Balancing at teams

 

Balancing: is bidding as an ‘already passed’ hand or in the pass out position.   It takes the pressure off having to bid or double with inappropriate hands.

The scores used below reflect my view of how hard the bidding, play and defence are out of 10 (almost impossible) to 1 (doesn’t come easier than this).   Not all the hands will be balancing situations at the table as some people may take, in my opinion, ill advised action in front of partner that may work out this time...  

 

Board 1. Vulnerability:   Nil Dealer: N   Bidding 7; Play 4; Defence 6;

♠ J9

♥ KJ1076

♦ AJ9

♣ K85

♠ AQ3                                     ♠ K1087

♥ Q32                                      ♥ A85

♦`K75                                      ♦ Q103

♣ J1097                                   ♣ Q32

                        ♠ 6542

                        ♥ 94

                        ♦ 8642

                        ♣ A64

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

1♥        P          P          1NT

P          2♣1      P          2♦

P          2NT  all pass

  1. Stayman

A black suit lead from N is best, with South switch to 9♥ when in with A♣ however 8 or 9 tricks should be there (note how this may not be the case if East declares NT and South leads her partner’s suit (twice)).

 

 

Board 2. Vulnerability: N/S   Dealer: E   Bidding 8; Play 3; Defence 8;

♠ J64

♥ A4

♦ 1062

♣ AQ532

♠ 10987                                   ♠ A53

♥ KJ975                                  ♥ 8

♦`4                                           ♦ AK953

♣ 964                                      ♣ KJ108

                        ♠ KQ2

                        ♥ Q10632

                        ♦ QJ87

                        ♣ 7

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

            1♦        P          P

P or 1NT   If N balances with 1NT then S should transfer to ♥.   West will do well to double this or pass East’s pre-balancing double.   If North balances with 2♣ best defence will take 8 tricks for 300 or 800 if the double was found.   The fact that 1♦ makes 7 or 8 tricks will not be reassuring to your team-mates.

 

East should lead a trump of course.

 

3. Vulnerability: E/W   Dealer: S   Bidding 8; Play 3; Defence 6;

♠ A10976

♥ A75

♦ K5

♣ K54

♠ K852                                    ♠ QJ3

♥ 32                                         ♥ KQ4

♦`AQ863                                 ♦ J97

♣ 83                                        ♣ AJ97

                        ♠ 4

                        ♥ J10986

                        ♦ 1042

                        ♣ Q1062

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

                        P          P

1♠        1P         P          P or 1NT or 2♦

If West chooses 1NT (10-14) East should raise invitationally to 2 or bid 3 (preferred looking for the game bonus). 

 

1.  It is a bad idea to double with this hand type especially at adverse vulnerability.

Will North find the club lead in time?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Vulnerability: All   Dealer: W  Bidding 7; Play 7; defence 6;

 

♠ A1096

♥ Q9

♦ AJ75

♣ Q64

♠ K32                                      ♠ J85

♥ AJ54                                                ♥ 32

♦`4                                           ♦ Q108632

♣ AK532                                 ♣ 107

                        ♠ Q74

                        ♥ K10876

                        ♦ K9

                        ♣ J98

 

How it might go.

N         E          S          W

                                    1♣

P          P          1♥        P

1NT     All pass

South must win the club 1st or 3rd round depending on the lead and play a spade small is best.  Playing on hearts first rather than ♠ will probably lead to defeat.

 

5. Vulnerability: NS   Dealer: N  Bidding 7; Play 4; Defence 5;

 

♠ 98

♥ AJ95

♦ AJ9

♣ A1073

♠ KQJ3                                    ♠ A654

♥ Q63                                     ♥ K4

♦`1052                                     ♦ K743

♣ J95                                       ♣ K42

                        ♠ 1072

                        ♥ 10872

                        ♦ Q86

                        ♣ Q86

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

1♣       P          P          X or 1♠

P          2♠ All pass

 

1 After the balancing double, the jump to 2♠ based on a 4 card suit and about a K more than a full double say 11-13.

 

Board 6. Vulnerability: E/W    Dealer: E  Bidding 7; Play 8; Defence 5;

♠ J10

♥ AQ10763

♦ A4

♣ J54

♠ K954                                    ♠ A2

♥ 54                                         ♥ J82

♦`1086                                     ♦ QJ9

♣ 7632                                               ♣ KQ1098

                        ♠ Q8763

                        ♥ K9

                        ♦ K7532

                        ♣ A

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

            1♣       P1         P

2♥        P          4♥  all pass

On a trump lead, the defence should win 2♠ and a club.  On any other lead the defence should win 2♠ and a trump as declarer seeks to ruff two clubs in dummy or pitch one on the spades if they are 3-3.

