2008-05-17 06:46

Hand Evaluation - Pre-Balances ( OBAR )

 
PITBULLS:
 
 There are many situations in Bridge where you make a “pre-balance”. This means that the context of the auction gives you a reason to “balance” even though you are not in the balancing spot. The auction is still “live” & not passed around to the last player. One situation is where you have a flaw to take original action. You have a good hand but not a T/O double as you are missing a suit. The auction goes 
 
 
1♦-P-1♠-P
1NT-X  you now show the unbid suits by doubling as the auction has not ended. You have made a pre-balance. If the auction was over , a balancing double of a 1NT bid is for penalty with most partnerships. A pre-balance is defined as a balance in a live auction. The bid is part of your competing arsenal.
 
 There are special understanding for bidding in the Sandwich position when the Opponents Bid and raise their suits. Extreme leeway is given in this position to the point where they call bidding in these situations is called “balancing in the direct position” or a pre-balance . Larry Cohen has even given a name to this OBAR. Quite often partner needs to get a lead director as the next bid is game by the opponents. Susan had ♣AKxxxxx & the auction goes 1♥-P-2♥ so OBAR comes into effect. You bid 3♣ & partner will not punish you. There is also some safety in this understanding in that partner should bid 2♠ on any excuse playing OBAR . So if 2♥ is passed out , you know partner does not have spades when you are considering your balance !! 
 
 
 Another time for a pre-balance is when both the opponents’ hands have limited their hands . I held ♠A108x ♥xx ♦AJ8x ♣xxx everybody vul & Barry Pritchard opened 1NT ( weak ) & his partner signed off in 2♥. I had passed initially . Partner may have too many hearts to balance so I made a pre-balance of a double to show heart shortness & some values. We should have ½ the deck & partners HCP’s are behind the 1NT bidder. If partner has good hearts , I have hit a home run. My partner held ♠Jx ♥A8xx ♦10xx ♣AKJ10 & if he chose to pass, we get a lucky +500 as 2♥X goes two down. 
 
 
 In matchpoints , it is clear to pass but not so in IMPS because –670 is hard to explain & he cannot see the contract beat two tricks on this auction. Partner made the correct IMPS bid of 3♣ , I feel anyway . You get a heart lead to the queen which you duck. Barry continues with the heart king so you win your Ace so now what ? You know the hearts are 5-4-2-2 & Barry has show up with 5 HCP’s. It is safe to lose a trick to RHO opponent as he holds no hearts , so you lead a diamond & insert the 8 . Barry wins the queen & is endplayed. He exits a small club & you finesse which wins. You lead a diamond & the 9 appears so you insert the jack. This holds the trick so you finesse the club. Your club Ace drops the queen & the diamonds were 3-3 so it is overtrick time. You lead the ♠jack covered by the queen & Ace & after pitching your heart on the last diamond , you lead the ♠10 which smothers the 9 for +130. Nicely played !