On Balance – the 1-Level

by Steve Moese

Our match point score depends on how many pairs we beat, not on the score itself.   1- or 2-level contracts are rare, especially against experts. Why? They’re easy to make. When opponents stop at 1 or 2 they often have only ½ the HCPs. We have the other ½ ! It’s right to compete 1 more level to improve our score.  

The balancing bidder is bidding BOTH HANDS. Once partner makes a balancing bid, do NOT punish them by raising. Partner has already bid your hand. The goal is to 1) Push the opponents 1 level higher, increasing our chances to beat other pairs, and 2) to compete in a suit of our own at the 2 (or 3 level) when our 2 hands combined hold 17- 23 HCP.

Balancing is the bidding strategy for the pass-out (Balancing) Seat. When opponents stop at the 1 or 2-level we have about half the deck’s HCP on balance (17-23) – hence the name “Balancing”.

When LHO opens 1♣/♦/♥/♠

and you see 2 passes, either partner has values and too many cards in opener’s suit to bid, or op

ener has a big hand. LHO is broke (maximum 4HCP). So, if you hold as few as 8 HCP and the other 3 suits, MP Pairs scoring urges you disturb the opponents! If you have 1 or 2 suits, you can consider bidding. With 1 or 2 suits their rank is important – it is almost always right to bid with ♠s. However if we don’t hold ♠s, they do – If partner owns ♠s s/he was too weak to overcall. If opponents own them we’ll push them out of a bad score into a good one. Beware! When the auction goes 1♣-P-P we know: 1) Opener has 12-21 HCP and RHO has 0-4 HCP 2) Partner cannot double, overcall or preempt.

Ever settled into a safe 1N, 2♣, or 2♥ contract only to have your opponent make a bid in the pass-out seat? Don’t you just hate having to decide whether to bid, pass, or double? How many times have you gone down 1 when you could have made the contract you had bid if they only left you alone? Were you surprised they didn’t have an opening hand? Maybe even only 8 HCP? Were the opponents crazy? Or is there a method to this irritating bid? (Balancing position is the hand that makes the 3rd pass, ending the auction).

Holding ♠AKxx ♥KJ10x ♦xxx ♣xx, Doubling suggests itself. We have 3 suits to support partner, both Majors, and expect to hold about ½ the HCP. H

ow’s that? LHO rates to have 16 HCP and RHO about 2. We will have on average 22 HCP so partner has about 11 too. Why didn’t partner bid? Likely because 1) They didn’t have a 5+ card suit and 2) They held the wrong shape for a takeout double, or 3) partner holds length in their suit and wants to double them.

Here are a few hands for balancing at the 1-level Assume the auction: 1♣ - P - P