[dkham]

You are playing matchpoints in a field of mixed quality.

---

[mycroft]

Depends on what "mixed" means, and where my opponents are in "mixed".

My style is to balance, effectively without looking. "They don't play 2 of a fit". However:

• if these opponents are the type that would go "oh, I have a little extra, 3♥" and then "oh, I have a little extra, too, 4♥", then sometimes -170 is a great score.
  
• if the field won't balance, maybe I should hope my defence is better instead, and go for -110 into the room's -140 or -140 into the room's -170.
  
• conversely, if my opponents are the best pair in the room, it's automatic. Sure, they'll double me more often, and get -200 out of it more often, but I don't have to worry about balancing them into a making game, and they're also taking all their tricks in 2♥ (which means we lose to pretty much everyone already).
  
• If my CHO can't take a joke, well, -110 is better than -200 in 4♠.

But in general, I find that if I pass this auction out, my expectation is 35%. So even with the bad vulnerability, I'm playing 75% vs 5% if I balance, (with a "sure, fine" if it turns out they bid 3 and make 3).

I've noticed that I'm a little more aggressive here than many, such as MikeH. But here, I just find we're booked for A- if we let it go, and I'm happy playing "tops and bottoms, even chance" when my alternative is A-.

[paulg]

If EW are playing four-card majors and a weak no trump, then I'm more likely to pass.

[fromageGB]

I see no reason not to expect partner to have a 4333 hand, nor going for -200 in whatever he chooses.

[DavidKok]

It's been too long since I've gone -1100, I double.

[mycroft]

Paul: Yep, agree with you there. However, I'm in the ACBL; the last time I saw 4cM and a weak NT, though, it was me and I was playing EHAA.
Fromage: it's a 4-way parlay:

• their fit is 8-cards, and is the magic 8777;
  
• They decide not to take the push;
  
• They decide to double; and
  
• They defend well enough to set it.

In exchange, 90+% of the time we do have an 8-card fit (although we have to find it); there's the serious chance of +670 if they get it wrong; they could not be sure enough and let it pass out; they push to 3 and either it makes anyway or it goes down; and the fact that I'm booked for a 35% if I pass it out.

Thanks for pointing out that if they play Bergen or similar, it's a little less comfortable to balance than if 2♥ could be on 4. I tend not to think about that, and I should.

[apollo1201]

I hate leaving opps especially green play 2 something in their known fit.

Here, the hand sucks, with a dubious HJ. But doesn’t suck enough to give up completely, with the « nice » features such as JT S or an honor combo in D.

And of course we are red, green I almost X w/o looking at my hand 😅

I think the OP gives the hint with the cautiously chosen expression « field of mixed quality ».

So I look at my opps and will either pass or X. Do I know them, do they open and respond light, are they the ones who will collect 200 when it’s there, etc.

But most likely they will take the push to 3H making or leave 2S/3m hopefully no more than -1. I doubt we’ll score + on this hand. And we are probably booked for an average minus as other posters mentionned.

[mikeh]

I think it depends on your expectation for the session.

I’m spoilt. In pretty much any club game, playing with a regular partner (but I haven’t played more than a handful of club games in the last 8 years), or any sectional I expect to win. I don’t always win, of course, but my expectation is that we will win unless very unlucky or we give the event away. Even in Regionals, I expect to win (in my area.....I wouldn’t be saying this in Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, etc!) fairly often and to place in the high overalls almost always.

So my philosophy is to avoid undue risk. I have no problem with a few average minus results, and will not risk turning a survivable 30-40% result into. 0-15% result, unless my decision seems clear.

Make my hand 4=2=4=3 or 4=2=3=4 and I’d double, and I think it clear, because I have the master suit.

Here, however, I have only 3 spades, and partner will assume I have 4. With, say, KQx Qxx xxxx Kxx, he should, imo, bid 2S. I don’t like our chances in 2S even if they refrain from doubling.

If I were in a weak field and either having a horrible game or felt that we were at most just one of the average or average plus partnerships, I might double.

A good friend of mine, and a regular partner, won a NABC LM pairs. We went over a lot of the hands from the last day. While he and his partner played well, most of their better boards were gifts from the opponents....and one doesn’t often see a stronger field than on the last day of the LM Pairs. What they did best of all was to not give anything away, and to exact optimal results when the opps erred.


