easy

[jillybean]

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=skjhaqj632dqj2ck6]133|100|Scoring: IMP

(P) P (1♦) ?[/hv]

[vuroth]

I double, but wouldn't be surprised if others don't.

[jdonn]

Easy 1♥ it's 17 without anything particularly special and a clear preference for what suit to play in.

[ONEferBRID]

I double, but wouldn't be surprised if others don't.

Double also... bidding 2H next to show the strong DBL with a suit.

( It may be only 17, but those honors are well placed ).

[Phil]

1♥, although I think double is OK if spades and hearts are reversed.

[pooltuna]

my choice would be X and a ♥ rebid

[karlson]

1♥. I've seen better 17 counts with 6 hearts.

[vuroth]

Easy 1♥ it's 17 without anything particularly special and a clear preference for what suit to play in.

Not to hijack but I find the range on a 1M overcall already crazy hard to deal with. If I occasionally need to make an aggressive light overcall, then I think even a less than spectacular 17 is going to have to be handled differently, or my partner will never know which way the wind is blowing.

 

Of course, I self rate as intermediate as best, so maybe I'm completely missing the boat on this argument.

[manudude03]

1♥ for me, going to need help to get the potential out of this hand. On a really bad day even 1♥ could go down on pretty normal breaks.

 

Also, are the doublers bidding 3♥ if the auction goes (1S)-P-(2S)

[aguahombre]

Heavy overcalls are o.k. IMO, there are too many light overcalls. I mark 10-17, occasionally light on the card. Seems like this hand fits.

[TylerE]

1♥.

 

I think X is practically terrible.

 

This is NOT

 

AQ

AQJxxx

xx

Axx

[neilkaz]

Easy 1♥, this is a very mundane 17 count with the slight defect of a dub KJ. I'd like a better hand to X first. That would mean make one of my kings an ace or at the bare minimum give me good ♥ spots so I can better handle being opposite a stiff.

 

If PD can't raise 1♥ I don't think that I am missing anything and note that PD should raise from 1 to 2 with just about any hand that he'd raise an opening 1♥ bid with.

 

If I overcall 1♥ and the opps compete and it is passed around to me, I can X to show a max overcall.

 

.. neilkaz ..

[hanp]

1H, I mark 7-18 but occasionally lighter.

[JLOGIC]

I would bid 1H but I don't find doubling to be terrible.

 

In fact meckwell double and bid much more aggressively than any pair I've seen and they are the best (imo).

 

This hand is just too soft though, even if you double with most 6322 17s.

[bucky]

Not to hijack but I find the range on a 1M overcall already crazy hard to deal with.  If I occasionally need to make an aggressive light overcall, then I think even a less than spectacular 17 is going to have to be handled differently, or my partner will never know which way the wind is blowing.

 

Of course, I self rate as intermediate as best, so maybe I'm completely missing the boat on this argument.

I think at 1-level, you can afford to have wide-range overcalls. With a good hand partner has cuebid available so you can sort things out. With a mediocre or bad hand (with fit) partner can do simple or preemptive raise, and you will still be reasonably placed whether you overcalled heavily or lightly (assuming you are not going nuts with ultralight overcall when red).

 

While I don't think X is terrible on this hand, the value does seem soft, and doubleton spades are somewhat a flaw. Change DQ to SQ, then X will be much more comfortable.

[Free]

What a perfect hand for a 1♥ overcall.

[Fluffy]

I overcall 1♥ even heavier :P

[jillybean]

I was kibitzing this hand in a tournament. Some doubled and either bid 4♥ over the 1N or 2♥ response or passed 2♥.

The majority bid 1♥ and played in some number of ♥'s.

 

Partner held AJ5, T94, KT93, QT5

[Rodney26]

I think 1♥ planning to bid 1NT over a 1♠ response is the plan I would make because it seems most descriptive without getting too high.

 

Shooting 3NT over 1NT seems best to me thanks to the spade jack.

[hanp]

1H followed by 1NT does not do Justice to this hand.

 

And if partner bids 1NT I would bid 2H, we can always get back to 3NT later.

[ArtK78]

When I first learned this game (38 years ago, yikes!) I learned that the upper limit of an overcall was about 15 HCP. With more, one doubled first and then made another call.

 

Over the years, the upper limit of overcalls has increased. Some time ago, playing in the GNT opening round at the nationals, I doubled a 1♥ opening bid with a 19 count and a club suit, but no spades. My partner, Dave Treadwell, told me he thought my bid was terrible, and that overcalling 2♣ was clear because of the spade shortage.

 

I bring this hand up to show how far we have come from an automatic double when holding more than 15 HCP, not the wisdom of my double vs. overcalling 2♣. One of my opponents (a well known player on the national scene) thought that my double was clear. So opinions certainly differ.

 

I would overcall 1♥ on the hand in the OP. I would be shocked if my overcall ended the auction. The overcall should make subsequent bidding easier than if we doubled first.

[bd71]

Here's a request for those overcalling 1H on this hand...for this auction/vulnerability, please give sample hands for both the "lightest" and the "heaviest" 1H overcall you would make.

 

For example, on the light end, would you try a lead-directing overcall with xxx AKxxx xx xx?

 

On the heavy end, is the OP hand it? Or are their stronger hands you would still overcall 1H with (pace Fluffy) and what's a good example?

 

I'm just trying to get a feel for what your bookends are...because it seems like there must be light-years of space in between.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

1H.

 

#1 I would overcall 1H with xxx AKxxx xx xxx

 

#2 The original is certainly near max for a 1H overcall, move the non hearts

honor to concentrate in a suit, exchange with Aces / Kings, than X will get

more attractive.

In the end, if you decide to X with a 1-suiter, you need to be willing to later

introduce your suit at any sensible level, this means up to game level.

I would be ok with bidding 3H next round with the given hand, but would not

like to bid 4H.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[hanp]

Here's a request for those overcalling 1H on this hand...for this auction/vulnerability, please give sample hands for both the "lightest" and the "heaviest" 1H overcall you would make.

 

For example, on the light end, would you try a lead-directing overcall with xxx AKxxx xx xx?

If you give me another card I will overcall every day of the weak.

 

On the heavy end, is the OP hand it?  Or are their stronger hands you would still overcall 1H with (pace Fluffy) and what's a good example?

 

I'm just trying to get a feel for what your bookends are...because it seems like there must be light-years of space in between.

 

There seems to be some confusion about the OP hand. The truth is, the hand is just not that good. I can give you 16-counts with which I would double, especially with spades where there is less of a risk to be preempted.

 

After overcalling 1H we'll be better placed if the opponents bid more, and at least as well if partner bids. If 1H gets passed out the chance that we have missed game is very small, I'd be delighted to play 1H. I simply don't see what bad can come of overcalling 1H with this hand.

 

(Of course it is clear that overcalling on balanced 7-counts can lead to soemthing bad. There I do it because I think more often it will lead to something good.)

[gwnn]

Here's a request for those overcalling 1H on this hand...for this auction/vulnerability, please give sample hands for both the "lightest" and the "heaviest" 1H overcall you would make.

 

For example, on the light end, would you try a lead-directing overcall with xxx AKxxx xx xx?

 

On the heavy end, is the OP hand it? Or are their stronger hands you would still overcall 1H with (pace Fluffy) and what's a good example?

 

I'm just trying to get a feel for what your bookends are...because it seems like there must be light-years of space in between.

Huh, I can't afford to wait for perfect hands with AKxxx in my suit. I didn't buy in the tournament to pass and pass and pass.

 

Qxx KQxxx xxx xx is fine.

 

On the other end of the spectrum I'd overcall 1♥ with

 

KJ

AQJxxx

KJx

Kx

 

or so.

 

Now the diamonds are starting to look good as well but still the doubleton spade makes me unhappy.

 

6322 is not a very good shape. 6421 is about a million times better than 6322. Also 7321 is in another league to 6322.