 

1  An overcall of 1♦ by South would allow North to make a forcing 1♥ bid and South will introduce spades and North should repeat ♥s showing this hand type.  South will do well to bid game as North could be a Q less for this auction.   If South overcalls 1♠, Noth’s 2♥ should be played as not forcing so will have to choose that; an ambiguous 3♥ or a cue bid (overbid).

 

7. Vulnerability: All    Dealer: S  Bidding 7; Play 3; Defence 4;

♠ KJ

♥ A1074

♦ A932

♣ J106

♠ A876                                    ♠ 954

♥ KQJ85                                 ♥ 632

♦`Q7                                        ♦ J86

♣ A5                                        ♣ K432

                        ♠ Q1032

                        ♥ 9

                        ♦ K1054

                        ♣ Q987

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

                        P          1♥

P          P          X         XX1 or P

1NT/2♦ P         All pass or East might bid 2♥ if partner redoubles

2♥ should be 1 off doubled for a poor score.   If West opens 1NT she may play there and this is almost certain to make (repeated club leads will beat it).

 

8. Vulnerability: Nil    Dealer: W  Bidding 6; Play 8; Defence 8;

 

♠ K972

♥ J76

♦ J98

♣ AJ7

♠ J8                                          ♠ 10654

♥ KQ982                                 ♥ 103

♦`AQ6                                     ♦ 10432

♣ 654                                      ♣ K32

                        ♠ AQ3

                        ♥ A54

                        ♦ K75

                        ♣ Q1098

 

How it should go.

N         E          S          W

1♥       

P          P          X         P

1♠        P          1NT1    P

3NT  all pass

1 This shows 15-17.

West must avoid a fatal lead in either red suit.  Careful defence after this MAY hold declarer to 8 tricks however some sharp card readin by South can see this goo contract home.

 

Board 9 E/W vulnerable dealer N  Bidding 5; Play 5; Defence 8;

 

♠J10754

♥A1097

♦K72

♣3

♠Q6                                         ♠K92

♥8542                                      ♥K3

♦953                                        ♦AQJ4

♣AJ94                                     ♣Q1062

♠A83

♥QJ6

♦1086

♣K875

 

How it should go

N         E          S          W

P          1NT     P          P

P  If north balances to show the majors this will likely be doubled.

This hand occured in the recent National teams here.

West led a ♥ against 2♥X (usually correct against part scores where your side has the majority of the values and there is not likely to be a running side suit) and a slight error at trick one (ducking) allowed the defence to proceed as follows.   East won the K and returned the 3♥.   Declarer won (1) in hand (could have overtaken to run the J♠ trying to restrict losers in the suit to 1 – though that would not have worked here), Cashed the A♠ (2) and exited to West with another ♠.   West continued with another ♥ won in hand with the Q♥ (3) and played another ♠.   East won and switched to 10♣, covered with the K and taken with the Ace.  West returned the 5♦ to East’s J.  East reverted to Q♣ won in dummy with A♥ ruff (4) that was the last trick for declarer as the spade exit was ruffed by West who played another ♦.   Result NS -800. at the other table 1NT made +3 for +180, a loss of 620 (12 IMPS).

 

Board 10 Game all – Dealer East  Bidding 7; Play 4; Defence 4;

 

Pre-balancing is where the auction has not yet died but action is required.   This is usually a pairs tactic but can work at teams... use with care.

 

♠J54

♥A94

♦K762

♣853

♠Q10                                       ♠K962

♥Q1052                                   ♥K876

♦953                                        ♦4

♣KJ94                                     ♣A1062

♠A873

♥J3

♦AQJ108

♣Q7

 

How it should go

N         E          S          W

            P          1♦        P

2♦        X         P          2♥

P or 3♦ to end auction  

EW will do well to go plus on the board.