Raising Partner's Overcall by David

A: 2♠. You have a poor hand with a bundle of losers. Nevertheless, you should raise to 2♠, whatever the vulnerability.

The chance of your making a spade game is very small, but it is essential to take away a round of bidding space from the opponents when you have a trump fit. You are whipping away so many two-level bids from the opener. Partner will know that a single raise is a defensive maneuver.

Your result so far:

A: 2♥. It is just as important to make an obstructive raise when RHO has made a negative double. Again, you are removing space from the opening bidder. It will be much more difficult for him to express his hand accurately.

When you have only 3-card trump support, and not many points, a single raise is appropriate. You expect the combined trump length to be 8 (partner's 5, plus your 3), so you raise to the 8-trick level.

Your result so far:

A: 2♦. With only 6 HCP, on problem 1, you raised to 2♠. Does this mean that you should bid 3♠ now? No. To show a sound raise (as compared to a defensive/obstructive raise), you should cue-bid the opponent's suit. Here, you will bid 2♦.

This shows 'at least a sound raise to 2♠'. When partner has nothing special, he will rebid 2♠ and you will pass, happy that you have shown your values. If you had a slightly stronger hand, you could raise partner's 2♠ to 3♠.

Your result so far:

A: 3♠. You expect your side to have at least 9 spades between you. You should raise to 3♠ (a defensive raise, because you did not opt to cue-bid 2♣). Remember to match your raise to the total number of trumps.

Your result so far:

A: 3♣. You have an opening bid with 4-card heart support. If partner had opened 1♥, you would have carried the bidding to game. Here, he has only overcalled and may not have the values for an opening bid.

To describe your hand accurately, you should cue-bid the opponents' suit. To bid 3♥ instead would show a shapely, obstructive raise. To bid 4♥ would simply be too much.

Your result so far:

A: 4♠. You expect the opponents to make a good number of tricks in hearts, or perhaps clubs. It will be so much harder for them to judge what to do when you raise all the way to 4♠.

There is no particular reason to expect this contract to make, but if you go down, it will probably be in a good cause. The opponents would then have made a game, or even a slam, their way.

Your result so far: