[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2020-January-07, 15:34, said:

Late here, but:

Pass on 1. If we had 800 (or more!) coming, too bad. That heart Q is a negative value. Unless LHO is completely random (and if so, we will usually win this match, if it is long enough), he has some texture in his suit, which means that partner is very unlikely to be salivating over there...if we had, say, AJxx x KQxx QJxx, same hcp, but now double, although not my choice, has a greater chance of hitting a home run.

On 2: classic 1N at mps, and an ok 1N at imps, white, when if we play a partial down 2 or 3 undoubled we may break even. At imps, game is a long way off, and we could easily lose significant imps no matter what partner has, unless he has a huge hand, and we can make the game he bids.

Note that at mps, partner will not push to what he thinks is a thin game, so while 1N is hardly risk-free, partner won't hang me. At imps, red, he should be pushing for game, and so may well hang me.

So colour me chicken on both hands.

Totally agree on 2.

On 1 I think it's very close, I elected to double, had partner opted to bid 4♣ we'd have got a good result, he opted to pass, we went -730, same double/pass at the other table but then panic, they got desperate in defence and it didn't pay off, team mates came back with +1130. As to the randomness of opps, this was a multiple teams scored by IMPS not VPs, 4 boards against every other team, and the particular opp was pretty random.

[miamijd]

mikeh, on 2020-January-07, 15:34, said:

Late here, but:

Pass on 1. If we had 800 (or more!) coming, too bad. That heart Q is a negative value. Unless LHO is completely random (and if so, we will usually win this match, if it is long enough), he has some texture in his suit, which means that partner is very unlikely to be salivating over there...if we had, say, AJxx x KQxx QJxx, same hcp, but now double, although not my choice, has a greater chance of hitting a home run.

On 2: classic 1N at mps, and an ok 1N at imps, white, when if we play a partial down 2 or 3 undoubled we may break even. At imps, game is a long way off, and we could easily lose significant imps no matter what partner has, unless he has a huge hand, and we can make the game he bids.

Note that at mps, partner will not push to what he thinks is a thin game, so while 1N is hardly risk-free, partner won't hang me. At imps, red, he should be pushing for game, and so may well hang me.

So colour me chicken on both hands.

s

Not sure I agree with you at MPs vulnerable or IMPs non-vul. The only time I'd consider a balance with hand 2 is non-vul at MPs, where you can be a little free-wheeling.

Over a 1M opener, the 1NT balance range has to include 15 and for spades, probably 16, too. If you balance with 10, you are putting a lot of strain on the 1NT bid. If partner has a good 10-count or halfway decent 11, you'll end up in 2NT or some other contract that, when you are vul at MPs, often: (A) goes -200 or (B) goes -100 when the opponents couldn't make more than 7 tricks in their major.

Non-vul at IMPs I don't think it's going to make a whole lot of difference overall. Often, balancing and passing will not affect which side goes plus. When there is a difference, I think it's about as likely that you'll go from plus to minus by balancing as from minus to plus. The only thing I see that makes a big difference is when opener has some huge offensive hand that wasn't really suitable for a 2C opener. Now you will give up a game instead of a partial. Not likely, but it is about the only thing that doesn't have a mirror image.

Cheers,
mike