[gartinmale]

Matchpoints, North America. You hold

♠ ATx
♥ AJ98x
♦ Jx
♣ T9x

in fourth seat and lefty opens 2♣, alerted as EHAA - 5+ clubs, 6-12 points. Two passes to you. Righty could have bid 2X nonforcing (except for X=NT) if he wanted to try to improve the contract.

Do you balance at unfavorable? If not, what needs to get better about your hand? Would you balance at all red? All white? Favorable?

My regular partners and I don't come up against EHAA too often - I'd say maybe once in 30 sessions - but we do come up against a Precision 2♣ often enough, and it struck me that while I probably wouldn't balance with this at unfavorable against a Precision 2♣, I hadn't really thought about it at all. What do you need to balance over intermediate 2s (or EHAA) in fourth?

[gwnn]

12 cards.

If I get an extra major, I bid 2♥.

[gartinmale]

gwnn, on 2012-February-02, 03:48, said:

12 cards.

If I get an extra major, I bid 2♥.

Yikes. Fixed: Jx of diamonds.

[gwnn]

Yikes is well said! Pass. No way I'm balancing with this 5332 nothing. brrrr

edit: yea maybe at favourable...

[Codo]

Not even close to balancing.

Of course mayn good things can happen, if you reopen the bidding- you may find a fit, they may bid 3♣ - 1.

But the downsides are much bigger:
- You may go for a number
-If you belong in 2 ♥, partner will raise you at least to 4 ♥
-The next time you balance with a hand good enough to balance, he may remember this hand and pass too early.

[phil_20686]

There is something funny about this hand. Likely rho is reasonably strong balaved, like 10-12, but even then hard to see how partner did not have t/o double unless he has three clubs. I would pass, but 2h is probably fine. I mean, bad things can happen, but good things can happen too. Partner will not kill you, esp when he has a cue bid available.

[billw55]

Anyone for a third seat 1♥ opener?

[wyman]

billw55, on 2012-February-02, 09:31, said:

Anyone for a third seat 1♥ opener?

Yes, I guess this is a style thing, but I open this 1H for sure.

[billw55]

Codo, on 2012-February-02, 05:58, said:

-If you belong in 2 ♥, partner will raise you at least to 4 ♥

Maybe I have it all wrong, but the way I learned is to not hang partner for balancing. I thought the whole point of balancing is that we are assuming some values in partner's hand and bidding them for him.

Here, ops are willing to go quietly in 2♣, without so much as an invite. It looks like a balance to me under most conditions. Although vulnerable at matchpoints may not be one of them .. I hate -200.

[MrAce]

gartinmale, on 2012-February-02, 01:04, said:

Do you balance at unfavorable? If not, what needs to get better about your hand? Would you balance at all red? All white? Favorable?

I would.

[nigel_k]

I would bid but it could easily be wrong.

[ggwhiz]

3 small in their suit is the death holding in Mike Lawrence books.

The chances of them being in the wrong spot (♦, ♠ or 1nt) are much greater than us landing in a good spot for us. What is rho supposed to bid with 4-4-4-1 or any 4-4-3-2?

Partners pass has limited strength unless he has the ♣ (fairly) wired and I doubt we are missing a game.

[Codo]

billw55, on 2012-February-02, 09:48, said:

Maybe I have it all wrong, but the way I learned is to not hang partner for balancing. I thought the whole point of balancing is that we are assuming some values in partner's hand and bidding them for him.

Here, ops are willing to go quietly in 2♣, without so much as an invite. It looks like a balance to me under most conditions. Although vulnerable at matchpoints may not be one of them .. I hate -200.

You are right, but if partner should pass opposite this hand, you better do not bid 2 ♥ with say 15 HCPS and the same shape, because you will miss too mayn games. Reopening is already done on a wide range. So this hand with short clubs would be nice to reopen with. But minimum HCPS and a ugly shape is just too much- for me. Younger guns have a different view.