Standard American Lesson 4
♥ Overcalls
So far we have only learnt how to open the bidding and how to respond to partner’s opening bid. It’s much more fun, though, if everyone is bidding. If you bid after your opponents have opened the bidding, you are an overcaller .
The rules are now different. Instead of trying to get to game, you are attempting to:
- Steal the contract
- Obstruct the opponents
- Suggest a lead to partner
If you have a good 5-card suit you can simply bid that suit even with less than 12 TP. All you promise is a good suit, so partner shouldn’t expect a lot of points. A good rule of thumb for a good suit is that you should have 2 honors.
Your right-hand opponent bids 1 ♥ . What is your bid?
| ♠ KQJ109 |
1♠. You have a good suit and |
| ♥ A62 |
points aren’t important when |
| ♦ 875 |
you are overcalling. |
| ♣ 93 |
|
| ♠ 97632 |
Pass. You have lots of points, but a |
| ♥ A62 |
bad suit. Don’t overcall 1♠. That |
| ♦ AQ5 |
would promise a good suit. |
| ♣ K3 |
|
4. Overcalls & Scoring
♣ Responding To Overcalls
It is important to bid if you possibly can so as to make life difficult for your opponents.
The principle is the same for the overcaller’s partner as it is for the overcaller.
It is the trump suit that matters.
A big difference is that your partner has shown a 5-card suit so you need only 3 trumps as support.
Partner overcalls 1♠ after 1 ♦. Your bid?
| ♠ 97 |
Pass. Your partner is promising a |
| ♥ 962 |
good spade suit, so there is no need |
| ♦ AQJ53 |
to do anything. You don’t have a fit. |
| ♣ K32 |
|
| ♠ 973 |
Bid 2♠. You have a fit. Push the |
| ♥ 962 |
bidding up a level. Your opponents |
| ♦ QJ53 |
have to bid at the 3-level now! |
| ♣ K32 |
|
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