An opponent's overcall of your partner's opening bid can make it more difficult for you to find an accurate response. Many partnerships run into trouble because they aren't sure of how -- or if -- the intervening overcall should change the meaning of responder's actions.
If your partner opens the bidding and your right-hand opponent (RHO) makes an overcall, most of your responding bids carry the same general meaning as those you would have made if your RHO had passed. Some responses, however, should be shaded up or down somewhat. In general, your "freebids" of notrump should be near the top of your range. Your suit bids, however -- especially when you're raising partner's suit -- need not show anything extra. Here are some guidelines for choosing your response:
1NT = 8-10 points with stoppers in the opponent's suit.
2NT = 10-12 points with stoppers in the opponent's suit.
3NT = 12-15 points with stoppers in the opponent's suit.
Double = Can
carry one of two meanings, depending on what you and your partner agree:
1 - Penalty, which is the old-fashioned
"standard" meaning. This double should only be made with a long,
strong trump holding in the opponent's suit. OR
2 - Negative, showing at least a fair
responding hand (7-8+ playing points) and 4-card length in the unbid major (or,
if there is no unbid major, length in both minor suits). If opener has
4-card length in the suit you're showing, he bids it. If not, he must find
another descriptive bid.
1-level bid in a new suit (1D-[1H]-1S)= 6+ points, 4-card suit. If you have a bare 6 points, you should have a good suit. If your partnership plays negative doubles, the freebid promises a 5+-card suit.
2-level bid in a new suit (1H-[1S]-2C)= 10+ points, 4-card suit. If your partnership plays negative doubles, the freebid promises a 5+-card suit.
Raise to 2 of partner's suit (1H-[2C]-2H)= 5-10 points with 3+-card support if partner opened a major; 4+-card support if partner opened a minor. You should stretch to raise partner if you have trump support and playing strength, even if you have sub-minimum point-count.
Raise to 3 of partner's
suit (invitational) (1H-[1S]-3H)= 10-11 points with 3-card
support if partner opened a major; 4+-card support if partner opened a
minor.
NOTE: Some pairs use the jump raise as preemptive -- a weak
hand (3-6 points) with good trump support and playing strength. If you choose
this meaning, you can use the cuebid (see below) to show a hand with
invitational-or-better strength.
Cuebid after partner opens a minor (1D-[1S]-2S) = Game-forcing hand (12+ points), usually with no other good descriptive bid available. Your bid of the opponent's suit is forcing and asks opener to tell you more about his hand. Opener's first obligation is to show you a major suit if he has one; if not, he should bid notrump if he has good stoppers in the opponent's overcalled suit.
Cuebid after partner opens a major (1H-[1S]-2S)= Game-forcing hand (12+ points), usually with support for partner's major.
Raise to 4 of partner's major (1H-[1S]-4H) = 5-11 points, long, strong trumps and good distributional strength. With a much stronger hand, you can start with a cuebid of the opponent's suit, then bid game in partner's suit at your next turn.
Double = Penalty, showing a good 9+ high-card points.
2 of partner's suit (1H-[1NT]-2H)= 5-8 high-card points with good support and distributional strength. Length in the trump suit is more important than strength.
2 of a new suit (1H-[1NT]-2D)= Weak (5-9 points), with a good 6+-card (or very strong 5-card) suit.
2NT (1H-[1NT]-2NT)= A two-suited hand (5-5 or longer) with great playing strength.
Redouble = 10+ points, usually without support for partner's suit. A redouble suggests that you have good defensive strength in the unbid suits and may want to double the opponent's final contract.
1NT = 8-10 points with strength in the unbid suits.
1-level bid in a new suit (1C-[DBL]-1H)= 6+ points, 4+-card suit. If you have a bare 6 points, you should have a good suit.
2-level bid in a new suit (1H-[DBL]-2C)= 4-9 points, 6+-card suit. This is a weak bid. If you have a stronger hand, redouble first, then show your suit later.
Raise to 2 of partner's suit = 5-10 points with 3+-card support if partner opened a major; 4+-card support if partner opened a minor. You should stretch to raise partner if you have trump support and playing strength, even if you have sub-minimum point-count.
Raise to 3 of partner's suit (1H-[DBL]-3H)= Weak (4-7 points) with 4+-card trump support and good playing strength. If you have an invitational raise (10-11 points), redouble first, then raise partner's suit.
Copyright © Karen Walker