Overcall is a bid following an opposing bid. Of course, you must overcall for a good contract. But you can also overcall for, - Preventing opponents having better idea about their hands. - Preventing your opponents to get higher scores.
You can use preemptive bids in a competitive auction if you have good support (4+ card)
Takeout doubles and redoubles and cuebids are important aspects of a competitive auction..
When explaining the overcalls, your right hand opponent will be abbreviated as (RHO), and left hand opponent will be abbreviated as (LHO). Advancer is the partner of the overcaller.
We can collect overcall bids in three main groups:
1) Overcalls and takeout doubles when the opponents opened. 2) Overcalls and takeout doubles when the opponents have overcalled 3) Other Overcalls and Doubles
These materials are used in competitive auction..
6.1 Overcalls and Takeout Doubles When the Opponents Opened.
When an opponent opened the biding, you can make a simple overcall with 7+ high-card points and a five card suit: If your overcall have to be at the two level you'd better have 13+ points. Jump overcalls are preemptive. If you have a balanced hand you can make notrump overcall with 15-18 points. If you have strong hand with shortness in opponents' suit you can make takeout double.
Overcalls when the opponents opened can be made in different ways:
1-Suit Overcalls Simple Suit Overcall Jump Suit Overcall 2-Notrump Overcalls Simple Notrump Overcall Unusual (Jump) Overcall 3-Direct Cuebid Overcalls 4-Notrump Interference Overcalls 5-Takeout Doubles
6.1.1 Suit Overcalls and Advances
6.1.1.1 Simple Suit Overcalls
Type of Overcall
Overcaller's Points
Description of Simple Overcall
Simple Overcall at the one level
7-17
Simple Overcall at the two level
13-17
Advances of Suit Overcalls
Partner's Overcall
Advancing
Example (click on the example)
Simple
Overcall
If your opponent opens the bidding and your partner overcalls with a suit, you can pass with 0-5 points if you don't have support for partner's (overcaller) suit. A new suit also allowed at the one level with 6-9 points. A new suit allowed at the 2 level if you have 10+ points..
A cuebid in opponents' suit shows 10+ points and your interest in game contract.. Cuebidding is forcing in competitive auction...
Note: Advancer's cuebids are indirect cuebids. They are not direct cuebids...
If you have support for your partner's (overvcaller's) suit, and less than 10 points, you can make jump raises. Level of jump increases with the number of cards you hold in partner's suit..
Since jump raises are preemptive in competitive auction, if you have support and 10+ points you can cuebid opponents' suit.. As you know cuebidding is forcing in competitive auctions..
Note: Advancer's cuebids are indirect cuebids. They are not direct cuebids ..
6.1.1.2 Jump Suit Overcalls
Description of Overcall
Weak Jump Overcall
5-12
Advances of Jump Suit Overcalls
If your partner overcalls with a jump, he shows a weak hand, but his suit must be strong and long. If you have aces and kings in other suits, if you have at least three card support for partner's suit, you can raise your partner's suit. If you have a strong hand, it is your choice to bid a game, since you almost know your partner's hand.
6.1.2 Notrump Overcalls
We can replace Notrump overcalls into two categories:
6.1.2.1 Simple 1NT Overcalls
The level of overcall
Rules for overcall and advancing
Notrump overcall at the one level.
15/16-17/18
Your hand must be suitable for 1 NT opening: 15-18 points and balanced hand. You must also have controls in opponents suit.
Note: If you don't have some length or stoppers in opponent's suit you would think of to make an takeout double with 15-18 HCP..
Advancer can pass if he has less then 8 points and a balanced hand. Advancing of a simple 1NT depends on the opponent's suit.. If opponents opened in a minor suit, Stayman and transfers are on.. If opponents opened in a major, Stayman is useless.. but you can use transfers.
6.1.2.2 Unusual (Jump) 2NT Overcalls
Notrump overcall at the two level.
Suitable for an Overcall
This convention is called UNUSAL 2NT. It is used to show two suited (usually minors) hands and also prevent opponents having reach a good contract.. When a suit was previously bid by opponent, a jump to 2NT by you is called "Unusual 2NT, promising 5-5 in lowest two unbid suits:
When opponent bids 1 or 1, both minors are the lowest two unbid suits. Accordingly,
1- An 2NT overcall by you after opponent's 1 opening, you show 5-5 in hearts and diamonds. 2- An 2NT overcall by you after opponent's 1 opening, you show 5-5 in hearts and clubs. 3- An 2NT overcall by you after opponent's 1 opening, you show 5-5 in diamonds and clubs. 4- An 2NT overcall by you after opponent's 1 opening, you show 5-5 in diamonds and clubs.
