[jillybean]

Scoring: IMP

(1♣) P (P) ?

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[whereagles]

dbl + convert a spade bid to NT

[Apollo81]

1NT

Balancing NT's are usually a couple points lighter than direct NTs. I'd say 11-16 is normal.

[hrothgar]

Apollo81, on Apr 3 2007, 09:29 PM, said:

1NT

Balancing NT's are usually a couple points lighter than direct NTs. I'd say 11-16 is normal.

hmmm

I'm used to a style in which a balancing NT over 1m shows between 10 and a bad 13
A balancing NT over a 1M opening shows 11 - 16 or so

On this hand I'd probably double, though 1♥ is also appealing

[goobers]

This is the top of a balancing 1N for me.

[jdonn]

I play balancing 1NT 11-14 over a minor, 12-16 over a major. I guess there is not an exact range that is truly standard so no one is really wrong. For me this is a minimum double then 1NT over 1♠.

[jillybean]

I thought X and then 1nt is 18-20ish and balancing 1nt is 12-15 didnt know different range over M/m. I was worried making balancing 1nt with ♠xx, I'd bid 1♥ with some understanding p's.

[Apollo81]

jdonn, on Apr 3 2007, 02:46 PM, said:

I guess there is not an exact range that is truly standard so no one is really wrong.

Indeed. I play 11-15/1m, 13-17/1M since i seem to get 16-17 hands reasonably often over 1♠ and don't mind doubling/passing with 11-12-

[cjames]

whereagles, on Apr 3 2007, 01:03 PM, said:

dbl + convert a spade bid to NT

I would bid the same. 1 H if playing 4 hearts openings.

[mikeh]

jillybean2, on Apr 3 2007, 02:05 PM, said:

I thought X and then 1nt is 18-20ish and balancing 1nt is 12-15 didnt know different range over M/m. I was worried making balancing 1nt with ♠xx, I'd bid 1♥ with some understanding p's.

Hi jb: if the 1N is 12-15 and the double then 1N is 18-20, you have a big gap of unbiddable handsL 16-17 balanced.

Your understanding of the double then 1N is fine by a direct seat overcall (actually, most would use 19-20 because most play 1N as 15-18 or so).

The point is that in balancing seat, we will be far more interested in competing with modest balanced hands than we are in direct, when responder is unlimited. So we will want to reopen on hands that are not strong enough to have bid on in direct. This family includes balanced hands, thus we reopen 1N with far less than we need in direct.

In turn, we need a seamless range of bids to cover all balanced hands from our minimum up to very strong hands of 23-24 or so.

To make matters worse, we have bidding space problems after 1♠ P P ?. These problems are present to a lesser degree after 1H P P ?, and don't exist at all after 1C P P ?

To understand the bidding space problem, think of advancer (that is, the partner of the balancer) and his situation over 1S P P X. Unless he can bid 1N (or pass the double) he is having to bid 2 of a suit on hands that may be very weak. This means that balancer is going to have to rebid 2N on all balanced, notrump-bidding hands too strong to have balanced 1N. Since this sequence preempts us, and risks getting to an ugly 2N, it is usual to beef up the 1N balance, in order to preserve the x then 2N as strong.

So most would play that 1N balancing over 1S p p as the strongest reopening 1N, and (in a perfect world) would have 1N after 1H p p as slightly weaker and so on. However few want to be that precise, so the usual practice is to use one range over a minor p p and another (higher) over a major p p.

Personally, over 1S p p, I use about 11-15, but I know fine players who would prefer, say, 12-16. Over 1 minor p p, I use one range at mps (very aggressive if nv) and another at imps... 9-bad 14.

On the hand in question, this is just a bit too good for 1N, plus 1N makes it a little more difficult to find the ♥ suit if partner has modest values, unable to stayman (or equivalent) over 1N, so I would double then bid 1N showing, for me, a good 14-17 hcp.

Don't worry about the xx in ♠s. Nobody bid the suit, so you don't show a stopper by bidding 1N, and I am sure that you would open this hand, as dealer, with a 15-17 1N, if that was your method... without worrying about the ♠ holding, so don't worry here.

BTW, a seldom discussed topic is the meaning of a reopening 2N. I suspect that a lot of players, especially lesse-experienced, use it as a takeout, when most experts would treat it as strong, balanced: the notrump hand too good for double then 1N.. part of the seamless range I was mentioning above.

[jillybean]

Amazing how things change with the position - tyvm

[helene_t]

I would bid 1NT, this should show (11)12-15. I don't believe in balancing with less than that if you can't double (if you have length in clubs and shortness in a major, opps rate not to be in their best fit).

[mike777]

1nt I would add no stopper is needed in balance seat, per BW.

[skjaeran]

I commonly play a balancing 1NT to be 11-14. Thus x plus 1NT for me.

Some experts play 15-18 both live and balancing, and have an easy 1NT here. I don't advocate that treatment. A balancing 1NT over 1M to be (12)13-16 seems OK to me.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

1NT.

This is a slight underbid, depending on
your agreement, but you are in safe
water, if the auction continues.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Edmunte1]

Dbl+1nt =15-17 balanced. Do not underbid in passout seat

[pclayton]

This is actually a very easy hand. My 1N s 11-14, and I consider this a solid 15 with the AK's. Over pard's expected 1♠; 1N. Over 1♥; 2♥.

The only call that gives me a little heartburn is 2♠. By the way, its probably time to revisit the requirements for a jump opposite a balancing double. I see folks responding identically to a direct TOx.