Tuesday, June 27, 2006 1:49 PM

Hand Evaluation – Balancing ( The Balancing Seat )

PITBULLS:

The balancing seat is unique in Bridge. You are not just bidding your hand but the “table”. You are bidding the fact that partner may have trapped & RHO could not come up with a response. You do not “overcall” in the balancing spot you “balance” . This is the only position in Bridge where your initial jumps are “intermediate”. The corollary to this is that if you did not jump & just bid a suit you are under the values needed for an intermediate jump.

As you are “protecting” partners trap , you bend over backwards to double with defense. This means that shape doubles take a beating in the balancing chair ( very infrequent) . Minimum equal level conversion is compulsory in the balancing chair. Otherwise , there would be chaos with your balancing doubles , when partner is not strong enough to convert the double.

Partner responds to overcalls as she would to an opening bid. Not so , if partner bids in the balancing chair. She realizes part of her hand has been bid already so she treads lightly & raises are quite healthy. You have ♠Kxx ♥AQ109x ♦xx ♣AQx , the auction goes 1♦-P-P-? . If you were in the direct chair , you would overcall 1♥ . How does the balancing chair change your bid ? You are unlikely to be protecting partners trap as you have too many HCP’s so should you just bid 1♥ ? NO , NO & NO. Partner is taking the inference that you are too weak to make an intermediate jump , so you cannot have HCP’s in the intermediate range. Partner will pass 1♥ where game is lay down & slam is even a possibility. With your 3 ½ quick tricks you double.

With the bad opening bids in today’s game , partner can even have a mild diamond trap. This hand above , you must make a balancing double followed by an equal level conversion to 2♥ if the double is not converted.

1♦-P-P-x

P-2♣-P-2♥ This does not show the Worlds fair in hearts. It just means you have a hand too strong to balance 1♥. You did not jump after your double nor Q bid so you must have an intermediate range hand for equal level conversion.

Bidding is describing the strength & distribution of your hand to partner. This principle is even more important in the balancing chair. “Balancing” 1♥ with this hand is very weak bidding. You are “just” 5 HCP too strong for that action. Partner cannot tell the difference so the wrong level will be the final result.

Bridge is played in a clockwise direction. This is why it is folly to double a strong NT in the balancing seat with a strong NT hand yourself. You will forever be end playing yourself as the strong hand is behind you. If you have quick tricks , a double is in order, but prepare yourself for partner pulling the double as she could never have enough HCP’s to convert. My partners & I play a balancing double shows a suit ( probably a minor) & 10-14 HCP so that there is a possibility of partner converting . Also when partner scrambles to 2♣ as she is not strong enough to convert , you run to the safety of your suit. Do not forget captaincy in these situations. Partner of the doubler is the boss to leave in 1NTX or 1NTXX . That hand is the great unknown as I have described my hand with a double. What do you bid with this hand in the balancing seat ? 1NT-P-P-? ♠KJX ♥AQx ♦KQxx ♣KJx I would quickly pass as the other two hands are marked with a total of 5 HCP between them. The 16 HCP hand is behind you so just go quietly. You may beat 1NT a trick so last chance for a plus.