eagles123 Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 [hv=pc=n&e=sk32h96dk984caj54&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1n(12%3D14)p2cp2dp2spp]133|200[/hv] MP balance or let it go? Thanks, Eagles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulg Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 With the caveat that I play very little matchpoints, I'd let this go. It is not a fit auction and partner could have doubled holding a doubleton spade. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gszes Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 The range of the opps NT is irrelevant here. If the opps biddingshows 54 in the majors and invitational that leaves partner with6hcp and distribution of xx(x) xxxx(x) with a max of 7 cards and as few as 5 cards in the minors. Lho will have xx(x) xx(x) and at least 7 cards up to 9 cards in theminors with the strongest hand at the table. Bidding here may indeedmanage to strongly affect our MP score but I fear that the resultwill be much closer to zero than we are currently slated letting theopps play 2s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickRW Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 If the opps bidding shows 54 in the majors and invitational... I suspect that responder is showing 54 majors and they're playing Garbage Stayman myself - though could have up to about 9 or even 10 hcp given the weak NT context. Never the less, as Paul says, this is not a fit auction and partner might/could have done something especially with xx in spades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinksy Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Fit or no fit auction, at MPs I'm bidding 2N if that 2♠ is weak. There's a good chance we'll find a 4-4 fit for somewhere between 7-9 tricks, and if we do no guarantee they'll be able to X us. I expect 2♠ to make, so anything better than 3mX - 2 is profit. If it was some kind of invitey hand, I'll pass with the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Obv 2NT. Nobody is gonna get an easy ride with me at the table lol. Not at these colours, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monikrazy Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Can't we effectively balance by doubling 2D instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ochinko Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Can't we effectively balance by doubling 2D instead?South is still unlimited at that point, so I wouldn't dare. Plus, our diamonds are nothing to write home about, we could still belong in clubs. All in all I pass, even though I know I very rarely make miracles in defending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wank Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 pass. you've got a terrible spade holding and opps haven't shown a real fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilKing Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 This is NOT a good spot to balance, even if we had better shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcphee Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 At pairs the issue becomes, do we have a plus offensively in a minor? Is minus 1 at the 2 level doubled (possibly) better than the possible 110 playing 2S? I can't see the gain from bidding, my hand is reasonable for defense and on a good day we may beat 2S. Plus the bidding is going to begin at other tables with a minor suit opening and a Spade response after our pass. The contract is likely to be 2S across the room, seems the time to back your leads and defense to me, pass 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinksy Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 I defer to stronger players, but on one last remark: at MPs (esp against club opps), the crapness of my ♠ holding is a large part of the reason why I want to bid. It means even on a 5-2 fit, they're might well be making all 5 ♠s and their contract. At least in club play, where most opps won't double a part score unless they really mean it, that means I might still come out ahead if I go two down. (ETA) Ok, one more last argument - one defender has strength in our eventualy trump suit, it's likely to be opener rather than the hand with 9 cards in the majors. Since his P's shown 0 points on this auction, that's going to make a penalty X difficult for him to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hog Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sorry Nuno, but this 2NT is bad. Look at your spade holding and sterile shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Ron: that is true, but... ...I think there's a good chance opps have a spade fit (I'm assuming 2♠ shows 5). If that is true, I'm booked for a bad score. So might as well try for something. Besides, why can't RHO have the spade ace? Or pard Qx, for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrAce Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sorry Nuno, but this 2NT is bad. Look at your spade holding and sterile shape. Yup, same Nuno did not balance with a 6430 hand and 7 hcp, short in their suit, in another recent balancing topic but now balances with 4432 because this has 4 extra hcps. But to be fair, on this one he is non vulnerable on the other vulnerable and his decision was close imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Come on, there's more to the hands than the hcps and you know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrAce Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Come on, there's more to the hands than the hcps and you know it. This is exactly what I tried to say http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomSac Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Just my opinion obv but I think balancing is completely batshit crazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomSac Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Come on, there's more to the hands than the hcps and you know it. I agree with you, so why are you balancing on this hand with horrible shape? Your partner is known to have 4-5 hearts and 2-3 spades. They may or may not have a fit and we will often not have a fit. It's not like we have a shapely monster we are 3244. We also have excellent defensive values and pretty bad offensive values. On top of that even with a 4-4 fit we are pretty likely to get a 4-1 break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr1303 Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 It's interesting, but if the last bid had been 2H rather than 2S, I think balancing would be close to automatic, so is it truly horrific to balance here? I wouldn't, but that isn't the same as thinking it isn't that close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I agree with you, so why are you balancing on this hand with horrible shape? Your partner is known to have 4-5 hearts and 2-3 spades. They may or may not have a fit and we will often not have a fit. It's not like we have a shapely monster we are 3244. We also have excellent defensive values and pretty bad offensive values. On top of that even with a 4-4 fit we are pretty likely to get a 4-1 break Because my instinct tells me opps are going to make this. Maybe holding them to 8 tricks will be a good MP score, but my experience is it's won't. Agree I can easily be wrong in practice, but I won't fight my instincts and so, at these colours, think I'll give it one last try to keep destiny in my own hands. Final note: obviously, wouldn't even dream to do if 2♠ only guarantees 4 cards. Nor vulnerable. At teams the profit for grabs is probably also too small for the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles123 Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 [hv=pc=n&s=saqt97hj543djtct2&w=s86hkqt72dq7cq876&n=sj54ha8da6532ck93&e=sk32h96dk984caj54&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1np2cp2dp2sppdppp]399|300[/hv] 2sX = zero matchpoints I should have passed. Oh well. Eagles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulg Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I should have passed. Oh well.Although the weight of opinion is for pass, it was not unanimous. However I expect that few would have passed your double as West and that is the real cause of the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinksy Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Y, W's X is atrocious. Looks like 3♣ would be about -1 undoubled. Time to put on my results merchant glasses B-) (ETA - having said that, if W is capable of passing that X, he's capable of passing me out in 2N, which looks less pretty) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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