Sunday, March 09, 2003 1:45 AM

Hand Evaluation – Overcalls ( Shape Before Strength )

PITBULLS:

Over the years there has been a trend in the treatment of overcalls . Decades ago , Bridge players had an all purpose double anchored around maybe 16 HCP’s to tell partner that “I am too strong to overcall” with my one suited hand . Over the years this treatment has gone out of style as ambiguous doubles led to disasters in competitive auctions as partner played you for a “take out double” with at least two suits. It was also better to get in their initially with your suit & not muddy the waters with an ambiguous double . Hence , the range for overcalls went up to the following criteria. You would overcall on any single suited hand up to the range where a game would be missed when partner did not respond with 6 points. I feel that a T/O double with only one suit should be declared extinct.

Weak overcalls at the one level are still tolerated as long as they are lead directing . Weak overcalls ( HCP’s or suit ) at the two level are considered old fashioned or dangerous. Partner expects close to an opening bid for a two level overcall with a decent suit . The Bergenists overcall with bad suits & minimum hands hoping partner can save them but we have not bought into that style. Minimum overcalls still must have decent suits. All intermediate hands with a one suiter seem to be described by overcalls rather than doubles . Offensive two suiters without defense are overcalled (intermediate range) rather than unusual 2NT or Michael’s bids .

I make an exception to an overcall with a two suiter with an intermediate hand that I cannot overcall at the two level due to a bad suit or having too much defense measured in quick tricks. I double instead & use equal level conversion to keep the auction at the same level so I describe my two suits that way by doubling a spade for example with ♠x ♥KJxxx ♦AQ10xx Ax . The spade suit being the boss suit makes things awkward for overcalling at the two level when your heart suit is shaky & you have such nice defense. Although the theory today is show shape before strength by bidding , bad suits are an exception . You want to keep intermediate hands away from Michaels bids or not make overcalls at the two level with a bad suit. A double brings in the safety of two suits or partner may have a suit of her own. With a slightly stronger hand , I double & jump convert to diamonds to show the two suiter.

O.K. you have described your shape before strength by “getting in there” with your one suited overcall. Later in the auction you have to give partner some indication of your strength . When you have a lot of HCP’s that in the old days you would have doubled initially rather than overcalling , you better double at your first opportunity now. This has no hidden meaning other then you have lots of HCP’s along with your overcall . The double after overcalling first is not belated takeout but D.S.I.P. showing cards so partner act accordingly. Bidding again or introducing a new suit also shows a good hand but more offense than defense. A belated Q bid would be a Western Q when you overcalled a minor , a distributional rock when you overcalled a major.

How do you describe a rock two suiter ? Michaels Q or Unusual 2NT are weak or very strong so we have those covered. When you are vulnerable , let the vulnerability help describe your hand. You can of course make a Michaels or Unusual 2NT with an intermediate hand vul vrs not. Having toys weak on this vulnerability is suicide. What about the single suited monsters ? My feeling is that jumping in the opponents suit is a silly bid so put it to good use . A 1♦ opener followed by a 3♦ overcall shows a rock one suiter in an unspecified suit . Partner has some standard responses . Her first duty is to bid 3NT with a stopper . Clubs and diamonds are always reserved to tell partner the number of controls she has . When responder has no NT stopper , she bids the lower minor Q bid showing 0-1 controls and the higher ranking 2 or more . This is invaluable information for partner to keep bidding or investigate a slam ( a pre-Blackwood if you will ).

With these understandings a double & bidding a suit should be very rare ( virtually extinct ) . I suppose you could double followed by a jump to game but there is a better way. A jump Q bid can show any huge one suited overcall. Playing equal level conversion you must “up the level” to show the huge two suited hand after a double , unless you pull hearts to spades at the same level. This forces preference to a higher level ( reverse concept ) .

You do not pre-empt over a pre-empt . The opponents open a weak two or three , avoid the temptation to overcall with minimum hands . Partner expects a good hand when you overcall a weak two or three bid. Just because they are weak , does not give you license to be weak also. Your overcall range over weak twos can be kept under control by partnership understandings . A good one that my partners & I have, is scrapping Michaels Q’s over weak twos and 3’s & one bids in the balancing spot. This allows us to use a Q bid as a western Q bid over weak 2’s in the majors. We then know that our overcall is not a self sufficient suit when we did not make that Q bid . The Q bid is a strong hand after a 3 level pre-empt & not Michaels. This “Goren” style Q bid also prevents ambiguous one suited doubles of weak two’s and 3’s . This Q bid applies in the balancing position also at the one or two level. It is not Michaels which is a very over used & ambiguous convention..We playing leaping Michaels over weak 2’s directly or in the balancing spot.

The initial double of an auction can very confusing and ambiguous when you allow it to be . Good established partnerships try to keep the T/O double under control by following “shape before strength” & overcalling rather than doubling . Established partnerships keep bad suit overcalls under control by doubling & playing equal level conversion. When partner cannot respond to your one suited overcall, do you miss game , should be your only overcall criteria ..