1N overcall?

[y66]

IMPs w/r RHO opens 1S

 

1S ?

 

A763 AQ J765 A83

[Guest Jlall]

no not close.

[655321]

The drawback of this hand is that you would very much prefer partner to play the notrumps. Played from your side, the spade lead through partner means you probably have one spade stopper only, when perhaps you have 2 from partner's side.

 

Now, having said that, I must confess I would always overcall 1NT. I do have a balanced 15 with a stopper. ;)

[jdonn]

Clear pass to me that I often see others overcall on. The spade holding is a huge negative in this already very minimum hand. I also have no good spot cards, and bad honor dispersion (random J, AQ doubleton). Passing with 15 is not illegal.

[pclayton]

No. Axxx in spades is a terrible holding.

 

Power doubles can get this rightsided sometimes and playing them I'd make one here.

[the hog]

Obvious pass. 1NT is a very poor bid with this hand and the difference between someone who knows how to evaluate a hand and someone who doesn't. As Phil states, Axxx is a poor holding. Further you have no source of real tricks, no spot cards etc.

[rogerclee]

I would pass. I hate overcalling 1NT and avoid it when possible. This one happens to be very easy to resist.

[andy_h]

Definitetly pass. I have a disgusting hand

[andy_h]

Definitetly pass. I have a disgusting hand

[655321]

I would pass. I hate overcalling 1NT and avoid it when possible. This one happens to be very easy to resist.

Why?

Not trying to change your mind about this particular hand, but why don't you like to overcall 1NT in general? It should be as much fun as opening 1NT! ;)

[Gerben42]

I would pass. I hate overcalling 1NT and avoid it when possible. This one happens to be very easy to resist.

 

I don't know about Roger, but I don't like it because it's dangerous. LHO can double for penalty on many hands. In sandwich position it's even more dangerous!

[rogerclee]

I would pass. I hate overcalling 1NT and avoid it when possible. This one happens to be very easy to resist.

Why?

Not trying to change your mind about this particular hand, but why don't you like to overcall 1NT in general? It should be as much fun as opening 1NT! ;)

Overcalling 1NT is dangerous. We do it because balanced 15-18 needs to bid something and is impossible to describe otherwise. If partner has a constructive hand, or a long suit, he is well-placed to act.

 

Two things change when you overcall 1N instead of open it.

 

1) Partner is much more likely to have nothing.

2) LHO can hit 1NT very easily.

 

If partner has balanced garbage, this rates to go for a huge number (500+) when they weren't even bidding game.

[andy_h]

I would pass. I hate overcalling 1NT and avoid it when possible. This one happens to be very easy to resist.

Why?

Not trying to change your mind about this particular hand, but why don't you like to overcall 1NT in general? It should be as much fun as opening 1NT! ;)

Overcalling 1NT is dangerous. We do it because balanced 15-18 needs to bid something and is impossible to describe otherwise. If partner has a constructive hand, or a long suit, he is well-placed to act.

 

Two things change when you overcall 1N instead of open it.

 

1) Partner is much more likely to have nothing.

2) LHO can hit 1NT very easily.

 

If partner has balanced garbage, this rates to go for a huge number (500+) when they weren't even bidding game.

Totally Agree! Overcalling 1NT is pretty scary for me - especially if we are vul. Hate going for large numbers when the opponents probably don't have anything on. This brings up a hand I had a few months ago.

♠AT76

♥QJT

♦A53

♣KQT

 

We are unfavourable and LHO deals and opens 1♥. RHO raises to 2♥ would you act? What if you switch the spades and diamonds?

Obviously X is the most flexible and bidding 2NT natural is like suicide since you don't know if you're about to get robbed or if partner has actually nothing.

[the hog]

I'd double with your hand, Andy.

 

One of the best players I have ever had as a partner taught me a lot about overcalling NTs. His comment was that point count alone is a VERY poor indicator of whether to overcall or not. The hand should always have a source of tricks available to it. This is one of the reasons why 1NT on the original hand is so poor. On a really bad day you might make 3 tricks only, while the opps go off in 4H or similar.

