Practice 5E01
Main
Balancing Bids & Doubles
by Richard Pavlicek
West
Pass
3
NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass
East
Pass
Dbl!
South
2
Pass
Board 1
A 10 7 6 5
Q 9 2
Q J 9
A 7
Trick
1 N
2 N
3 E
4 N
5 W
6 E
7 S
8 N
9 W
10 W
Lead
Q
9
4
J
3
9
J
6
A
7
2nd
4
A
3
8
7
K
5!
4
2
9
3rd
7
3
Q
K
Q
2
A
8
4
K
!
4th
2
5
A
6
6
5
2
J
3
J
W L
0 1
1 1
1 2
2 2
3 2
3 3
3 4
4 4
5 4
6 4
Q J 2
A 8 7 6
5 2
K 8 5 3
9 4
K 10 5 4
A 8 4
Q 9 4 2
Bidding
Play
Balancing double
Down 1 is good result
(N-S make 2
)
Placing enemy cards
Finessing technique
Play
K 8 3
J 3
K 10 7 6 3
J 10 6
3
West
4 top tricks
Lose 1 trump trick
down 1 +50
West
Pass
All Pass
North
1 NT!
EAST
1
Pass
South
Pass
2 NT
Board 2
6 4 3
K J 5
A 8 2
Q J 9 5
Trick
1 E
2 E
3 E
4 E
5 W
6 N
7 S
8 S
Lead
K
A
10
9
J
5
A
6!
2nd
2
J
4
4
A
!
4
6
3
3rd
8
5
7
Q
Q
K
9
8
4th
3
4
6
2
5
2
8
K
W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4
1 4
2 4
3 4
3 5
Q 8 7 5
2
J 10 9 3
10 7 6 2
A K 10 9
Q 10 9 8 3
K Q
8 4
Bidding
Play
Balancing bid
Response to 1 NT
Count hand pattern
Throw-in play
Play
J 2
A 7 6 4
7 6 5 4
A K 3
2 NT North
7 top tricks
East is endplayed
made 2 +120
West
Pass
1
4
North
Pass
2
All Pass
East
Dbl!
2
SOUTH
1
Pass
Pass
Board 3
10 4 3
5
9 7 5
K 9 8 7 6 3
Trick
1 S
2 S
3 E
4 E
5 S
6 W
7 E
8 W
9 W
Lead
Q
J
A
!
Q
4
6
3
J
8
2nd
2
5
9
K
A
10
7
7
5
3rd
9
3
2
5
5
Q
K
6
2
4th
10!
A
3
4
2
J
6
10
8
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 7 6 5 2
A K J
10 6 3
5 2
A Q
Q 9 8 6 3 2
K 4 2
A 10
Bidding
Play
Balancing double
Rebid by doubler
Placing enemy cards
Holdup play
Play
K J 9
10 7 4
A Q J 8
Q J 4
4
East
8 top tricks
Lose 1 more trick
made 4 -620
WEST
1
Pass
North
Pass
3
East
Pass
All Pass
South
2
!
Board 4
A Q 7 4 3
J 10 7
A 5 2
8 5
Trick
1 W
2 N
3 E
4 W
5 W
6 W
7 N
Lead
Q
2
7
J
A
10
J
2nd
A
K
9
5
8
A
2
3rd
9
4
J
8
2
2
A
!
4th
3
10
5
6
10
5
K
W L
1 0
1 1
1 2
1 3
1 4
2 4
3 4
K 10 9 8 6
K
Q J 10
A Q J 3
J 2
6 5 3 2
K 9 8
7 6 4 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Resp to suit overcall
Placing enemy cards
Attitude signal
Play
5
A Q 9 8 4
7 6 4 3
K 10 9
3
South
6 top tricks
Win the rest
made 3 +140
Practice 5E05
Main
Top
Balancing Bids & Doubles
Balancing Bids & Doubles II
West
2
Pass
NORTH
Pass
Pass
3
East
1
Pass
All Pass
South
Pass
2 NT!
Board 1
A 4 3
K 9 8 3
5 4 3
Q 7 4
Trick
1 E
2 E
3 N
4 S
5 W
6 N
7 S
8 E
9 E
10 S
Lead
K
6
3!
