Balancing When Your Opponents Have Found a Fit by Matthias Huberschwiller

In this quiz, you opponents will have found a fit at a low level and stopped there. You will be in the balancing seat.

Will you bid or let them play?

Good luck!

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ K 8 5 2
♥ 6
♦ A 8 4 2
♣ Q 6 5 3

Q: 1 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♥
Pass	2♥	Pass	Pass
?

A: Double - This is the perfect hand for a balancing double: shortness in Hearts and support for all the other suits.

You cannot have a lot of points, since you would have doubled on the first round of bidding with opening values.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ J 7 5 4 3 2
♥ 6
♦ A 8 2
♣ 10 9 4

Q: 2 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♥
Pass	2♥	Pass	Pass
?

A: 2♠ - You couldn't bid on the first round because of your weakness, but you can in the balancing position.

Your partner will know you're not very strong, since you couldn't overcall in Spades on the first round.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ Q 9 6
♥ 4 2
♦ A 8 7 5 2
♣ K 6 4

Q: 3 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♥
Pass	2♥	Pass	Pass
?

A: Double - You would prefer to have six Diamonds to bid 3♦.

Imagine your partner has five Spades or Clubs, and only one Diamond. What would you do in a Diamond contract?

With support for all the unbid suits, it's best to make a balancing double. Worst-case scenario, you'll play in a 7-card fit.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ 6
♥ 4 3
♦ Q 8 5 3 2
♣ A J 6 5 2

Q: 4 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1♥
Pass	2♥	Pass	Pass
?

A: 2 NT - You want to balance, but you can't double. Your partner would bid Spades for sure.

Just as it would be when making a direct overcall, 2 NT is not natural. It is the Unusual 2 NT, showing the minors (but weaker because you didn't bid 2 NT on the first round).

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ K 9 8 3
♥ A 5 4 2
♦ K 6
♣ K 8 7

Q: 5 - What do you bid as South?

South	West	North	East
-	1♥	Pass	2♥
Pass	Pass	2♠	Pass
?

A: Pass - Remember, your partner didn't bid 1♠ over 1♥. This means he probably has fewer than 8 points (or bad Spades). In either case, to bid on would be to punish your partner for his balancing act.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

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Overall Results

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What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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