Plain Sailing Introduction 402 – Overcalling With Stronger Hands

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402 – Overcalling With Stronger Hands

402

Overcalling With Stronger Hands and at the 2 Level

The criteria for two-level overcalls are significantly more. Points are not crucial but because It is far more difficult for everyone to bid at this level you need a better (ie. longer and stronger) suit since you must be concerned about getting left in your bid, possibly even doubled especially if you are vulnerable.

Guidelines For Overcalling in Bridge

Guidelines for Overcalling at the Two Level

Suit Length	Overcall at the Two Level
5 cards	Avoid weak five-card suits. If you overcall with a 5 card suit at this level your suit should be headed by at least two of the honor cards
6 cards	Your suit may be quite weak when not vulnerable. Unless your hand is very strongOpeners strong hand contains 17+ points Responders strong hand contains 16+ points In NoTrump its high card points In a suit its total points (with distribution points) More, have at least two honorsSometimes known as face cards or honours , each is worth high card points. They are: the Ace (A) = 4 HCP the King (K) = 3 HCP the Queen (Q) = 2 HCP the Jack (J) = 1 HCP and the Ten (10 or T) in each suit The 10 and 9 card in any suit are k... More especially when vulnerable
Up to 5 card suits but lots of points (13+) and a shortage in Opponents Suit	Make a takeout double “X”

Instant Progress Quiz – Check all correct answers

Question:Your opponent opens the 1H – what should your over-call be?

Your Hand

A overcall 2S

An overcall 1S

Pass

Double ‘X’

Holding this hand, what do you bid when the opposition Open the Bidding 1♠

♠ A 6
♥ K Q T 6
♦ A K
♣ K J 6 4 3

Answer: Make a Takeout Double “X.” If you overcall 2C your partner will think you have a long suitIs the suit with the greatest number of cards in a hand.
This term is not usually used on a suit with fewer than five cards. More and 8-10 points.

Practice This Lesson

Defensive Bidding with Strong Hands

Extra for Experts

A different game on the same subject as this lesson, with questions for community discussion in the comments area below.

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dom December 30, 2024

easier to set 3H

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The Acol Bidding System

*If you live in the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand is the most widespread system Acol has the following characteristics:

It is a natural system: most opening bids, responses and rebids are made with at least 4 cards in the suit bid, and most no trumpA bid to play a hand without a trump suit where the highest card played to the suit first led to the trick – wins. This bid is peculiar to Bridge More bids are made with balanced hands.
It is a four-card major system: only four-card suits are required to open 1♠ or 1♥, unlike Standard American and many other systems where five-card suits are typically required.
It makes extensive use of limit bids: limit bids describe the hand so closely, in terms of high card points (HCPHigh Card Points (HCP) Honour cards (the Ace (A) the King (K) the Queen (Q) the Jack (J) and the Ten (10) in each suit, each of these cards is has a different points value called HCP = High Card Points. There are a total of 40 points in the entire pack of card… More) and shape, that the one who makes the limit bidA bid which describes precisely from the lowest to the highest number of points the bidder has in their hand The point count for limit bids differs depending on whether you are opener or responder. Overcallers only have 1NT as a limit bid More is expected to pass on the next round, unless partner makes a forcing bid.
Understanding and correct use of limit bids and forcing bids is fundamental to applying the system: all no trumpA suit of cards with the highest ranking over the other suits in a particular hand
Noun usage – A card in the trump suit whose trick-taking power is greater than any other suit card.
Verb usage – To play a trump after a plain suit has been led or otherwi… More bids below the level of 4NT are limit bids, as are all suit bids that merely repeat a suit already bid by the partnership; changes of suit may be forcing or not depending on the approach bids.
The level of the 1NT opening bid influences other bids: the normal choice is between a “weak no trump” (12–14 HCP) and a “strong no trump” (15–17 HCP).
All 1 of a suit opening bids then promise at least 4 cards in the bid suit

Notrump follow-up conventions include Stayman, Jacoby transfers Blackwood and Gerber Convention.