2
2!
4
8
Q
Q
A
2nd
5
10
6
J
K
!
2
Q
J
5
8
3rd
7
J
K
4
5
J
5
6
9
7
4th
3
A
7
10
4
3
A
3
4
K
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
4 2
4 3
4 4
5 4
6 4
J 9 7
A 10 6 2
Q J 7
10 8 3
K Q 8 6 2
Q 7 5
A 10 6
K 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Unusual notrump bid
Placing enemy cards
Try to fool declarer
Play
10 5
J 4
K 9 8 2
A J 9 6 5
3
North
5 top tricks
Draw trump and claim
made 3 +110
West
Pass
2
!
North
2
All Pass
EAST
Pass
Pass
South
1
Pass
Board 2
Q 8 3
Q 6 3
J 10 7 3
K 10 7
Trick
1 N
2 S
3 E
4 W
5 E
6 E
7 W
8 E
Lead
3
10!
5
5
K
6
8
8
2nd
K
5!
2
6
9
Q
Q
9
3rd
A
3
A
2
4
6
4
J
4th
2
K
3
4
7
J
7
10
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
A J 6 5
9 8 5 2
A 4
8 6 3
K 4 2
K
K 8 6 5
J 9 5 4 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
West’s four hearts make
spade fit very likely
Seven-card trump fit
Crossruff
Shift to trumps
Play
10 9 7
A J 10 7 4
Q 9 2
A Q
2
West
4 top tricks
Win 1 more trick
made 2 -110
West
Pass
2 NT
North
Pass
All Pass
East
1 NT!
SOUTH
1
Pass
Board 3
10 7 6 5
K 6 4
9 8 2
10 4 2
Trick
1 S
2 S
3 S
4 W
5 S
6 N
7 N
8 E
9 E
10 E
11 E
Lead
K
Q
J
Q
3!
10
9
10
A
K
8
2nd
2
4
A
4
J
9
K
!
6
3
5
?
3rd
7
5
6
5
K
2
3
9
6
7
4th
3
9
8
A
7
8
4
6
2
4
W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
1 3
1 4
1 5
2 5
3 5
4 5
5 5
A 8 4 2
Q J 9
A 5 4
J 7 6
9 3
10 8 7 5
K J 7
A K 9 8
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Resp to 1 NT overcall
Positional squeeze
Attitude signal
Avoid endplay
Play
K Q J
A 3 2
Q 10 6 3
Q 5 3
2 NT East
5 top tricks
South is squeezed
made 2 -120
WEST
1
Pass
Pass
North
Pass
2
3 NT
East
Pass
Pass
All Pass
South
Dbl!
2 NT
Board 4
Q 2
6 4 3
A J 8 6 5
K 9 8
Trick
1 W
2 W
3 S
4 N
5 S
6 S
7 N
8 N
9 N
10 S
11 N
Lead
K
J
Q!
8
9
4
8
6
9
4
6!
2nd
3
4
K
3
2
10
6
7
J
9
7
3rd
2
5
A
A
5
J
3
4
Q
K
10
4th
8
A
!
3
2
7
5
8
10
7
6
Q
W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
9 2
K J 8
K Q J 9 7
K 10 2
10 2
10 9 7 6
5 2
7 3
J 7 6 5 3
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing double
Rebid by doubler
Avoidance finesse
Squeeze throw-in
When to cover honor
Play
A 5 4 3
A 10 8
Q 9 4
A Q 4
3 NT South
6 top tricks
West is endplayed
made 5 +660
Practice 5E09
Main
Top
Balancing Bids & Doubles
Balancing Bids & Doubles III
West
Pass
3
NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass
East
Pass
Dbl!
South
2
Pass
Board 1
A 8 3
A Q 7 6 5
6 5
K 7 5
Trick
1 N
2 W
3 S
4 E
5 N
6 N
7 S
8 E
9 E
Lead
5
6
2
2
A
6
J
Q
4
2nd
7
5
3
3
2
4
4
9
2
3rd
8
J
6
10
9
K
5
8
J
4th
9
A
10
K
8
10
A
7
3
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
2 2
2 3
2 4
3 4
4 4
5 4
K 6
J 10 8
K Q 9 4 3
10 8 6
Q 10 5 4
4 2
A 10 7
Q J 4 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing double
Down 1 is good result
(N-S make 2
)
Delay drawing trumps
Set up dummy’s suit
Leading trumps
Play
J 9 7 2
K 9 3
J 8 2
A 9 3
3
West
5 top tricks
Lose 1 more trick
down 1 +50
West
Pass
Pass
Pass
North
1 NT
2
4
EAST
1
Pass
Pass
All Pass
South
Pass
2
3
Board 2
A 8
K 10 7 6
K 4 2
A 8 6 2
Trick
1 E
2 S
3 N
4 S
5 N
6 S
7 S
8 N
9 S
10 N
Lead
3
Q
2
3
6
K
6
8
9
10!
2nd
8
3
J
2
K
5
7
10
J
J
3rd
2
A
9
A
A
8
7
Q
K
!
3
4th
6
10
4
4
5
10
Q
7
9
4
W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
8 0
9 0
9 1
J 7 5 2
4 2
J 7
9 7 5 4 3
Q 10 4
J 5 3
A Q 10 9
K J 10
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Stayman convention
Crossruff
Throw-in play
Leading trumps
Play
K 9 6 3
A Q 9 8
8 6 5 3
Q
4
North
7 top tricks
E endplayed (lose 2)
made 4 +620
West
Pass
2
3 NT
North
Pass
Pass
All Pass
East
Dbl!
2 NT
SOUTH
1
Pass
Pass
Board 3
Q 9 2
9 8 2
7 6 5
J 10 6 5
Trick
1 S
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 W
6 W
7 E
8 W
9 W
Lead
7
3!
9
J
8
2
K
7
10
2nd
3
7
10
4
6
J
3
7
2
3rd
Q
Q
K
Q
4
A
A
3
10
4th
K
5
6
5
5
8
6
J
8
W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
8 0
9 0
6 3
5 4
A Q 10 2
Q 9 8 7 2
K 10 4
Q J 10 3
K J
A K 4 3
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing double
Rebid by doubler
Finessing technique
Overtaking play
Protect dummy’s suit
Play
A J 8 7 5
A K 7 6
9 8 4 3
—
3 NT East
7 top tricks
Lose the rest
made 3 -600
WEST
1
Pass
All Pass
North
Pass
2 NT!
East
2
Pass
South
Pass
3
Board 4
7 5 3
A 2
A 10 3 2
K 9 4 2
Trick
1 W
2 W
3 E
4 S
5 N
6 W
7 W
8 N
Lead
K
J
8
5
2
A
10
9!
2nd
3
5
3
7
J
4
A
?
3rd
10
A
6
K
6
4
5
4th
2
4
7
10
Q
8
4
W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
2 2
2 3
2 4
3 4
K Q J 9 6
10 9 3
J 6
A Q 7
A 10 8
J 8 7 5
Q 8 7 4
J 10
Bidding
Play
Balancing bid
Unusual notrump bid
Positional squeeze
Play
4 2
K Q 6 4
K 9 5
8 6 5 3
3
South
6 top tricks
East is squeezed
made 3 +110
Practice 5E13
Main
Top
Balancing Bids & Doubles
Balancing Bids & Doubles IV
West
Pass
2
NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass
East
Pass
Dbl
South
2
Pass
Board 1
A Q 10
A Q 10 6 4
J 9 4
9 5
Trick
1 N
2 W
3 N
4 E
5 E
6 E
7 W
8 S
9 N
10 N
11 W
Lead
9
2
5
K
Q
3
7!
3
Q
10
7
2nd
2
Q
A
2
8
10
4
K
7
9
A
3rd
8
3
6
5
6
A
10
A
8
J
4
4th
K
8
3
4
9
J
K
5
2
6
7
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
5 2
5 3
5 4
6 4
6 5
9 7 6 2
K 2
A 7 6 5
K 4 3
J 5 4 3
9 7 5
K Q 3
A 10 2
Bidding
Play
Defense
Competitive auction
Reopening double
Draw trumps early
Obtain early discard
Choose lead at suit
Attitude signal
Play
K 8
J 8 3
10 8 2
Q J 8 7 6
2
West
6 top tricks
Win the rest
made 2 -110
West
Pass
Pass
All Pass
North
Dbl
2
EAST
1
Pass
Pass
South
Pass
1
4
Board 2
A 2
K Q J 9 8
Q 3
K 9 7 4
Trick
1 E
2 E
3 E
4 N
5 S
6 N
7 S
8 N
9 S
10 N
Lead
K
A
9
4
3
7
7
2
6
9
2nd
2
6
7
5
6
Q
2
9
4
10
3rd
4
5
J
A
K
6
K
K
A
10
4th
3
Q
8
2
10
8
3!
3
J
J
W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
10 7 5 4 3
2
J 5 4
J 8 6 2
J 9
A 5 4 3
A K 10 9
Q 10 5
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing double
Rebid by doubler
Ruff in short hand
When to win trump ace
Play
K Q 8 6
10 7 6
8 7 6 2
A 3
4
North
9 top tricks
Concede high trump
made 4 +620
West
Pass
2 NT!
North
2
Pass
East
Pass
3
SOUTH
1
Pass
All Pass
Board 3
K 10 6
Q 9 8 7
4 2
Q 9 5 3
Trick
1 S
2 E
3 E
4 W
5 W
6 S
7 S
8 E
9 W
10 E
11 E
Lead
J
K
4
A
2
A
3
5
8
10
6
2nd
2
10
5
5
3
Q!
7
7
9
5
3rd
9
3
J
4
J
2
4
K
9
2
4th
A
7
8
6
K
6
8
Q
8
6
W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
4 1
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
7 4 2
3 2
K Q J 7
A 10 8 2
Q 3
A K 6 5 4
10 9 8 6
J 4
Bidding
Play
Defense
Competitive auction
Unusual notrump bid
Establish side suit
Unblocking play
Shift to trumps
Play
A J 9 8 5
J 10
A 5 3
K 7 6
3
East
6 top tricks
Lose last 2 tricks
made 3 -110
WEST
1
Pass
North
Pass
2 NT
East
Pass
All Pass
South
1 NT
Board 4
K 4 3
10 9 6
K 9 2
A J 9 6
Trick
1 W
2 W
3 W
4 E
5 E
6 S
7 S
8 N
9 N
10 N
11 N
Lead
K
A
J
7
J
K
2
J
K
K
!
3
2nd
6
9
10
3
A
3
Q
8
7
5
8
3rd
8
5
Q
!
5
4
6
A
5
2
7
8!
4th
2
3
4
2
9
4
7
6
6
Q
9
W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4
1 4
2 4
3 4
4 4
5 4
6 4
6 5
Q 10 9 6 5
A K J
Q 6 4
Q 3
7
Q 8 7 5
J 10 8 5
10 8 7 4
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Resp to 1 NT overcall
Finessing technique
Throw-in play
Choose lead at notrump
Attitude signal
Play
A J 8 2
4 3 2
A 7 3
K 5 2
2 NT South
6 top tricks
West is endplayed
made 2 +120
Practice 5E17
Main
Top
Balancing Bids & Doubles
Balancing Bids & Doubles V
West
Pass
NORTH
1
Pass
East
Pass
3
!
