Blum on Bridge Balance of Power Part 2
	For those of you who missed last week's column, we have been discussing "balancing." We covered when and when not to balance, trap-passing and balancing doubles. There are hands that do not meet the requirements for a balancing double. One alternative is to balance with a simple overcall. Mike Lawrence in his book on balancing emphasizes that a balancing overcall does not require the same strength and suit quality as a direct overcall. He states that if a one heart bid is passed around to you in fourth seat, overcall with each of these hands though none meet the requirements for a direct overcall: (a) J9842-43-AJ103-Q10; (b) J10-632-K76432-A10; (c) 9-72-Q1042-AQ8752. Also balance one spade with (d) KJ109-J10-873-K1052 or (e) A1098-3-J1095-A872. It is critical to realize that when partner balances with an overcall it is the weakest possible action he can take. Even if you have a good hand game is not probable unless you also have a fit in partner's suit. Regardless of your partnership understanding about jump overcalls, a balancing jump overcall should show the approximate strength of an opening bid and a one suited hand consisting of a reasonably good six-card suit or on occasion an exceptional five-card suit or a seven-card suit. It should be obvious that weak jump overcalls are not needed to take up space against the enemy in the balancing position because you can pass. The responder to the balancing jump overcall has very easy choices. Because he knows that the jump shows a good one-suiter and an opening bid he can pass with a weak hand, invite to game by raising the suit or bidding 2NT, or make a forcing bid by either bidding a new suit or cue bidding the enemy suit. Balancing no-trumps require fewer values than bidding no-trump directly over an opening bid. In other words the sequence rho 1 club-you 1NT is a direct overcall announcing the values of an opening NT, 16-18 points or whatever is your partnership understanding. What we're discussing is the sequence lho 1 club-pard pass-rho pass-you 1NT. Your 1NT is in the balancing seat and because you are simply reopening the bidding the standards are lowered. Though experts agree with this assumption, there is wide discrepancy as to the exact point count. What is important is that you and partner come to an exact agreement. A number of Europe's leading players use 8-10 hcps. A group of American experts value their 1NT bid as low as 8-10 hcps. In this article I shall follow the recommended standards Mike uses because I believe his methods are easier to comprehend than most. For the balancing no-trump the requirements are to hold between 12-16 hcps. (11 with an exceptional hand), balanced or nearly so, and generally a stopper in the opponents suit. More specifically it is a hand that does not have the distribution for a t/o double. Two examples of a balancing 1NT over 1 diamond are (a) K4-Q105-K1097-AJ105 or (b) Q10-AQ10-10985-AQ106. Example (a) is classic; however (b) must do something and though there is no diamond stopper, there also is no other available call. The responses to the weaker balancing no-trump are exactly as you would employ after a standard no-trump except the responder must have greater values to compensate for the lower values needed for the no-trump overcall. A balancing jump to 2NT is probably best and easier for the average player to show the minor suits. A jump to 3NT is used as a "gambling" no-trump describing a hand with a long solid suit with a stopper in the enemy suit. Finally you may be confronted with odd distribution such as (a) KQJ984-AQJ105-void-K5 or (b) AKJ107-9-3-AKJ843. Also a weaker hand such as (c) QJ1094-QJ10754-3-7 or (d) KJ1085-KJ1095-void-J107. With either set a balancing cue bid is available to cover these holdings. If the bidding has proceeded 1 diamond-pass-pass, you should bid 2 diamonds. Partner must recognize that your distributional hand is not necessarily strong but could be simply a good playing hand. You do not promise a rebid. As a result, if he wants to keep the bidding open he should make more than a simple response.