15 hcp with 7 is about expected.

A little plus for 6-suit with a single.

Little fear partner raises, he can't see close to game.

The hand plays highly informed - 15 known.

I like 2H. Always MP, close IMP.

[Fluffy]

I think it is automatic to bid, if partner had a penalty double avaible then perhaps it is not

[aguahombre]

xxx J976xx x KJT

 

Yes or no and is it automatic/%/coin-toss/anti-%/insane?

Somewhere in between anti-% and insane at unfavorable, IMO.

 

Michael points out that Diamond chose not to act. He undoubtedly didn't want to throw up an adverse swing at that point in the match. For us, even if we thought we needed a few lucky anti-% to have a shot at that quality of team, I don't think we would choose this one. The potential gain is 4 or 5, versus loss of a whole lot.

[Phil]

Might want to mention you were 50 down going into the 3Q. Its the last board of the segment, but your card looks kind of flat.

 

I'm a bidder.

[MrAce]

If we are doubling NT with strong balanced hands then i may talk myself into passing

 

If not I would probably bid. Imo this is also a relatively safe position, my pd has the goodies and i have the shape and pd sitting behind 1NT opener. If opponents NT doesnt allow to hold 5 card major due to their system, i would feel better when doing this.

 

But anyway, when it is a topic about balancing or not, you can write me down for balancing by default :P

[jonottawa]

I didn't mention the SOTM because I'm interested in the hand on its own merits, not whether a particular player is a big believer in swinging or not. I also wanted to avoid the typical resulting and/or cult of personality influence that often impacts these discussions, as I somewhat miraculously managed to do in the thread about the mind-boggling appeal decision.

[wyman]

I would balance as long as I have a natural 2H available. But my regular partners and I have discussed balancing, and they aren't going to hang me.

[jmcw]

At MP's I'm bidding ♥ and have no qualms about it. Not so clear at IMPs.

 

If I'm running out of time in the match, then bidding may pay off big time. Partner's presumed strength is behind the SNT, indicating bidding may be safer than it seems. Problem is, partner may expect more, but thats a risk I'm willing to take. Bid 2♥

[xcurt]

Partner would have doubled 1NT with a good balanced hand, thus we have at most half the highcard, so the upside of making game when we balance is limited to a few specific cases

 

* partner has 4 hearts, RHO has enough highcard to stay in 1NT despite being shaped, or

* partner has 3 hearts and hearts are 2-2, or the above condition, or

* partner has something like ♥AT tight, the CA, and two spade honors

 

and in all cases, they can't make their own 20 HCP game in spades.

 

Given all that, I thought the vugraph commentary was way too double dummy on this board.

[MrAce]

that's the key point for me which people often forget: when you can make 2♥ you'll often be playing in 3.

 

 

Didn't we tell pd that our hand is not worth a 1st seat weak 2♥ due to vulnerability ?

 

I would be more concerned about missing game if i was raised, than going down in 3. This hand is very good when pd has a fit 3 or 4 cards. I also would be worried more if 2♥ was passed out or doubled, rather than going down in 3 when pd raises.

[dboxley]

Us: 5 with 13 verses Them: 15 hcp with 7 is about expected.

A little plus for 6-suit with a single.

Little fear partner raises, he can't see close to game.

The hand plays highly informed - 15 known.

I like 2H. Always MP, close IMP.

Why is partner limited to 13?