Lesson 7.

Competitive Bidding.

Once an opponent has opened the bidding, the requirements for you to make an intervening bid are quite different from those we considered in making an opening bid.
There are several reasons for this.

1. When you make an opening bid you are always looking for a possible game contract. However,
when you make an intervening bid you may have other objectives which we shall consider later.

2. Since one of your opponents has announced a better-than-average hand, you must be careful that your bid doesn't incur a large penalty,
especially if opponents Double your bid.

The double is a bid we haven't yet considered, but, basically it is used when you think you can defeat the opponent's contract and wish to double the stakes.
In fact, the double more than doubles the penalties for failure, especially if the contract fails by more than one trick.

A. The Simple Overcall.

          You make a Simple Overcall by bidding your suit at the lowest level necessary to overcall the bid made by your opponent.
Thus, if your opponents have bid 1 Heart, then 1 Spade, 2 Clubs or 2 Diamonds would be Simple Overcalls. The objects of the Simple overcall are.

1. To contest a part-score contract. It is not primarily aimed at reaching a game contract although you may well do so if partner has a good hand.

2. To try to force the opponents to over-stretch and to bid one trick more than they can make.

3. To suggest a suit that your partner can lead with safety if opponents finally buy the contract.

Requirements.

1. You must hold a suit of AT LEAST 5 cards. Hands of 4333 or 4432 distribution, even when containing as many as 13 or 14 points (hands that you were about to open with a bid of 1 NT)
are NOT suitable for simple overcalls and should be passed.

2. Point count is less important than the number of playing tricks i.e. the number of tricks you might expect to make if your long suit were trumps.
If you can overcall at the one level , because your suit is higher ranking than the suit opened by your opponents, then you need a minimum of 9 or 10 points
and should be able to count at least 4 playing tricks. However, if your suit is lower-ranking than the suit opened by your opponents,
and you need to bid at the two level, then you need to be able to make 5 tricks with your suit as trumps.

          The normal maximum strength for a Simple overcall is 14 or 15 points. With stronger hands, other bids are available.
Some hands which have values for an opening bid of 1NT are NOT SUITABLE for an overcall and must be passed.
Some hands that are unsuitable for an opening bid ARE suitable for an overcall. The reason for this is that an overcall does NOT guarantee that you will bid again if partner responds.

Responses.

1. With 0 - 9 points. Pass. Since partner has a maximum of about 14 points game is very unlikely.

2. With 9 - 10 points the only bid you can make is a raise of partner s suit. Since he has guaranteed 5 cards, you need only 3 cards in his suit to support him. DO NOT bid a suit of your own.

3. With 11 - 12 points you can (in order of preference).

          a) give partner a jump raise (with 3 or more cards in his suit).

          b) with a stop in opponent s suit, bid 1NT (if available).

          c) bid a suit of your own.

 4. With 13 - 15 points you can (again in order of preference).

          a) raise partner s suit to game (with 3-card support)

          b) with a stop in opponent's suit bid 2NT (NOT 3NT) partner may well have only 10 points.

          c) bid a suit of your own.

You are West. The bidding has gone North 1♦ East 1♥ South Pass West ?

B. The Jump Overcall.

          You make a Jump Overcall by bidding your suit at one level higher than the minimum required to overcall the suit bid by your opponents.
Thus, if opponents had opened with a bid of 1 Heart, then 2 Spades, 3 Clubs and 3 Diamonds would all be jump overcalls.

Requirements.

1. You must hold a good suit of AT LEAST 6 cards and expect to make AT LEAST 6 or 7 tricks if your suit  were trumps.

2. Although, once again, points are less important than playing tricks, normally the bid shows about 15 - 17 high card points.

Responses.

          A jump overcall may be passed, but you should make some effort to reach a game contract on 7 or more points,
giving preference to a raise of partner's suit (requiring only TWO cards, since partner has shown 6).
Failing support, you may bid a suit of your own or, with a good stop in opponent's suit, No Trumps at the lowest level.

1. On 0 - 6 points Pass

2. On 7 - 8 points

          (a) Raise Partner s suit (with 2 or more card support)

          (b) Bid NT at lowest level (with stop in opponent s suit)

3. On 9+ points

          (a) Raise partner s suit to game (with 2 or more card support)

          (b) Bid 3NT (with stop in opponent s suit)

          (c) Bid a suit of your own.

Examples. Your Right Hand Opponent (usually abbreviated to RHO) has opened 1 Club.

(a) A good overcall of 1 Heart, but if the opening bid had been 1 Spade it's not quite strong enough to bid 2 Hearts.

(b) Pass. If partner can’t bid you'd probably do better defending the hand. If he DOES bid, then respond 2NT.

(c) Overcall 1 Diamond, if the opening bid had been 1 Spade, bid 2 Diamonds.

(d) Make a jump overcall of 2 Hearts. If the opening bid had been 1 Spade, you are just about strong enough to bid 3Hearts

(e) Overcall 1 Heart. Not all 6-card suits are worth a jump overcall.

(f) Pass. DO NOT make the mistake of bidding 2 Clubs! If the opening bid had been in any other suit, then 2 Clubs would be a reasonable overcall.

(g) Overcall 1 Diamond. If the opening bid had been 1 Heart or 1 Spade, you ARE strong enough to bid 2 Diamonds.

(h) Overcall 2 Spades. You have a certain 5 tricks (probably 6) in the Spade suit, plus 2 Aces.

(i) Pass. An overcall of 1 Heart could turn out well, but probably won't