Friday, May 23, 2003 1:48 AM

Hand Evaluation – Misfits ( 1NT after an overcall )

PITBULLS:

A simple auction that should be understood by established partnerships . What does 1NT mean in response to an overcall ? Some people say the “modern” way is to play it as just a bid to keep the auction alive so does not even promise a stopper in the opponents suit ! It is a forcing NT bid that is not forcing . I think that bid is semi-suicidal as the easiest bid to double is 1NT . If you have a misfit , there is going to be serious blood on the table . You overcall to “get in there “ to help partner with leads so these overcalls can have very minimum values.

A	x	A	x
J	x	J	x
10		x
x		x
x

Everybody vul , the opponents bid 1♦ . You overcall 1♠ , partner bids 1NT . You are minimum , flat so you pass. It goes double on your left and 2♣ by partner which gets doubled . Partner now bids 2♥ which gets doubled again . With clubs & hearts breaking badly you go for -800 & the opponents are cold for +120 . Partners hand is

x	Q	x	A
	x	x	x
	x		x
	x		x
	x		x

Surely you need more values to bid 1NT to an overcall . Yes , partner can have a opening bid value hand to make an overcall . However .Bridge is a game of probabilities . The range of an overcall makes it such that the odds are that the overcall is under the HCP needed for game values . To make a game with a misfit , partners overcall would have to be quite substantial . Bidding 1NT on a misfit with 6 HCP with no stopper in the opponents suit is inviting disaster. Modern bidders are certainly not afraid to go down as they proclaim quite often.

In match points , I guess the risk might be worth it , as 1♠ is going down you are making an “advance rescue” bid . However , how does partner determine the difference between a rescue & a constructive 1NT bid ? Pass is a legal bid in Bridge . If the opener re-opens with a double & 1♠ gets converted , you have a nice 1NT run out saying run to one of the unbid suits partner. After an overcall , bidding 1NT with 6 HCP with a stiff in partners suit , my estimate is the opponents have an average of 24 HCP to your 16 HCP. The ominous pass by RHO smell of spades & it is a misfit auction . Why put your head on the chopping block ? Bidding 1NT with 6 HCP , stiff in partners suit and no stopper in the opponents suit is destructive bidding.

What if partner took you for the flat 10 HCP you are supposed to have , so bids 3NT ? The opponents cash 6 diamonds , a another trick so –300 instead of your club partial for +110 . What if partner plays you for some values and competes in spades so gets doubled for -500 against nothing ? I feel 1NT is a master minding bid in that you are not bidding your own hand but what partner might have . You are ignoring the odds & worrying about the infrequent hands where partner might have a “rock” overcall where there is game with your misfit. Bridge works out better if you bid your own hand & let the partnership make a joint decision !! If this 1NT bid is the “modern way”, I do not want any part of it .

Bidding a suit is just a one round force to an overcall. If you have some more values say 8+ HCP & up, just pick a suit & bid it rather than 1NT. You have that luxury with overcalls that you do not have with opening bids. If partner shows no sign of life , just drop the auction . Don’t forget that the rebid of the overcall just says I have a minimum ( death response ) but says nothing else. Some players go 1 step further . Because their overcall style is so light , they play a new suit by responder to an overcall as not even forcing one round ! This prevents playing a 1NT bid as a general “catch all” bid to an overcall.

I think this style of responding to an overcall is a result of the so call “modern style” of overcalling. With 5-4 in the majors , they refuse to make a T/O double holding an opening bid or better & allow equal level conversion to sort things out . They must overcall with their 5 card spade regardless whether it buries the heart suit (other suit(s) ) or not , even with strong hands. Now they need the silly 1NT bid as a catch all. Why not have overcalls generally show single suited hands ( variable strength ) or two suits under an opening bid range & T/O doubles or toys show more than one suit ? It follows that a one NT response would be back to normal. Modern bidding sucks $%^$##$ . Advocates of modern bidding confuse me …

Comments please …

P.S. Klimo & Vince Nowlan said that the 1NT bid is “obvious” with this hand in a discussion tonight. I find this “style” incomprehensible in IMPS. Modern bidding is not modern , it is just plain bad.