[Echognome]

Scoring: IMP

(1♥) - P - (P) - 1♠ - (P) - ?

---

What's your call here?

Do you play the cue-bid as showing support or is it simply showing a decent hand that doesn't know where to go?

[mike777]

I pass. I play 1s weaker than x or 2s but what the heck do I know.

[EricK]

Whether you play a cue-bid as guaranteeing support or not, this hand isn't strong enough to use it. A balancing overcall can be very weak.

I would probably bid 1NT.

Eric

[Mr. Dodgy]

once again out of my depth but I'll have another go...

pass is tempting with an iffy fit and no great suit of my own. then again if you're ever going to raise with 2-card support then AT isn't bad. cue-bid should promise support here I reckon. all things considered, I like 2♣ best though - best way I can think of to get into a possible NT contract - i'll support ♠ next

[Chamaco]

I think it is not crazy to support 2♠ with 2 cards here, at least it keeps the bidding open, leaving another shot to pd.

The immediate honor doubleton raise has been discussed by other authors in the past (I forgot whether it was Roth, Kleinman or Miles), and has a lot going for it.
Of course the fact we lack a trump means that the honor dbltn raise needs a little more hcp, say about 10.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

the 1S is weaker, partner borrowed a king
from you, take away this king from your
hand, ... do you still feel strong enough to
make a cue?

Pass, intending to bid 2S, if you did not buy the
contract.

Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

Chamaco, on Oct 23 2005, 02:44 AM, said:

I think it is not crazy to support 2♠ with 2 cards here, at least it keeps the bidding open, leaving another shot to pd.

The immediate honor doubleton raise has been discussed by other authors in the past (I forgot whether it was Roth, Kleinman or Miles), and has a lot going for it.
Of course the fact we lack a trump means that the honor dbltn raise needs a little more hcp, say about 10.

Of course, 1S may have been bid with a 4
card suit, because partner was lacking a
better bid, i.e. 2S will risk playing in a 4-2
fit on a level higher.

I will take the risk, but only if I have to.

Marlowe

[MickyB]

This is close between pass and 1NT IMO. The denial of an IJO tilts the balance in favour of pass.

If I play a new suit as forcing then I play a cue as promising support, if I play a new suit as NF then a cue either promises support or is game forcing.

[helene_t]

2♠. I don't like raising with two but I see no alternative.

Do we play Ruben transfers after a balancing overcall, btw? Not that it makes any difference for this problem, but I think it would make a lot of sense.

[Flame]

I play cue to show support or very strong hand.
This isnt cue no matter what the cue duscription is.
Either pass or 1nt could show this hand. and to those who fear of 1nt without stop i can tell you that accoring t a test i made once , 1nt in this situation make more times when you dont have a stop then when you have a stop.

[Free]

1NT... perfect hand

[EricK]

1NT with only a weak stop or a partial stop isn't really dangerous at all. If partner has a strong hand there is plenty of room to explore for the best game. If he passes 1NT and we lose the first 5 ♥ tricks, then there is still a reasonable chance that we will be able to gather 7 tricks.

Eric

[Chamaco]

P_Marlowe, on Oct 23 2005, 09:18 AM, said:

Of course, 1S may have been bid with a 4
card suit, because partner was lacking a
better bid,

Why ?
with most hands with 4 spades, pard would either double or bid 1NT even lacking a stopper.

There MIGHT be some 4-3-(15) with the minor 5 bagger so bad that is not worth bidding at the 2 level, but I rate this to be an exception.

[jdeegan]

Pass. wtp?

Am I going to miss a game with my flat nine count opposite a partner who didn't reopen with a double?

Do I want to jam this auction when we haven't found a fit?

Will I compete later if LHO finds another bid? Probably so with 2♠.

[han]

I play 1S here as quite wide ranging, and we could easily have game. 1NT is a perfect description of my hand (except for the somewhat questionable stopper), so this seems clear to me. No other call comes close.

2H shows support for me. I haven't discussed this with some partners, but I would expect them to agree. I can't imagine a hand that can't act over 1H but that needs to make a cuebid here without support.

I don't mind a raise with A10, but here I see no reason to.

[mike777]

Hannie, on Oct 23 2005, 11:19 AM, said:

I play 1S here as quite wide ranging, and we could easily have game. 1NT is a perfect description of my hand (except for the somewhat questionable stopper), so this seems clear to me. No other call comes close.

2H shows support for me. I haven't discussed this with some partners, but I would expect them to agree. I can't imagine a hand that can't act over 1H but that needs to make a cuebid here without support.

I don't mind a raise with A10, but here I see no reason to.

Excellent point.

Do you 1) bid 1s with wide ranging hand or 2) bid x with opening hand or 2s with opening hand and decent 5 card spade suit? If the second then 1s will often be weakish. Note you can play 1nt in balance seat as 10-14 hcp and not promising a stopper ala BW style.

[Double !]

If it's agreed that 1NT by this hand is a reasonably good idea and that a cue = limit raise or slightly better (my preference), IMO the issue becomes the meanings of balancer's rebids including probing to ascertain whether or not the 1NT bidder had a legitimate heart stopper. Does 2m show 2nd suit and a reluctance to play 1NT? If yes, is it 5-4 or 5-5? Whether 5-4 or 5-5, what is the strength range of the hand. How do you play a balancing 2H bid (1H-p-p-2H!)? Does 2H by balancer after 1NT ask for (or show) a heart stopper and a GI (or better) hand?

BTW: what do you play a 2NT response to a balance of 1S as meaning?

IMO, the answers to these questions help determine what the given hand should bid when P balances with 1S.

DHL

[Winstonm]

The 1S bid here has to include a lot of hands, some of which might produce game, so I think it behooves me to keep the auction alive - the only sensible bid I can imagine is 1N - expresses the values and with a known 5-card suit that is going to be led shouldn't strongly discourage a rebid from partner.

I'd like to give partner the chance to bid again with:

KQxxxx,
x
xx
Axxx.

[mike777]

Winstonm, on Oct 23 2005, 12:19 PM, said:

The 1S bid here has to include a lot of hands, some of which might produce game, so I think it behooves me to keep the auction alive - the only sensible bid I can imagine is 1N - expresses the values and with a known 5-card suit that is going to be led shouldn't strongly discourage a rebid from partner.

I'd like to give partner the chance to bid again with:

KQxxxx,
x
xx
Axxx.

Again this is a clear and easy 2s bid in balance seat, never 1spade. I always thought this was basic standard but I guess not. .

[Winstonm]

mike777, on Oct 23 2005, 12:21 PM, said:

Winstonm, on Oct 23 2005, 12:19 PM, said:

The 1S bid here has to include a lot of hands, some of which might produce game, so I think it behooves me to keep the auction alive - the only sensible bid I can imagine is 1N - expresses the values and with a known 5-card suit that is going to be led shouldn't strongly discourage a rebid from partner.

I'd like to give partner the chance to bid again with:

KQxxxx,
x
xx
Axxx.

Again this is a clear and easy 2s bid in balance seat, never 1spade. I always thought this was basic standard but I guess not. .

IMO, this hand is not good enough for 2S. 2S also has a somewhat wide range but should be highly suggestive of game - along the lines of 12-15 with a good suit.

For me, this is the low end of a jump balance:

AJ108xx
x,
AKx,
xxx

Although I'm not Canadian, I did have a Danish for breakfast...does that count?

Winston