Thursday, February-12-09

Hand Evaluation – Overcalls ( Responding )

PITBULLS:

         To preserve the sanctity of a Q bid by responder after partner's overcall to always mean a fit with a limit raise or better hand , we play a new suit by responder as a one round force. This treatment causes a problem with a class of hands similar to those that fall into the "garbage bucket" of Bridge called the forcing NT. These are the 2/1 style hands that are not strong enough for a safe one round force . You do not want to have a forcing NT to an overcall, as that is ludicrous. Some partnerships have decided that these "class of hands" are better handled by having a 2/1 after an overcall as non forcing & mildly invitational ( a pass is still allowed ).

OK , this treatment solves one problem but introduces another . How do you show a forcing 2/1 ( one round )  to an overcall ? When you now use a Q bid for that purpose , your Q bid becomes ambiguous. When you use a jump for that purpose , you lose splinters or fit showing jumps after an overcall. My preference is that I would like an unambiguous Q bid to always show a fit for partner after an overcall. Therefore , we need to borrow from the Goren days & have a strong jump shift to describe the strong hands without a fit but lower in rank than the overcalled suit.

When your suit is higher ranking than the overcall , there is no problem as you just bid at the same level which is a one round force. Unless you want to play that as non forcing also. The problem typically arises with a minor suit or the heart suit after a major suit overcall at the one level. I do not feel a splinter at the 3 level is a great loss as you can Q bid & show your singleton later. The fit showing jump can also be described by Q bidding & bidding your suit later. Alternatively we can use the Goren method of jumping in your suit & supporting partner later in hers.. We now default to the strong jump shift in these situations for strong hands with lower ranking suits so a direct 2/1 is not even a one round force !

  A 1♥ opener followed by a 1♠ overcall by partner & a pass by them catching you with ♠x ♥xxx ♦AKJ10xx ♣Jxx . You just bid 2♦ so when partner does not wish to continue , the auction dies in 2♦. All well & good as you just rescued a minimum overcall into a nice suit. This is similar to our 2/1 non forcing to game ( suit rebid style ) & forcing 1NT strategy after a major opener. Except that with overcalls, the auction just dies at the 2/1 when the overcaller does not feel like bidding again.

Same start to the auction but add an Ace to your hand ♠x ♥xxx ♦AKJ10xx ♣AJx . This is a 3♦ bid which forces you to bid something. The "death response" by you is rebidding your suit so that may end this auction. The 3♦ bid is not a game force but just a force. When responder now Q bids after making a SJS initially , we are forced to game somewhere. When responder bids again after the overcaller’s death response , the bid is forcing. This bidding treatment is hard for Edmontonians to grasp as they must give up their beloved 3 level splinter after major overcalls. However , the return on your investment is many +110's instead of -200 or reaching a nice game when you fit partners 2/1 suit. Makes more sense than a splinter from my perspective. Splinters can always be shown later in the auction after an initial fit showing Q bid.

Another great use of this concept is to free the ♥ suit from the clutches of a spade overcall. ♠x ♥Q1098x ♦Axxxx ♣xx opposite

♠AJ10x ♥AKxx ♦x ♣xxx . 1♣-1♠-P-? Responder does not have to make a ridiculous 1NT bid to keep the bidding open. A pass does not work as you make +620 in ♥’s . A 2♥ non forcing saves the day as that is raised to game by the overcaller. An overcall may have opening bid values but an overcall is not an opening bid. You need to get in out fast with overcalls. Non forcing responses does the job nicely.