[hanp]

xx
AK432
Ax
J9xx

RHO opens 1S, all red. Your call?

Say you pass as I did, and it goes 2S pass pass, will you balance?

[gwnn]

2♥

if it goes pass 2♠ pass pass I will balance with 2N.

[Fluffy]

I will clearly balance at MPs, IMPs I am not so sure

its a wtp pass over 1♠

balance with 2NT against good opps, against bad opps just 3♥, they always bid 3♠ over it.

[aguahombre]

Fluffy, on Sep 22 2010, 11:23 AM, said:

I will clearly balance at MPs, IMPs I am not so sure

its a wtp pass over 1♠

balance with 2NT against good opps, against bad opps just 3♥, they always bid 3♠ over it.

After passing over 1S, how do you recover from balancing with 2NT versus the good opps? I can understand how it would work with minors or with reds, but not with 2-5-2-4.

[MFA]

2♥. I would not have overcalled 2m, but 2♥ has extra upside.

I don't understand balancing with 2NT either. If we don't balance 3♥, then why not double? After double we can pass 3♣ in comfort, but if we balance 2NT, partner could be 3433 or something for a 3♣ preference.

[andy_h]

Would overcall 2♥ over 1♠. After this auction I balance with 3♥.

[JLOGIC]

Would double 1S and obv X 2S

[whereagles]

Echo on justin.

The first double risks playing some idiotic 4-2 or 5-2 diamond fit, but that the worst-case-scenario and I'm an optimist lol.

[MFA]

I don't like double of 1♠.

[gwnn]

crazy

[hanp]

I passed initially and doubled 2S. Partner bid 2NT, I bid 3C, he bid 3D, I bid 3H and the opponents bid 3S, down 1.

[Free]

I would've overcalled 2♥.

If I had passed like you did, I think Dbl is way better than 2NT. If partner then bids 3♦ it's usually a 5+ card suit, if he has 2 suits you're sure you'll get to a fit.
Balancing with 2NT doesn't give you that much information. What should partner do with 4-4 reds over 2NT? He'll bid 3♦ and you won't know what to do.

[jdonn]

I overcall 2♥ for sure. There are certain weird doubles of 1♠ I don't mind making but I don't like it at all on this hand.

Of course I would balance although that's far from being very safe, not only could we possibly have no 8 card fit but even if we do I can't think of a strategy guaranteed to find it. Double with the plan to bid 3♥ over 3♦ is probably best but even then partner can be 3163 or something.

[Phil]

Strange you wouldn't overcall this but Kx K Kxxxxx Qxxx is an overcall.

I'm in for 2♥.

[bucky]

If I am going to balance (not sure), X is infinitely better than 2NT. Now with 4-4 in minors partner can bid 2NT to let me choose. If partner bids 3♦ I have yet another guess to make, but it is no worse than if I balance with 2NT and partner bids 3♦.

[Codo]

I had overcalled for Michaels reasoning.

Ha I failed to do so -and maybe this had been the much wisr descisssion anyway..), I would now only balance at mps -with 3 ♥.