Balancing by Matthias Huberschwiller

In this quiz, you will have five hands where your opponents have stopped in a partscore.

If you pass, it will be the end of the auction, and your opponents will play the contract, but it's not too late. You might want to balance, if your hand is fit to do so, to try and play a contract.

You should do it when you are short in the opponent's suit, and when they have a fit, because the odds are high that you will find a fit of your own.

Good luck.

Question 1

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

Q: 1 - What do you bid as South?

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

A: Double - You could not make a take-out double on the first round because of your lack of points. Guess what... in a balancing position, you can double with fewer points, but you still need to be short in Hearts, and have support for all the other suits.

Your partner will choose a suit. Whatever his choice is, you will be happy with it!

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ 8 6 2
♥ A J 6 2
♦ K Q 6
♣ K 9 2

Q: 2 - What do you bid as South?

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

A: Pass - With length in Hearts, you need to pass. Let them play 2♥, and try and defeat them.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

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

Q: 3 - What do you bid as South?

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

A: 2♠ - You could not bid Spades on the first round with such a weak suit, but in the balancing position, you can. Your partner will know your hand is really weak, otherwise you would have overcalled on the first round.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ K 8 6 2
♥ 2
♦ A 6 3 2
♣ Q 10 7 4

Q: 4 - What do you bid as South?

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

A: Pass - What is different this time? Your opponents don't have a fit. Therefore, your partner has at least five Hearts. You'd better try and defeat 1 NT, since odds are you won't find a fit to play in.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ 9 6 2
♥ 6 3
♦ A Q
♣ J 10 7 6 3 2

Q: 5 - What do you bid as South?

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

A: 3♣ - Even at the 3-level, you need to bid your 6-card suit. You don't want to let them play 2♠ when you have six Clubs.

Your partner will have some points. They stopped in 2♠, so they have no more than 22/23 points combined.

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

Your results: out of Average:

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
More informations on our website: www.VuBridge.com

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