June 15, 2006 6:49 PM

Hand Evaluation – Overcalls ( Ambiguity )

PITBULLS:

The purpose of bidding is to describe your hand to partner so that an informed decision can be made by the partnership. This goal is hindered by making ambiguous bids. When you overcall 1NT , partner has a picture of your distribution & HCP range with one bid. When you overcall at the one level or 2 level instead, you introduce ambiguity . For example , after partner makes a T/O double , which bid goes more information to partner responding 1NT or 2 of a minor ? Remove ambiguity for partner by making the bid that describes your hand as close as possible. The decision whether to make a T/O double or an overcall is quite often based on choosing the least ambiguous bid anticipating the auction “taking off”.

You are vul vrs not and you hold ♠AKJ9xxx ♥x ♦Jxx ♣Jx . They open 1♣ so do you overcall 1♠ or 3♠ ? This decision cost the Spingold event one year. One player bid 3♠ so when his partner bid 3NT , he passed so that made for +630. At the other table , they overcalled one spade so when partner bid 3NT , they corrected to 4♠ & went down one with Q10xx of spades offside. When you describe your hand with a single bid in the first instance , you have reduced ambiguity & brought partner into the picture. Afterwards you do not need to make single handed decisions for the partnership due to making an ambiguous bid initially.

The choice between a weak jump overcall or an overcall removes ambiguity. In a Vanderbilt match , one player had ♠AK109xx ♥x ♦Q10x ♣xxx so overcalled 1♠ . At the other table , they bid 2♠ so they got to an excellent sacrifice which was not reached at the other table because of the ambiguous nature of the one level overcall , partner decided to defend. I was playing with Perry where he had a choice of making an ambiguous 1♥ overcall or a descriptive weak 2♥ overcall after they opened. He chose the ambiguous bid but I doubled their 1NT bid. He left it in so we were minus 380. Bidding 2♥ initially brings me into the picture so I can make an informed decision.

When you hold 8 card suits , let partner in on the secret. There are no bids invented at low levels to announce suits with extreme length. It is a Bridge understanding that if you jump to the 4 level , you have a Ghoulie style hand with an 8 card or longer suit. Some of the worst bids I have seen in a long time involver partners who insist on hiding 8 card suits from partner.

One player playing with Tom Gandolfo had ♠Qxx ♥void ♦AQ1098xxx ♣AQ so opened 1♦ . Tom bid 1♠ and guess what descriptive bid he came up with to bring Tom into the picture about the nature of his hand ? You guessed it 2♦ ! Try to resolve that ambiguity !! Dora Lee held ♠AQJ1098x ♥10xx ♦void ♣Qxx , my partner opened 1♦ with Dora’s partner overcalling at the two level with 2♣. The opponents subsequently get to 6♦ vul so do you sacrifice ? Partner overcalled at the two level which can show an opening hand with defense. Based on partner’s bid , do they have 12 tricks ? Dora decided they do not , so she decided to defend. Wrong ! partners hand was ♠void ♥QJ98 ♦x ♣AKJ1098xx . Overcalling 2♣ instead of 4♣ or 5♣ got it intended result as 6♦ made. 7♣ needs a heart lead to beat it !

My partner & I were playing against a pair where the auction went 1♠-2♥ but a confusing forcing pass auction ensued. Guess what the opponents had for a mere nv vrs vul overcall at the two level. Just an 8-4 with a void & a stiff. A two heart overcall really describes that hand to partner L. ♠x ♥KQ1098xxx ♦void ♣A1098 . When you have no respect for partner , you can bid a single handed ambiguous 2♥ rather than 4♥. You fool her along with the opponents so you might entice the opponents into a double of 5♥ .

The prize for the worst bidding of a Bridge hand in a long time goes to the holder of this hand . ♠xx ♥A10x ♦KJ109876x ♣void. First of all he passes which puts him in a bad position to describe his hand later and allows lots of bidding room for the opponents. Hand evaluation is dynamic as the opponents bidding may improve your hand during the auction. They open 1♣ , partner overcalls 1♠ so around to you. The opponents by opening your void , has made your hand even bigger. What you cannot do is make a non forcing 2♦. Partner will pass with ♠AJ10xx ♥Kx ♦Ax ♣xxxx and a number of similar hands where 6♦ is lay down. Even if partner bids again , you can never play catch up as you passed initially & made a non forcing 2♦. When you have kept partner out of the picture , anything you do is single handed & shooting dice. Your bidding is so strange that it can almost be labeled as a psyche. You bid a non forcing 2♦ , over 2NT by partner you bid 3NT. The opponents make a lead directing double of your game with ♠QJxx ♥xx ♦A ♣KQJ1098 & you of course leave it in. Partner holds ♠AKxxx ♥Kx ♦Qx ♣Axxx so you go 3 down doubled in 3NT instead of a cold +920 in a diamond slam. Ambiguity reigns supreme !!