[apollo1201]

IMPS, red vs green. Friendly duplicate game with not too strong opposition and not too strong partner too, who deals and opens 1C (in better minor, strong NT, 5cM style).

RHO bids 2H. You are dealt the lightish but shapely following collection:

JT987 (!)
x
KQ9xx
xx

Not sure if my pass is what all of you would approve, but bidding follows 3H pass pass.

Thinking X would be penalties (why didn't I take-out dble on 1st round then?), I decided to balance with 3S. And soon ended up +620 after partner bid one more for the road with a highly thrilling hand (sth like KQxx Kxx xxx AJx) and opps forgot to open up Cs and freed my Ds so that I managed to pitch dummy's clubs (should be -100). The other room made +420 in H.

Regardless of the outcome, is X on 1st round ok or too much? On the balancing side, is 3S ok now? What if 4H comes back as in the other room?

Thanks.

In all cases, the deal proved useful for post-mortem discussion on bidding after partner balances, and on defense play!

[FelicityR]

I personally dislike the balance of 3♠ on the second round. If you're going to bid Dbl after 2♥ is light but acceptable I feel even at adverse vulnerability, the extra card in each suit compensating for the lack of strength.

There's no way you that would balance if the opponents had raised to 4♥ so you have to factor that in. The awkward scenario is if partner now bids notrumps after your double.

Letting the opponents muscle you out at their favourable vulnerability is not an option. Better to take a slight risk with Dbl on the first round than missing a vulnerable game by keeping quiet.

[Nabooba]

The 3S balancing bid is fine. Bidding 2S on the first round is too much.

"The awkward scenario is if partner now bids notrumps after your double."
In that case I would suggest getting a new partner is a high priority. Please show me a fitting pair of hands where after passing and then balancing with a double a 3NT bid is correct.

"Better to take a slight risk with Dbl on the first round"
And if pd now bids a high number of Cs, what will you do?

[nugatory]

Nabooba, on 2017-April-17, 04:34, said:

"Better to take a slight risk with Dbl on the first round"
And if pd now bids a high number of Cs, what will you do?

Let him play it there. The doubleton is good enough support if partner's hand is too one-dimensional to consider playing in either of the suits you've expressed interest in.

[ggwhiz]

Red at imps these cards have way too much game potential opposite a 4 card spade holding in partners hand so I would risk an immediate double. You won't (or shouldn't) get there by a pass and balance.

I don't have the same ambitions over less than a 9 card spade fit but a partscore in spades, diamonds or clubs should be playable with a possible gain and a loss that would very rarely be more than 5 imps and those are good imp odds. The balance is too dangerous opposite a potential 1-3-4-5 minimum opener. I would open 1♦ on that shape but ONLY with a chunky diamond holding that is unlikely given what responder holds in that suit.

3 bald aces in openers hand is an acceptable red game at imps as long as it includes 4 spades but we won't bid all of those without a little extra in shape or another card but if double goes pass or 3♥ and opener bids spades, I'm raising.

[Jinksy]

Edit: deleted drivel

[ggwhiz]

Jinksy, on 2017-April-18, 16:43, said:

Doubling on these hands is nauseating. Even favourable, partner's allowed to pass with, say, x KQTx Axx xxxxx.

Or give him Kx KJx Jxxx AQxx, and he's going to love trying to establish 9 tricks in 3N - if the opps don't just cash the first 8 against him.

1. He opened 1♣ unfavorable in 1st chair on that?

2. 3nt? He bids 2nt, I bid 3♦ end of auction, same with 1 less diamond and 1 more club in openers hand

[msjennifer]

I personally shall make a negative double.The spade suit is not good enough to bid 2S.2H dbled will certainly convey the message to partner.If one passes over 2H and LHO raises to 4H hen you have no bid left except PASS.

[Jinksy]

ggwhiz, on 2017-April-18, 16:53, said:

1. He opened 1♣ unfavorable in 1st chair on that?

2. 3nt? He bids 2nt, I bid 3♦ end of auction, same with 1 less diamond and 1 more club in openers hand

Doh, I'd missed partner's opening bid.

[RD350LC]

apollo1201, on 2017-April-17, 02:53, said:

IMPS, red vs green. Friendly duplicate game with not too strong opposition and not too strong partner too, who deals and opens 1C (in better minor, strong NT, 5cM style).

RHO bids 2H. You are dealt the lightish but shapely following collection:

JT987 (!)
x
KQ9xx
xx

Not sure if my pass is what all of you would approve, but bidding follows 3H pass pass.

Thinking X would be penalties (why didn't I take-out dble on 1st round then?), I decided to balance with 3S. And soon ended up +620 after partner bid one more for the road with a highly thrilling hand (sth like KQxx Kxx xxx AJx) and opps forgot to open up Cs and freed my Ds so that I managed to pitch dummy's clubs (should be -100). The other room made +420 in H.

Regardless of the outcome, is X on 1st round ok or too much? On the balancing side, is 3S ok now? What if 4H comes back as in the other room?

Thanks.

In all cases, the deal proved useful for post-mortem discussion on bidding after partner balances, and on defense play!

I would not double on the first round, as this would be (or should be) a negative double. I would want at least 10 hcp to do this, same as a 2/1 bid.
On the second round, in the passout seat, I definitely would bid. I would leave it if they go 4H.