Advancer bids one of partner's suit (bids the longer one ofcourse). Responder's 3NT bid is for playing..
K Q 5 3 2 6 9 5 2 J 9 7 5
When East opens 1, South bids 2NT showing 5-5 distribution in hearts and diamonds. Advancer (North) bids 3.
Note: If opponent opens the bid and you have a balanced hand with 20-21 points, you can not jump to 2NT.. Because jumping to 2NT has above meaning. In that case first make a takeout double, then you can bid your 2NT...
6.1.3 Direct Cuebid Overcalls
Bidding the same suit as your is called Cuebid. Direct Cuebids are Michael's Cuebid which is invented to show two suited hands. It is a direct cuebid of the opponent's opened suit .
Michael's Cuebid
A direct cue bid when the opponents have bid only one suit is Micheals Cue-bid which describe two suited hand to your partner. If an opponent opens the bidding, you may not find the opportunity to describe your two suited hand. If you learn Michaels cuebid, you can describe your two suited hand with one bid: If you simply bid opponent's opening bid this is Michaels cuebid. If opponents opens with a minor, your Michaels cuebid shows you have length in both majors.. If opponents opens with a major, your Michels cuebid shows you have length in other major and one of the minors..
Cue bids of preemptive openings are also Michaels.
Advances to Michaels:
Here is an example of Michael's Cuebid:
7 5 K 6 3 8 7 2 Q J 7 6 4
When East opens 1, South's 2 bid is Michaels cuebid showing both majors. Advancer (North) must bid 2S..
6.1.4 Notrump Interference Overcalls
If opponents opened 1NT, you may want to show your very unbalanced (mostly two suited) hand with some values. Natural calls don't allow you to show your two suited hands. Because, the bidding goes higher levels when you are ready to bid your second suit.. Cappelletti convention shows two suited hands...
Cappelletti conventions is notrump interference bid:
Cappelletti convention used for competing against opponents opening NT bid.
6.1.4.1 Cappelletti Convention Overcalls
Opening Bid
Meaning of Overcall
1NT
Double
2
Click here to learn Cappelletti to compete better if opponents open 1NT
6.1.5 Takeout Doubles
Doubles of suit bids are for takeout over opening partscore bids and penalty over opening bids at the game level. Direct doubles of 1NT are penalty oriented. Takeout double is a bid that can be made over an opponent's bid. If an opponent opens, you can double if you also have enough points for opening (13+ points). A takeout double requests partner to declare his longest unbid suit. Takeout double describes your hand to your partner as: At least 3 cards length at every unbid suit, shortness in opponent's suit. A double of 1NT is not a takeout double: It is penalty double. So, advancer can pass doubled opponent's notrump bid. But, It is mandatory to advance partner's takeout double.
6.1.5.1 Making Takeout Doubles
Your bid
Your point
Conditions for takeout doubles
10+
Make a takeout double in below cases:
1) If you have 10+ points and support for the unbid suits..
2)If you have 17+ points and a strong suit and you are afraid of advancer's "pass" call when you overcalled in your strong suit.. Your rebid of course will be your strong suit.
3) If you have a balanced hand with 19+ points which is too strong for 1NT overcall..You rebid can be 2NT...
6.1.5.2 Advancing to Takeout Doubles
You can not pass your partner's takeout double.
If your left hand opponent (LHO) opens in a suit, and your partner doubles (takeout double) advancer must bid his longest suit..
Doubler already informded advancer that she has support for any of advancer's suits other than opponent's suit.. Advancer must revalute her hand by dummy points (shortness points). Because the suit chosen by advancer usually becomes the trump suit.
Partner's Bid
Advancer's Points
Advancer's Bids
Any
Advancer can pass if right hand opponents bids after Doubler's takeout double,
If opponent's suit is very long in your hand, and you want to convert your partner's takeout double into penalty double you are allowed to pass..
If opponent’s suit is well stopped without a 4-card major suit you can bid 1NT with 7-9 points..
6.1.5.3 Doubler's Rebids
Advancer's Bid
Doubler's Rebids
Doubler double jump to the four level means acceptance of the suit as trump and showing her singleton or void (controls for slam)..
6.2 Overcalls and Takeout Doubles When the Opponents Have Overcalled If opponent's make an overcall after your partner's opening bid your responses may carry some different meanining according to your partner's opening bid and overcaller's bid.
