[johnu]

Matchpoints, you are vul against non-vul, and LHO starts the bidding with 1♦, the bidding goes

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What's your balancing bid?

[the hog]

Not so easy. Reverse the vulnerability and a pass is easy. Partner could not overcall 1D, so playing with MY partners even at this vul a pass would likely be correct. If you have a very conservative overcaller, bid 2C.

[mike777]

I will try pass at MP and hope to go plus.

[Codo]

Not easy.
I give partner around 5 spades, around 4-5 HCPs. So maybe QJxxx,Jxxx,xx,Jxx? We are fav. for 4 Heart or 5 club opposite this bad fitting minimum. And we would go for +100 against 1 ♦.

I would double and bid 2 ♣ after the "inevitable" 1 Spade bid from partner. If he is able to bid 2 ♥, I am very happy. If he bids 2 ♠ I try 2 NT, fulling expecting a bad score now.

[Fluffy]

I hate this hand!, all roads are leading to disaster one way or another, 2♣ is the safest bid, but it will get to game very little, very little might be better than nothing. I think I'd bid 2♣ but won't be surpised if pass is much better. 3♣ also has some merit.

[benlessard]

Ill be too pissed at myself when the opps find their S fit. Even if i double 2S and partner pass with 5 of them they still can make it or be down only 1.

[sasioc]

My regular p would have practically denied a 5cM by passing and won't have 5 clubs and a decent hand either.

I think that she either has a really terrible hand and LHO is sitting on something or she has a reasonable hand with shortage in a major (with something like 4432 and some points she would have doubled) or diamond length.

My hand, however, is completely massive - I am just too likely to have a game on to want to pass this out at unfav, even when I know that they are massively likely have 9 spades. I'll double and await further developments.

[ggwhiz]

When nobody can bid 1♠ I'm going to let sleeping dogs lie.

If pard has passed with some values we could easily be in our 8 card ♦ fit and + 150 beats most of our possible scores on offence.

I'm almost always getting a trump lead as the reason for my pass or a club from shortness. The Jack would be tasty.

[nigel_k]

Double.

Obviously spades are a worry but the hand is just too good to pass at this vulnerability. Maybe partner will bid 1♠ before they find their spade fit

[whereagles]

Pass. Someone's got majors and it's not our side.

[rmnka447]

You've got 19 HCP and opener has, say, 13 HCP. That leaves about 8 HCP to be split between your partner and opener's partner. If they are evenly divided, nobody is likely to make very much on this hand. If you double, partner will surely bid ♠s, then what? Or, worse yet the opponents will find a ♠ fit.

This hand cries for a pass.

It may feel uncomfortable doing so, but it's the best chance for a plus. On a good day, you'll find find opener has a 4=4=3=2 and you'll 9 or 10 tricks on defense and that will be more than you could make from any partscore.

[Statto]

I'm not selling out to 1♦ at matchpoints when they are nonvul. X following up with 2♣ is probably my choice. Anything but pass.