[Finch]

I really don't think 1NT is as bad a bid as everyone is making out, it's got three aces after all.

 

I think it is quite close.

 

I would pass, but I would bid 1NT with the 9 of spades.

[Walddk]

I really don't think 1NT is as bad a bid as everyone is making out, it's got three aces after all.

 

I think it is quite close.

 

I would pass, but I would bid 1NT with the 9 of spades.

I must agree with Frances. I have seen much worse (partner being a passed hand, vul against not, etc.). For me this is only ♠10 away from being a normal 1NT overcall.

 

Yes, it can be dangerous to overcall, but it can be just as dangerous if you don't. As I have said roughly 91 times before: when in doubt I prefer to take the active risk (bid) rather than the passive one (pass).

 

Roland

[655321]

Yes, it can be dangerous to overcall, but it can be just as dangerous if you don't. As I have said roughly 91 times before: when in doubt I prefer to take the active risk (bid) rather than the passive one (pass).

 

Roland

Agree completely with this.

Strive to play like Brian Lara, not Geoffrey Boycott.

 

(Roland, at least, will understand the reference :) )

[the hog]

Yes, it can be dangerous to overcall, but it can be just as dangerous if you don't. As I have said roughly 91 times before: when in doubt I prefer to take the active risk (bid) rather than the passive one (pass).

 

Roland

Agree completely with this.

Strive to play like Brian Lara, not Geoffrey Boycott.

 

(Roland, at least, will understand the reference :) )

Overcalling 1NT on this is batting like Malcolm Marshall. Wasn't his average about 3? (Corresponds to the number of Aces you hold.)

[helene_t]

No, p will bid game more aggressively opposite a 1NT overcall than a 1NT opening because 1NT overcalls tend to upgrade due to at least one well-placed minor honor. Obviously it is allowed to overcall 1NT with only the ace in opps' suit but I will then have a slightly better hand.

 

And my four spades improves the chance that p can reopen if it's our board.

 

Sure we can get stolen from but 1NT with this hand is simply a misbid IMHO. I like p to trust I have more than this. And also this hand is not one with which I would like play 1NT unless p has a good suit we can set up quickly.

[han]

Agree with Frances and Roland that the spade spots can make the difference, but this is not a minor issue. The spade spots are very important and this hand is therefore not close to an overcall for me.

[hrothgar]

Does anyone else find it amusing to see the radical difference in bidding styles between the thread discussion whether its better to open 1NT or 1♦ and this thread discussing 1NT overcalls?

[jdonn]

Does anyone else find it amusing to see the radical difference in bidding styles between the thread discussion whether its better to open 1NT or 1♦ and this thread discussing 1NT overcalls?

Overcalls are about 10 times more dangerous since you are very exposed to a penalty double, and about 10 times less productive since you are far less likely to have game. On top of that if you have a balanced 15-17 and open anything but 1NT, you will have to show your hand as something other than balanced 15-17 at some point. So it all makes sense to me.

 

I am actually surprised at the responses in this thread though. I agree with most of the judgments but I didn't expect to see them.

 

* 10 times = my own estimates

[helene_t]

Does anyone else find it amusing to see the radical difference in bidding styles between the thread discussion whether its better to open 1NT or 1♦ and this thread discussing 1NT overcalls?

Not amusing, but maybe it teaches an important point. There are several differences between 1NT overcalls and 1NT openings.

[awm]

Agree that pass is slightly better, but I don't have a real problem with 1NT on this hand.

 

Why do people think it's okay to double 1♠ with a much weaker balanced hand (even a 3433 balanced hand) but "too dangerous" to overcall 1NT with an extra king? It's not like double gets you out any lower (still can't play below 1NT) and LHO has a redouble to head-hunt if he wants. Phil even indicated that "he would power double if he had one available"... why is this safer than overcalling? Sure sometimes 1NT plays better from partner's side, but a lot of times it won't, especially a lot of the times you're going for a number it won't much matter who declares.

 

Obviously it helps to have good runouts after 1NT is doubled for penalty.

[han]

The more spades you have, the less likely you have a fit and the more dangerous it is to enter the auction.