6.2.1 If Opponents Intervene Over Partner's Suit Opening
6.2.1.1 Handling Opponent's Takeout Doubles
RHO
Responder
If RHO doubled your partner's opening bid a redouble by you shows a good hand with 10+ points..
6.2.1.2 Handling Opponent's Suit Overcalls
6.2.1.2.1 Negative Double
If your partner opens in a suit and the opponents overcall in an another suit, your double is negative double: Negative double shows the unbid suits Negative Doubles are employed through 3.
If there is 1 unbid major, negative double promises 4-card in that major suit. The length of the unbid minor is not very important.
If there are 2 unbid majors, negative double promises 4-card in one of the major. If there are 2 unbid minors, negative double promises 4-card in each minor suit.
Lets say your partner bids 1 and right hand opponent bids 1. And you have 4 cards heart suit.. You can't bid 2 because you need 5 cards for that.. You can not bid 1NT, in order to bid NT you must have stoper in opener suit. In such a case you have a choice: You can Double. Negative double: Shows 4 cards in unbid major and some strength..
If your partner opens 1 of a minor and opponent bids 1 Heart, your double is negative and shows 4 cards in spades.. If you had 5 cards spade you would bid 1 Spade...
If your partner opens 1 Spade and opponent bids 2 Clubs, your double is negative and shows 4 cards in Hearts.. If your partner opens 1 Club and opponent bids 3 Hearts, your double is negative and shows 4 card Spade suit..
A 6 5 3 10 6 9 KJ 9 7 5 3
North opens 1 diamond, RHO bids 1 Spade. Your double is Negative double: Shows 4 cards in unbid major and some strength...
Rebids by Opener:
13-15 Points: Any bid at possible lowest level, Non-forcing 16-18 Points: Any jump bid, invitational 19+ Cue bid,
If opener passes that means he wants to convert negative double into penalty Rebids by Negative Doubler: Up to 10 points: 1NT or new suit, non forcing 11-12 Ponits: 2NT or raising partner's suit, invitational 13+ Points: Cue-bid, forcing If negative doubler bids a game, it is sign-off
6.2.1.2.2 Cuebidding
If you bid opponents suit at a higher level, your bid is called cue-bid.. Cue-bids are also used to show support, strength and distribution..If opponents bid after your partner, your cue-bid shows support for partenr's suit and some values..
6.2.2 If Opponents Intervene Over Partner's NT Opening
Stayman and transfers are on over opponents double. After interference of 2D and higher cuebids take the place of Stayman.
Natural bids at the two level are not forcing. NAtural bids at the three level are forcing.
Also, 1NT-2H-3S is forcing. Responder asks 1NT opener to choose between 3NT and 4S..
6.3 Other Overcalls, Doubles and Redoubles
6.3.1 Reopening Double
Reopening double can be made by opener with 18-21 Points.. Let us start with an example:
Above table shows an example of reopening by West.. West has very strong hand and wants responder to find a suit.
6.3.2 SOS Redouble
In our system you can open1C or 1D as low as three cards. When oppenents double for penalty your opening bid, you may request partner to bid her best suit outside of your opening bid.
Above table shows an example of SOS Redouble.. West has few clubs, North doubles as takeout, partnerr passs and South converts TO double to Penalty..Now, A Redouble from opener is SOS double, ask partner select a new suit..
6.3.3 Penalty Doubles
Takeout double presents one of three unbid suits.. Negative double presents one of two unbid suits Penalty double presents nothing...
In order to make a penalty double you must be sure that opponents can not make their contract: For example, your double after your partner describes the shape of his hand is a penalty double..
Doubles are takeout through the game (except, your direct double to a 1NT opening bid is a penalty double) Negative Doubles are employed through 3S..
Above table shows an example of penalty Double.. Responder's double can not be negative double because 4S is above 3S...
6.3.4 Lightner Slam Double
You can make a double for opponents slam (Lightner Slam Double) to ask partner to make a lead for your void. If your partner can not guess in which suit you are void, he leads in dummy's first bid suit.
here is a Lightner slam double from 1996 World Bridge Team Championship, Rhodes, Greece, bul.3, P.9:
A 2 A Q J 7 3 2 K 7 6 4 7
North's double to West's 6D is lightner slam double: Asks partner to lead Dummy's first bid suit: Heart!
6.3.5 Lead Directing Double
Lead-directing doubl is a double of opponents' conventional bid which shows strength in that suit.
In above table 2C is Stayman. It is an artificial bid. 2C is neither opponents' suit, nor you want to play in clubs. You just inform partner that club suit in your hand is strong and long.. If opponents play for a NT contract, partner will lead clubs for you...