Balancing hand

[andrei]

IMP, red vs white

 

AQ986

AJ6

98

T53

 

LHO deals:

 

(1D) - P - (P) - 1S

(P) - 2D - (P) - ??

 

2/1 agreed, not much else.

[MrAce]

2♠

[mikeh]

agree with timo

[WesleyC]

agree with mikeh

[mr1303]

If we're missing game, partner can make another move. 5332 is not great.

[helene_t]

Agree with Wesley

[MrAce]

Agree with Wesley

 

Agree with Helene! :P

[apollo1201]

2S (agree with all above and Mr Ace closed the loop!). I could have a little less HCPs (how much more depends on tour agreements with partner, I play that non-X denies a goodish opening hand) but my shape is not great and I have no descriptive bid. 3D is probably a bit excessive although at IMPs with all those 10s and 9s I wouldnt blame my partner for commiting this bid as I wouldnt cue bid with a dull 12/13.

[wank]

2h - i have a lot more than i might have and good honour structure and i want to show where my values are.

 

to solve issues like this i play 2c as a UCB in all overcall auctions to preserve a 2d grope by overcaller for hands which are dubious about signing off, i.e. effectively play drury.

 

there are plenty of hands for p which make game where he'd often be hanging us for protecting if he bids on. is there anyone [sensible] here who doesn't protect with plenty of 7 counts?

[jodepp]

I have to do something dramatic now. 3♠ seems right; bidding 2♠ is a 'nothng' bid once I bid 1♠ earlier. I dislike 2H when I don't have four (plus it implies an extra spade).

[ahydra]

First, I ask myself: "Why didn't I bid 2♠ before?"

 

Ya-what? We have a flat 11-count with only five spades. 1S then 2S seems clear; I'm not actually certain what a direct 2S would show in "expert standard", but it will surely have six spades and more offense than this.

 

ahydra

[wank]

very slow double post

[NickRW]

I think this to some extent depends on how weak you think you might have been for a re-opening bid and what if anything pard might construe about a 2♥ bid. Absent any positive thoughts about all of that, I fall back on 2♠. I have quite a lot for a reopening hand, but, not quite enough to get excited.

[billw55]

2♠ for me also. I have more than a minimum, but not all that much.

 

Also I won't be surprised if the punchline is that 2♦ was natural.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

I show some life, 2H, alternative 3S.

 

I could be a Ace lighter + something for the 1S overcall.

 

The only problem is, 2D does not gurantee a spade fit.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[wank]

 

 

The only problem is, 2D does not gurantee a spade fit.

 

 

 

Why not? Partner could bid no trumps or a suit. If he had a game force (seems implausible), he could jump.

[iandayre]

Bidding anything other that 2S is begging for a minus score.

[jodepp]

Ya-what? We have a flat 11-count with only five spades. 1S then 2S seems clear; I'm not actually certain what a direct 2S would show in "expert standard", but it will surely have six spades and more offense than this.

 

ahydra

I mis-saw the hand - I thought it had a sixth spade :) I edited the post when I noticed.

[dave_beer]

I'm not actually certain what a direct 2S would show in "expert standard", but it will surely have six spades and more offense than this.

 

ahydra

A balancing jump overcall is usually played as intermediate, i.e., an opening bid with a good 6-card suit.

[neilkaz]

2♠ is enough as all I have is a good 11 HCP 5332 hand

[Phil]

Pretty sure that my floor for a balancing 1♠ call is higher than a direct 1♠ call, so this looks like an easy 2♠ call.

 

If I were in the direct seat, Wank's 2♥ has more going for it.

[dlks]

In this sequence, partner's cue bid of opener's suit shows a limit raise (here 10-11 points) with at least 3-card support for my Spades. I bid 2S, with no interest in going any further. Partner is not required to pass, but likely will.

[fromageGB]

I don't think partner is showing a limit raise, but an opening strength hand with nothing particular to say. If I bid 2♠ he reads me for a weaker hand than I have, and something is likely to be missed. I prefer 2♥. This does not guarantee 4 cards, as I could have started with a double, but it shows I have some extra strength, and it shows where my values are. It may enable partner with values in the minors to bid NT.

[mikeh]

while I agree with those who have said that partner's cue bid does not guarantee support, support is by far the most likely holding.

 

He didn't overcall, so he lacks a decent hand with a decent heart suit, and lacks a good hand with a good club suit, and he didn't bid notrump over our balance, or his own heart or club suit (which calls would be read in the context of his initial pass and which would be non-forcing), and he didn't make a fit-jump. So all told, the most likely holdings include some degree of spade support.

 

Having said that, we absolutely ought not to be bidding 2♥ absent an agreement that allows us to do this on a 3 card suit, which is not an agreement I have in any partnership. While partner will usually have spades, he is clearly allowed to hold 4 hearts as well, and indeed may well be hoping that we have a similar holding.....assume he has, say, Kx Kxxx xxx AQxx. What do you want him to do on either round of the bidding?

 

It is an error to say that our 1♠ balance denied 4 hearts. With, say, AJxxxx Axxx xx x, I don't double! Nor would this hand qualify for an intermediate 2♠.

 

As for the problem, I have a good hand for my balance, compared to the worst holding I could have, but it certainly isn't an unexpected hand, and it is sterile in shape, so 2♠ is sufficient, with a willingness to bid game if partner raises.