Posted 2011-November-24, 02:25
Hi! Welcome to the forums.
There is a common method to evaluate balancing: You borrow a king from your partner. Then you do whatever you would have done in direct seat, with one exception. You have the option to make a jump overcall, which typically shows a good six card suit and a nice 13 to 16 points.
In this case, you have a hand worth 16 in high cards, and with the added king that adds up to 19. However, the ♥K is worthless, I am not enthusiastic about the ♦KQx before the bidder either and the trump suit is very poor. So I will deduct the ♥K and another point leading to a total of 15. This means that I will just bid 1♠.
With the North hand, I would pass 1♠. After all, I had 7 HCP, but there are only 4 left after partner borrowed a king from me.
If I would have been North and South would have doubled, I would have bid 1♥, South would have bid 1♠ and North would bid 2♣ (or pass). South rebids hid spades. Now North passes.
Rik
I want my opponents to leave my table with a smile on their face and without matchpoints on their score card - in that order.
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