Balancing Bids 1

Balancing Bids

Suits, Notrump or Doubles. Balancing calls don't have to be doubles:

N              E              S              W

1©              P              2©         P

P           2ª

What? What is this 2ª bid? A balancing call. East has put N/S to the test. He has 5+ Spades, 9 - 11 points and probably not unfavorable vulnerability, which is Red vs. White.

Not. This sequence is NOT a balance:

N              E              S              W

1©              P              2©         2ª

This is West's first opportunity to bid so it isn't a balance; it's a normal overcall.

How To Balance - Visualization

Be aware of your opportunity to balance on every hand. Be determined to not let the opponents play any low level comfortable contracts. Make them play the spots off the cards every time they win the bid -- after all, they'll do the same to you if they can.

The best tool you have to decide whether to balance or not is visualization:

N              E              S              W

1©              P              1NT          P

P             ???

What should East do with this hand?

ª Kxxx

© Qxx              - Pass?

¨ AJxxx         - Double?

                                        § x                 - Bid ? What?

East should visualize carefully before bidding -- especially before passing.

"What do the opponents have, and why did they try to stop bidding?"

"I'll review the bidding: North opened Hearts and didn't bid another suit; South didn't bid at the two level, so he is balanced and weakish; I have 5 Diamonds and 4 Spades; If I double, partner will make every effort to bid Spades, which will be perfect; If he bids 2§ , I'll have to bid 2¨, but that may be OK if my partner has 2 or 3, or they may take the push to 2 ©".

"We're not vulnerable; they are. Even if we go down one at 2ª or 3¨, that's only 50 vs. the 90 they will make at 1NT. Will they penalty double 2ª? Would I in their position? Naaaaa !"

Or - "Can I beat 1NT ? Probably not - they figure to have several Club tricks and I can't stop them."

Q: "When is there time to think of all this?"

A: All the time the bidding is going on!

What Don't You Have? You must consider every bid by your opponents as telling you what they DON'T have as well as telling each other - and you - what they DO have.

It gets even more subtle - and even more fun:

"My partner didn't double for takeout when opponents tried to stop at Two Clubs -- what does that mean? Could he have a Club stack? Could he be broke? - No, he can't be broke because if he is, the opponents would be trying for 3 NT."

" Neither of them bid a major, so partner and I must have the majority of both of them. Should I try a balancing double for a Major? Are we vulnerable? If I double, will my partner leave it in with a Club stack?"

etc.