Overcalls by Paul Bowyer

A: 1♠. You wouldn't open the bidding with this hand but it is a clear-cut overcall. Your suit is good and you have the all-important Spade suit. (Spades are good to hold as the top-ranking suit as you can readily outbid the opponents if your side has a trump fit).

Note that this bid will irritate West if he was about to bid 1♥ and it also gives a shining light to partner regarding the opening lead should West end up as declarer. These are powerful points.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. This hand has the same 10 points that Hand 1 has but now there is little reason to enter the fray. Bridge is not about point-count, it is about making tricks. Hand 1 had playing strength, this hand has very little. Also, would you really want to insist on a Spade lead from partner if he were on lead at trick one?

You can overcall on a weak hand but only if your suit is good.

Your result so far:

A: 1♠. You really don't want to overcall on such a feeble suit, vulnerable, but your hand is simply too good to Pass. With 14 points you have to enter the auction and your only suit is Spades. Partner will expect a better suit but that's unfortunate.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. This hand is nowhere near a two-level overcall, vulnerable. It would be a poor call even if not vulnerable.

Yes, you would have opened the bidding given the chance but now you should keep schtum. Your suit is too feeble to bid and your shape is poor; 5.3.3.2 hands tend to play very poorly in general. Overcalling in a minor is a waste of time in general as you will usually be outbid by the opponents with their higher-ranking suits.

1NT, of course, would show a much stronger hand than this.

Your result so far:

A: 2♣. This hand with its fine suit is a clear overcall, even vulnerable. Note that you only have 11 points compared with 12 on Hand 4 but this hand has much more playing strength. The suit is magnificent (and you'd just love a Club lead if West were declarer) and you have an attractive 6.3.3.1 shape.

Your result so far:

A: 1♠. Yes, only 9 points but you aren't vulnerable, you have the top-ranking suit ("He who hath Spades ruleth the auction") and you have an excellent suit. Further, as a Passed hand partner is not going to assume that you have the earth over here - he already knows you don't have an opening bid.

Maybe you can push the opponents about in the auction, maybe this bid will attract a killing lead from North. Who knows?

Your result so far:

A: Pass. You have the dreaded 5.3.3.2 hand pattern (this argues against bidding) and your high cards are badly placed (the Clubs sit over you and you have three low Hearts, meaning that partner's Heart pictures are probably worthless). Also, the ♦Q J are probably a waste of pasteboard.

As a final point your suit is poor. Best to keep out of this one; you can't really hope to contest the auction here.

Your result so far:

A: 2♦. One of the few times that you should consider bidding at the two-level in a minor on a five-card suit. A 5.4.3.1 pattern plays much better than a 5.3.3.2 hand (so there is less risk in bidding) and your suit is so good you must direct partner's attention to the opening lead.

If you Pass here partner may be on lead to, say, 3NT with a blind choice. Why would he select a Diamond?

Your result so far:

A: Pass. This is very definitely NOT a hand to enter the fray with 2♦, especially vulnerable. Your suit has more holes than a Swiss cheese, your hand is the dreaded 5.3.3.2 shape (LOTS of potential losers) and your cards are badly placed (1♥ has been bid on your left, making the ♥K likely to be under the ♥A, and you have three low cards in the suit bid on your right).

If you bid 2♦ you give East-West fielder's choice. If it suits them they could Double you for a huge penalty. If they don't have a "trump stack" then they will simply outbid you in Hearts or Spades. Heads you lose, tails they win.

Your result so far:

A: Pass (!) Entering the bidding after an opening bid on your left and a two-level response on your right is fraught with danger. Let's do the arithmetic. West has 12 points (or so) and East has at least 10. That gives East-West an absolute minimum of 22 points. You have 17 points, so poor old North has at most 1 point. In fact, as we can see all four Jacks, North cannot even have that... You are facing an absolute blizzard.

If you bid 2♦ (on this 5.3.3.2 hand) and play there just how many tricks do you think you will make, given that dummy will have nothing, zilch, de nada? Yep - about three, maybe four on a good day. If you are Doubled that will be 1100 points to the bad guys.

Overcalling gives East-West fielder's choice. If it suits them they could Double you for a huge penalty. If they don't have Diamonds then they will simply outbid you in Hearts or Spades. Heads you lose, tails they win.

There are some days you just have to let the opponents have their way. This is one of them.

Your result so far: