[mike777]

It seems as a B/I when I balance on bbo I either:
1) dont have the right hand
2) pard thinks I have some other hand
3) I push them one level higher and it did not matter.


Perhaps I would just do better to not balance as a B/I?

[Cthulhu D]

Part of the problem is that a random pickup partner in BBO may assume you suddenly noticed you actually have a strong NT opening and do something stupid. I have a 'no balancing actions' policy - if I have a bid I get it off my chest at the first oppotunity.

Edit: This is probably not the best policy if you know your partner isn't insane.

[blackshoe]

Cthulhu D, on 2012-February-20, 23:42, said:

Part of the problem is that a random pickup partner in BBO may assume you suddenly noticed you actually have a strong NT opening and do something stupid. I have a 'no balancing actions' policy - if I have a bid I get it off my chest at the first oppotunity.

And when it goes (1♣)-P-(P) to you?

[frank0]

Don't worry, I usually
4)push them into game/slam and they make the double contract.
5)go down 800 or more opposite a partial.

The Complete Book on Balancing in Contract Bridge by Mike Lawrence is a good book to read if you're interested in this topic. Imo (at least at the level of events I play) most people have little interested in discussing those stuffs in deep as partnership agreement. I believe 2) may some time be your partner's fault rather than yours.

Btw, there is nothing wrong with 3) you're opps bid one level higher b/c they think they can make it. As long as you push them 1 level higher you gain(in the sense of EV) because they always have lower chance to make their contract(even not lower by much).

[Cthulhu D]

blackshoe, on 2012-February-20, 23:49, said:

And when it goes (1♣)-P-(P) to you?

My definition obviously doesn't work if the first oppotunity is also the balancing seat! Your first oppotunity to bid takes priority. A better question is what might I do P-(1♣)-P-(P). Here I'd just pass, probably.

The auction I might take playing on BBO is different from playing with my regular pards. Playing super light overcalls (part of the 'no balancing actions' philosphy) double is clear because someone has all the points, and either lefty forgot to make his partnerships big bid or partner has a club stack and no clear bid (he'd bid 1H with 3=4=3=3 and an 8 count).

[cloa513]

Even worse are those hands that go
1C,-,1S,-,1NT,-,2S,-,-,....

[S2000magic]

cloa513, on 2012-February-21, 01:12, said:

Even worse are those hands that go
1C,-,1S,-,1NT,-,2S,-,-,....

Those should be easy: let the opponents play the misfits.

[S2000magic]

mike777, on 2012-February-20, 23:30, said:

It seems as a B/I when I balance on bbo I either:
1) dont have the right hand
2) pard thinks I have some other hand
3) I push them one level higher and it did not matter.


Perhaps I would just do better to not balance as a B/I?

If you can find a copy of Robert Ewen's Doubles for Takeout, Penalties, and Profit, get it. (I had a paperback copy which I can no longer find, but my wife got me a hardbound copy (in good shape) for Christmas.) The title's a bit misleading, because it's not just about doubles: it includes a good discussion on overcalls, balancing, and reopening. The advice is good, and it's fun to read.

[ArcLight]

What I can't seem to figure out is people balance against me at the 3 level with a 4 card suit and somehow we get a bad score. Either because opps misbid, pard misbid (never me of course ).

Playing with / against puck up pards, defense may be weak, and this allows the insane bidders / balancers to get away with murder.

[ggwhiz]

frank0, on 2012-February-20, 23:53, said:

Don't worry, I usually
4)push them into game/slam and they make the double contract.
5)go down 800 or more opposite a partial.

The Complete Book on Balancing in Contract Bridge by Mike Lawrence is a good book to read

I grew up on that one and AGREE! I supplemented that base with some of Marty Bergens take and landed on my head more often than I care to remember but it was well worth the effort to work through it.

A teammate of mine once balanced the opps into a making game and 2 slams in one 7-board match and they were all quite legit on his part. He had a nervous breakdown but both slams were pushes and we won the match.

[S2000magic]

ArcLight, on 2012-February-21, 10:07, said:

. . . puck up pards . . . .

Typo, or editorial?

[nigel_k]

My advice:

Don't assume your partner is an idiot, ever. If you take an action that requires them to act intelligently and they don't, just keep doing it until they get the idea. Presumably when you play with these people it is primarily for the benefit to your own game (compared to not playing at all), not to maximize your score.

If that isn't working, it is time to find another partner or read books, watch vugraph etc.