Thursday, July 14, 2005 12:00 AM

Hand Evaluation – Overcalls ( One Level )

PITBULLS:

Theory discussing time. There is quite a philosophical difference between good Alberta Players & good B.C. players with regard to one level overcalls. In Alberta , we play a bid at the one level after partners overcall a one round force. The B.C. players allow that particular auction to be passed. The more I think about it , maybe the B.C. players have something there. When was the last time you made a jump shift at the two level after partner has overcalled at the one level ? I guess it should be defined as a weak jump shift since being at the two level the bid must be a major. A weak jump shift after an overcall though does not make much sense. The overcall is a very wide HCP range of hands , so jumping with a weak hand can open up many penalty double opportunities for the opponents in misfit auctions. Let the opponents play misfits.

An opening bid shows opening bid values. An overcall at the one level or even the two level does not. There is no reason to play by the same rules as openings bids with overcalls. Get in fast & get out fast allows you to compete better. Forcing bids restrict freedom of movement so to speak. The modern game is more geared to competing so entering the auction frequently with overcalls is a good strategy.

Having a bid as non forcing at the one level only , allows pre-rescues to occur . When you overcall a heart & LHO has a heart trap , partner may “pre-rescue” you with a spade. This fowls up their negative double sequences as a double of one spade by the opener is ambiguous , When one spade is passed around to the heart trap , he may jump in NT, so we have wiggled out of trouble.

The “death response” sometimes gets the partnership in trouble in overcall situations. Since partners bid at the one level is forcing one round , we should describe our minimum overcalls by rebidding our suit. This is the “death response” & not saying I have a good long suit. We do this because we must as partners bid is forcing one round. This can cause us to miss our secondary fit as we play in our 5-1 fit down a bunch. When a one level response is not forcing , a two level bid of a new suit by the overcaller should not be forcing either. This allows the partnership to find good secondary fits. A jump in the secondary suit by the overcaller would be highly invitational.

A jump shift at the two level or 3 level by the overcallers partner to force one round is not so terrible as it is virtually a wasted bid anyway. For years , I have been trying to come with a use for this particular bid. Splintering can be done at a higher level & as mentioned previously , weak jump shifts to an overcall do not make any Bridge sense. Fit showing jumps to an overcall has not caught on yet & is redundant as a Q bid works to show a fit. OK , what are we talking about here. With the rank of suits , a 1♦ or 1♥ overcall after a club opening , a 1♥ overcall after a diamond or club opener are the only bids that allow a new suit response by partner to be at the one level. Why not allow a jump shift in the major at the two level to be the one round force ? You are not giving up anything so you may compete better. You get away from rebidding your suit as “the death response” opposite a weak hand.

The way we now play our overcalls , bidding a new suit by the overcaller is a good hand. ♠x ♥AKJxx ♦Q10xx ♣xxx , it goes 1♣ so you overcall 1♥. Partner bids a spade so you should not bid 2♦ as it sounds very forward going. Therefore , you make the “death response” by rebidding your hearts. Partners hand is ♠KJxxx ♥x ♦KJxxx ♣xx & certainly she was “all in” with her spade bid. Result is 2♥ going down –300 with bad breaks with 2♦ cold for +110 for a 10 IMP swing ! Since 1♠ is non forcing , 2♦ should be just improving the partial contract.

By not raising partners suit response at the one level , you have a new understanding that a raise is invitational as opposed to “forced” as you are not allowed to pass. This inference is handy for competing. ♠Kxx ♥AQJ10x ♦xxx ♣xx They open a minor , you overcall a heart with partner bidding a spade. When not forcing , you pass & if forcing you bid 2♠. How does partner know you have such a dog ? She bounces to 4♠ & there is no chance for game. Add a King to you overcall & you would make the same spade raise to a forcing 1♠ bid. Now 4♠ is cold. The B.C players play it in one spade for +140 , we play it in 4♠ down for a 100 so 6 IMPS tossed.

We do not play a forcing NT to a one level overcall, that is pathetic Bridge. A forcing NT assumes an opening bid by partner not an overcall. Therefore a 2/1 response to a one level overcall should not be forcing & just be a negative free bid showing a suit. To preserve the sanctity of a Q bid to an overcall as always showing a fit , we need to play a Goren strong jump shift to an overcall as a one round force.. This concept also allows us to overcall 1♠ holding 4♥ & not lose the heart suit.

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