Doubling here, fetching a redouble on one’s left, and then opener hitting partner’s call, is a very effective way of giving the opps a top😀

Btw, while I accept that passing will usually lead to a mediocre result, there are many ways that won’t be the case. Some of the ways are:

The opps have both been a tad conservative. A good chunk of the field will be 420, and our minus 170 will be 75%

RHO might have a balanced 15 count, and not like opening 1N with a five card major. 2H may score worse than 1N.

Our declarer may underplay

And, of course, doubling leads to a terrible result

Other defenders may blow a trick.

[gszes]

In these positions I try to imagine the BEST hand partner might have and pass. Axxx Axx xx Axxxx seems to be about the best possible holding (afraid to enter at unfavorable opposite a partner that might hold diamonds and zero). If we do NOT balance with these types of hands (where we can make 3 or even 4c) partner will be forced to become more and more aggressive in a rather dangerous position. I do NOT cater to the rare hand where p might hold the AKQ of hearts where p might be tempted to pass (ugh).
Having said that, how much LESS do I need in order to NOT balance. I could live without the heart J but without the spade T I would not balance. SOOOOOOOOOOO I really would have little heartache for anyone that chooses to pass.

[mikeh]

gszes, on 2020-December-12, 13:06, said:

In these positions I try to imagine the BEST hand partner might have and pass. Axxx Axx xx Axxxx seems to be about the best possible holding (afraid to enter at unfavorable opposite a partner that might hold diamonds and zero). If we do NOT balance with these types of hands (where we can make 3 or even 4c) partner will be forced to become more and more aggressive in a rather dangerous position. I do NOT cater to the rare hand where p might hold the AKQ of hearts where p might be tempted to pass (ugh).
Having said that, how much LESS do I need in order to NOT balance. I could live without the heart J but without the spade T I would not balance. SOOOOOOOOOOO I really would have little heartache for anyone that chooses to pass.

I have found that hoping partner has 14 cards rarely ends well.

[Zelandakh]

Yes I double as I think it is slightly positive in the long run. My experience from the Acol Club is that mediocre opps rarely raise with 3 even though they should. That is more of an issue against the better players. I am not too worried about their finding a making 4♥ unless East is a conman...

[Dinarius]

Minus 200 is zero at MPs, almost invariably.

Will they double 2♠ or three of a minor? Maybe.

But, minus 100 will score better than -110.

I partner bids 2♠ and they push to 3♥, I'm passing and I would expect partner to do likewise.

D.

[nudnikbp]

Pass. Too many losers for a balancing double. Maybe the opponents are underbidding. Maybe I'm too conservative.

[manudude03]

If we are not playing OBAR style overcalls, then I double, otherwise I pass.

[helene_t]

Someone (I don't remember whom, probably one of the IMP panelists) suggested that double here shows a t/o double with three spades, while a hand with four spades would bid 2♠. After all, we can't have a natural 2♠ bid when we didn't make a "modern" overcall before.

[dkham]

I was the one faced with this hand. I chose to double. I know one hand proves nothing, but it's always nice to see how the story ends - the opponents were pushed into a making 4♥!

Board 2

[MP7601]

dkham, on 2020-December-27, 04:10, said:

I was the one faced with this hand. I chose to double. I know one hand proves nothing, but it's always nice to see how the story ends - the opponents were pushed into a making 4♥!

Board 2

Then you should remember your opponents. Seems that the East hand is clearly worth an invite after 1H - 2H.

[Cyberyeti]

MP7601, on 2020-December-28, 06:19, said:

Then you should remember your opponents. Seems that the East hand is clearly worth an invite after 1H - 2H.

Which I think W declines and worries about it not making (I suspect this was a 4 card major so a balanced 17 is normal as is the 4 cards for the raise)

[mycroft]

Well, Paul was right - they are playing 4cM and a weak NT. And are on some sort of soporific too.

Yet(i) again, I agree with Cyberyeti. East did nothing after 2♥ with 17-walrus all in controls? And passed after 2♠ as well? Well, I can see why west balanced back in with nothing - they've seen partner's bidding before.

If they're local, I'd be marking them as "people who will play game in 2, don't balance" and chalking up the loss on this hand. And it is the magic 8777. And the cards are perfect. And...