"Hit the Road, Jack" Responding after Overcall by Marti Ronemus

The year is 1961 and Ray Charles teaches us how to handle the opposition. "Hit the Road, Jack... and don't you come back no mo', no mo'." And today we use his energy and determination to bid after the Wretched Opponents overcall our Pard's opening bid.

Our choices?
**Raise our Pard's bid... the weakest response we can give, not forcing.
**Name a new suit... forcing if we haven't previously passed and usually showing a five-card suit of our own. Usually.
**Cuebid the opponent's suit, promises a FIT and 10 or more points. Remember, with a fit and a BAD hand, we raise Pard's suit.
**Double. Negative Double, forcing, promises a nice 7-ish plus points and four of the unnamed major(s) and strong tolerance for the fourth suit (usually).
**Pass. Ugh. For Ray Charles fans, definitely at the bottom of the list.

Question 1

Your Hand
♠ 8 2
♥ K Q 9 6
♦ A 10 7 6
♣ 7 6 5

Q: 1 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♠	2♣
?

A: Double: The Negative Double couldn't be more perfect. It promises four Hearts. If we had five, we'd overcall. It also shows we can support Diamonds if Pard chooses them. Perfect bid for once.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 2

Your Hand
♠ K 10 9 4
♥ A 9 4
♦ Q J 8 4
♣ J 4

Q: 2 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♠	2♣
?

A: 3♣: We are going to bid the opponent's suit. This means we have a dandy fit with Pard, 10 plus points, and we insist Pard bid again. We have a Darn Nice Hand, and we want to make sure those Dirty Dogs Hit the Road.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 3

Your Hand
♠ K 10 9 4
♥ 9 4 3
♦ Q J 8 4 3
♣ 4

Q: 3 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♠	2♣
?

A: 3♠: Compare this to the last hand. This time we have a dandy fit with Pard and a hand WE'D like to Hit the Road with. How can we tell Pard we've got a fit, but a lousy hand? By raising HIS suit to the level of trumps in our combined hands. We know he's got five, we've got 4, so that's nine, and that's nine tricks equals a three-level bid. Got that? Now, look at the last hand again. NICE hand with a fit, we bid the OPPONENT'S suit. BAD hand with a fit, we raise. Got that? If not, read it again. Slowly.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 4

Your Hand
♠ 9 4
♥ A K 9 4 3
♦ J 10 8 2
♣ A

Q: 4 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♠	2♣
?

A: 2♥: We've got a nice suit of our own, and a nice enough hand that we want our Pard to bid again. This ensures he will... forcing for one round.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Question 5

Your Hand
♠ 9 4
♥ K 9 4 3
♦ Q J 10 3
♣ 7 4 2

Q: 5 - South:

South	West	North	East
-	-	1♠	2♣
?

A: Pass: Can't overcall. Can't double (right shape but too weak). Can't raise. Can't cuebid. Can't bid No-trump. Rats.

Not bad overall, though. We sent them back on the road four out of five times. Let's try a hand now.

Your result so far:

Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

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Overall Results

Your results: out of Average:

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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