August 2010 - 52

It's Just MayHem

Marilyn Hemenway
mayhembridge@cox.net

When partner overcalls
Don't you just hate it when the
three people ahead of you have bid,
and you find yourself with some values that you'd like to show? You are
in position to advance the bidding if
you decide to enter the auction at this
point. In bridge terms there is: 1. the
opener, 2. the overcaller (also called
the intervenor), 3. the responder
and 4. the advancer. Everyone at the
table has a designation. Perhaps the
responder passes. In either case, you
want to show your values. The important question is how to do that?
The following are offered as guidelines, but remember that it's always
safer to bid with a partial fit than
without one. Don't forget to keep in
mind your partner's style of overcalling. Some players overcall very light
while others believe that they should
have decent values. A one-level overcall can have a wide range, but an
overcall at the two level should show
a much better hand - at least 10
high-card points and a good suit.
An overcall at the one level typically shows a good 7 to 17 points. As
advancer, how should you proceed?
When you have a fit, raise much as
you would if partner was opener.
52 Bridge Bulletin August 2010

1. raise one level with 7-9 points,
2. raise two levels with 10-12 (limit
raise) or, better yet, cuebid, if
that's your method, to show a limit
raise or better (only three-card
support needed),
3. raise preemptively to game with
lots of trump support and good
distribution but not much else.
But what do you do when you have
a semi-fit (usually two cards in partner's suit) and some values?
Bid notrump as a constructive bid:
1. 1NT with around 8-10, balanced or
semi-balanced,
2. 2NT with about 11-12 balanced or
semi-balanced,
3. 3NT if you think you can make it
(often with a source of tricks of
your own).
When partner overcalls and you
don't have a fit, decisions are more
difficult. The following are good
guidelines:
1. Bid a new suit of five cards or
longer as constructive, but not
forcing, usually without support
for partner's suit (some play this
as forcing),
2. Cuebid with a very strong hand
with or without support. Doing so
makes a new suit by you at your
next opportunity forcing for one
round. This is perhaps the hardest for partnerships to handle as
most want to assume that a cuebid
shows support. Usually it does, but
this is the one case it doesn't.
3. Pass without support and few values - trouble may be lurking. Do
not attempt to save partner.
What about after partner overcalls
at the two level (don't forget it shows
a good suit and decent values)?

When you have a three-card or
greater fit, raise much as you would a
one-level overcall:
1. One level with 6-9 points,
2. Cuebid with 10 or more HCP,
3. Bid game with a good hand if your
RHO bids and you don't have room
to cuebid or otherwise tell partner
you have good support,
4. Make a splinter bid (showing
shortness) to show a good hand
with at least four-card support.
Pass without support and few values. Same as before: Do not attempt
to save partner.
Partner bids at the two level, and
you have two-card support (or perhaps a singleton honor). Now what?
1. Bid notrump at the cheapest level
with 8-10 points and suits stopped,
2. Bid 3NT if you think you can make
it.
Without much of a fit for partner's
suit you can:
1. Bid a new suit if you have a good
suit of your own,
2. Pass.
When partner overcalls an opponent's weak two-bid, he should have
sound values, not just a long suit - a
bid after a preempt cannot be just a
long suit. What can you as advancer
do?
1. Raise much as you would had partner overcalled at the two level (see
above),
2. Raise to game if you think it can
be made,
3. Bid a new suit - forcing,
4. Bid notrump at the cheapest level,
5. Bid 3NT to show decent hand with
good stoppers in weak two-bidder's suit,
6. Pass.
r
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2010
