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A while back I reported that there was a gap in coverage for balanced hands in the balancing position. Comparison of notes for South's 1/2/3 NT bid on matchpoints hand below shows there is no way to show a 15-17 HCP balanced hand after North's cue bid.
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Yes, Virginia, there is a gap
#2
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Posted 2015-June-27, 16:20
For as long as the system is broken in this area and well known so to be, I think that balancing with 1NT on this hand instead of double is a complete nobrainer.
Psych (pron. saik): A gross and deliberate misstatement of honour strength and/or suit length. Expressly permitted under Law 73E but forbidden contrary to that law by Acol club tourneys.
Psyche (pron. sahy-kee): The human soul, spirit or mind (derived, personification thereof, beloved of Eros, Greek myth).
Masterminding (pron. m
s
t
r-m
nd
ing) tr. v. - Any bid made by bridge player with which partner disagrees.
"Gentlemen, when the barrage lifts." 9th battalion, King's own Yorkshire light infantry,
2000 years earlier: "morituri te salutant"
"I will be with you, whatever". Blair to Bush, precursor to invasion of Iraq
Psyche (pron. sahy-kee): The human soul, spirit or mind (derived, personification thereof, beloved of Eros, Greek myth).
Masterminding (pron. m
str-mnding) tr. v. - Any bid made by bridge player with which partner disagrees."Gentlemen, when the barrage lifts." 9th battalion, King's own Yorkshire light infantry,
2000 years earlier: "morituri te salutant"
"I will be with you, whatever". Blair to Bush, precursor to invasion of Iraq
#3
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Posted 2015-June-27, 16:24
If the cue shows 11-16 I would think they expect you to bid 3NT with that range.
#4
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Posted 2015-June-27, 16:25
He's appropriately (re)reporting a bug that seems to have failed to qualify for recent updates, not asking for a workaround that would have failed to find the obvious game on this hand.
#5
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Posted 2015-June-27, 18:44
As Bbradley62 points out, balancing with 1NT on this hand misses a game, as does bidding 2NT in response to the cue bid. The danger of bidding 3NT (which I ultimately elected to do) is that you're promising 18-20 when you've got 15. Based on past experience, North tends to assume that South is at the top of its bid when it shows a good hand, and often gives itself credit for 3 extra HCP opposite a large hand (not to mention crediting its short suits for NT play). Given the unlikelihood that NS have a slam in NT after West has opened the bidding, and the risks inherent in overbidding opposite the robot, if I have to choose IMHO it's much more important to have a bid available to show 15-17 than 18-20.
As a side observation, whoever programmed the BBO version of 2/1 must have been 1 heck of a cardholder. I have never held 24+ when my opponents have opened the bidding, but many's the time I'm about to take an action that I think is obvious and conservative (like doubling and rebidding my suit without a jump) and I find that I'm promising Fort Knox and have no good alternative.
As a side observation, whoever programmed the BBO version of 2/1 must have been 1 heck of a cardholder. I have never held 24+ when my opponents have opened the bidding, but many's the time I'm about to take an action that I think is obvious and conservative (like doubling and rebidding my suit without a jump) and I find that I'm promising Fort Knox and have no good alternative.
#6
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Posted 2015-June-29, 11:26
OK I see now, the OP did not mention the description of 3NT. So yes it can't be right that 2NT shows 12-14 and 3NT shows 18-20
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