South
2
All Pass
Board 1
K Q 10 7 6
K 7 6
A 5 2
Q 6
Trick
1 S
2 N
3 S
4 N
5 W
6 S
7 W
8 N
9 N
10 E
11 E
12 E
Lead
3
2!
3
5
3
9
8
K
6
Q
J
4
2nd
J!
9
6
7
6
A
Q
8
A
10
Q
5
3rd
Q
K
A
5
7
6
J!
2
9
8
J
9
!
4th
2
4
10
8
10
4
2
3
5
7
7
10
W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
1 3
1 4
2 4
2 5
2 6
3 6
4 6
5 6
6 6
A J
J 8 5 3
8 6 4
A 9 8 3
8 4 2
A 4
Q J 10 9 7
J 7 4
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Holdup play
Unblocking play
Shift to trumps
Play
9 5 3
Q 10 9 2
K 3
K 10 5 2
3
East
6 top tricks
Win the last trick
down 2 +100
West
Pass
North
2 NT
EAST
1
All Pass
South
Pass
Board 2
A 6 4
A K 5 3
K J
A 10 3 2
Trick
1 E
2 N
3 E
4 N
5 N
6 E
7 E
8 W
Lead
6
K
K
J
3
Q
2
9
2nd
J
A
3
4
Q
8
10
2
3rd
2
4
7
6
2
5
J
7
4th
K
!
3
A
!
5
7
4
6
6
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
3 2
3 3
3 4
3 5
J 9 7 5
—
9 8 7 5 3 2
J 5 4
K Q 2
Q 8 7 6 4
A
K Q 8 7
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Preserve entry
Shun holdup play
Attitude signal
Play
10 8 3
J 10 9 2
Q 10 6 4
9 6
2 NT North
5 top tricks
Win the rest
made 2 +120
West
Pass
2
!
North
Pass
All Pass
East
Dbl
SOUTH
1
Pass
Board 3
10 9 8 7
8 6 2
Q 10 2
Q 10 5
Trick
1 N
2 W
3 W
4 N
5 E
6 W
7 E
8 W
9 E
Lead
10
A
3
9
3
4
7
6
J
2nd
2
2
10
A
10
6
9
Q
Q
3rd
6
5
7
3
A
K
4
5
J
4th
K
4
9
3
2
5
8
J
5
W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
K J 4 3
A 4
A 8 6 3
9 4 2
A Q 5 2
K J 7 3
7 5
8 7 6
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing double
Resp to takeout double
Crossruff
Timing the play
Leading trumps
Play
6
Q 10 9 5
K J 9 4
A K J 3
2
West
7 top tricks
Win the high trump
made 3 -140
WEST
1
Pass
North
Pass
4
East
Pass
All Pass
South
2
!
Board 4
Q 5
A 8 5 3
J 8 2
K 9 7 4
Trick
1 W
2 N
3 E
4 S
5 W
6 S
7 W
8 S
9 S
10 N
11 S
Lead
K
2!
7
4
Q
5
J
A
2
4
6
2nd
A
9
3
Q
5
A
8
6
10
8
9
3rd
6
3
2
8
10
J
3
5
K
A
Q
4th
4
7
3
10
7
K
9
2
5
6
4
W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
7 3
8 3
6
K Q J 9 2
A Q 7
Q J 10 6
10 8 4 2
10 7 6
K 10 9
8 5 3
Bidding
Play
Defense
Balancing bid
Good jump overcall
Delay drawing trumps
Establish side suit
Make declarer ruff
Play
A K J 9 7 3
4
6 5 4 3
A 2
4
South
9 top tricks
Claim the rest
made 4 +620
Practice 5E17
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Balancing Bids & Doubles
© 1994 Richard Pavlicek