Responding to an Overcall by David

A: 2♠. It is essential to raise your partner's overcall whenever you can. It is not so much that you don't want to miss a game. The reason is that you can take bidding space away from the opener, who may have a good hand to describe. Also, you let your partner know that he can probably lead a spade safely if West ends up playing the contract.

Your result so far:

A: 3♥. Generally speaking, you should feel safe raising to the level dictated by your partnership's combined trump length. Here, you expect partner to hold at least five hearts, so the total is nine. You can bid to the nine-trick level.

If you go one or two down, it will usually be in a worthwhile cause. The opponents would have a good contract elsewhere. A jump to the three-level is pre-emptive. Partner will not expect you to have a good hand.

Your result so far:

A: 3♥. We saw in the previous problem that a jump-raise in partner's suit is pre-emptive (obstructive). You cannot make the same bid when you have a good hand and want to invite a game. The answer is to bid the opponent's suit, a cue-bid.

Your 3♥ shows (at least) a sound raise to 3♠. Here, you do not have enough to bid game opposite a minimum one-level overcall. If partner bids just 3♠ next, you will pass.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. 2♦, a change of suit, should be constructive - not a rescue. When you are very short in partner's suit, just pass. If the opener doubles and your RHO passes the double, you can rescue into diamonds then if you think that's a good idea.

A bid of 1NT shows more than it would facing an opening bid of 1♠. You would need around 10 points at least to respond 1NT.

Your result so far:

A: 4♠. You should bid 4♠, again a pre-emptive response. The opponents surely have a good contract somewhere (and you will make at most one spade trick defending against it). Make life difficult by raising to the limit determined by your joint trump holding.

Suppose you mistakenly made some lesser raise and the opponents bid to 4♥. You would doubtless sacrifice then. It is much better tactics to bid 4♠ straight away, leaving the final guess to the other side.

Your result so far: