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Balancing over Weak 2

#1 User is offline   GHS_K_Chow 

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Posted 2012-June-18, 13:49

Do people balance with a 13-14 count if your lefty opened a weak 2?
(More so if they opened 2M than 2D)

Say:
2S - Pass - Pass - ?

S - KJx
H - xxx
D - AJxx
C - KJxx

or something of the sort.
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#2 User is offline   stevenagy 

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Posted 2012-June-18, 13:59

I always balance with 14 cards. I'll be sure to get an extra trick as declarer!

Otherwise, I might, but I'd want a better 13 point count than here, though. KJx trapped by long Spades to your left won't be worth much, the overly flat nature of this hand indicates and our partner passing already don't bode well for us offensively.
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#3 User is offline   SteveMoe 

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Posted 2012-June-18, 22:10

With only 9 working HCP this hand is worth a quick pass. Since 3-card raises are almost automatic, opponents have a 7-8 card fit at best. Sure partner might have length, but I wouldn't be surprised if RHO showed up with 5. Partner's silence paints 11 HCP or fewer and no takeout double or biddable suit. Why are we struggling to play in an 8-card fit somewhere at the 3-level in a 16 trump hand? Even were our side to have 24/5 HCP we might not have tricks from length. I am a bit more secure with this pass at Unfav vulnerability.

Change the hand slightly from
KJx
xxx
AJxx
KJxx

to

xxx
KJxx
AJx
KJx
and I would consider a balancing double - three places to play with a focus on the other major.
Sometimes their preempts work.
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#4 User is offline   mikestar13 

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Posted 2012-June-18, 22:36

I'd pass this one without regrets--ask yourself if you would balance with a hand a king weaker over 1. I wouldn't.
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#5 User is offline   JLOGIC 

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Posted 2012-June-18, 23:57

Pass with KJx of spades obv
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#6 User is offline   GHS_K_Chow 

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Posted 2012-June-26, 15:40

In general do people ever bid balancing 2N over a weak 2?
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#7 User is offline   chasetb 

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Posted 2012-June-26, 16:07

No, and I think a balancing 2NT should be used as Unusual 2NT. Since everybody I know will bid 3 with 3-card support, and quite a few with only 2, it stands to reason that on the first hand everything sits horribly for us, so why bid on? They could easily have a better fit.
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#8 User is offline   655321 

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Posted 2012-June-26, 16:59

View PostGHS_K_Chow, on 2012-June-26, 15:40, said:

In general do people ever bid balancing 2N over a weak 2?


Yes.
That's impossible. No one can give more than one hundred percent. By definition that is the most anyone can give.
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#9 User is offline   aguahombre 

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Posted 2012-June-26, 17:59

View PostGHS_K_Chow, on 2012-June-26, 15:40, said:

In general do people ever bid balancing 2N over a weak 2?

Yes, but the 13-count in the OP isn't a 2NT balance over a weak 2. It would be (barely) a NT balance over 1S.
"Bidding Spades to show spades can work well." (Kenberg)
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#10 User is offline   Statto 

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Posted 2012-June-26, 19:18

View Postmikestar13, on 2012-June-18, 22:36, said:

I'd pass this one without regrets--ask yourself if you would balance with a hand a king weaker over 1. I wouldn't.

Remove K to make it a 13 card hand, and I would non-vul B-)
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