Friday, April-24-09
Hand Evaluation – Misfits ( Balancing
)
PITBULLS:
In the early days of Bridge , you did not
balance in misfit auctions. When
the opponents rest in 1NT with an auction of 1♣-P-1NT or 1♦-P-1NT or a more true misfit auctions of 1m-P-1M-p 1NT , it was wise just to stay out of the auction. Why ? With an opening bid & a response they have at
least 1/2 the deck & their hands do not fit well. When it is a misfit their
way , quite often it is a misfit your way. In the old days , a double of a 1NT resting spot was penalty as the
doubler by looking at her hand felt that cards were poorly located for them. A
T/O double as a balance in a misfit
auction was not even considered.
In todays'
bidders game , selling out to 1NT causes you to lose
many partial swings. Why ? Modern bidders open light
& respond light therefore the partial
actually belongs to your side. What I like to play over their 1NT
resting spot is a 2♣ bid as a T/O double no matter if they opened
♣'s or not. Instead of a double being straight penalty ,
we like to define a double as T/O but with values in their bid suit. When
you do not have values in their suit & you wish to balance
, choose 2♣ instead. Distributional 2 suiters
are also bid with 2♣ & equal
level conversion takes place.
You decision to
bid in a misfit auction
should be based on hand evaluation skills. Are your HCP's concentrated in the unbid suits ? Do you have an
offensive hand type ? If you have HCP's in their suit
are they behind the suit or in front of their suit ?
Is the vulnerability right ? Are your HCP’s quick
tricks or soft values ? A balancing bid means you did not have a
reason to enter the auction initially. The most frequent cause is that you had
their bid suit rather than a lack of HCP’s to enter the auction. Your doubling
philosophy should be based on that premise. 2♣ solves the problem of bidders
wanting to disturb the 1NT resting spot.
1♦-P-1♠-P
1NT-P-P-X
♠KJ10x ♥Kxxx ♦xx ♣Axx is a hybrid double
. A T/O double , but with values well located
in their suit.
♠xxx ♥KQxx ♦xx
♣AJxx is a 2♣ balance as a T/O
as you cannot stand a spade lead in 1NTX converted by partner.
Partner can
actually bid 2♠ to play ( their suit ) when you
balance with a double. This is true in all cases when partner balances with a
double. Bidding their suit is to play. With the 1st double , you can bid 2♠ to play with ♠A987x ♥xx ♦J1098 ♣xx
1♦-P-1NT-P
P-X
♠J10x ♥A10xx
♦AQ10x ♣xx
This is a flatish T/O dbl
but to allow partner the option of converting you are sitting over their suit
well.
When
partner bids 2♦ after the double
, it is to play.
1♦-P-1NT-P
P-2♣
♠Kxxx ♥A10xx ♦xx ♣Kxx is a 2♣ bid for T/O as you
cannot stand a diamond lead in 1NTX converted by partner. Partner can pass 2♣
holding a club suit of course.
1♣-P-1NT-P
P-2♣
♠Q10xxx
♥A10xxx ♦xx ♣x is a 2♣ balance & pull 2♦ to 2♥ to show the
majors. You could also hold a weak ♦ major two suiter.
In 3rd seat , the opponents open light with one of a major &
pass 1NT. A double by you is still T/O
but with cards in their suit. You bid 2♣ as a scrambling balance when you do
not have cards in their suit. A pass is a legal bid also.
If you have trapped with a big hand when
the vulnerability conditions are right , you just pass
& take your plus. Partner will probably pull your double anyway
:( These hands are just not frequent enough to base your balancing
strategy around. The key to balancing is identifying offensive hand types vrs defensive
hand types. When you enter a misfit auction with a
defensive hand type , do it with a double
& values in their first bid suit. With an offensive hand type or
a defensive hand type without values in their suit bid 2♣
for T/O. Partner will never convert 2♣ for penalty :) A 2♣ bid gets them out of
1NT just as well as a double does, so you have the luxury of having a
double showing a specific T/O double. This structure has the greatest flexibility
when you want to get them out of a 1NT resting spot in a misfit auction. A double
even allows you to play the contract in their bid suit !