Weak NT overcall - your opinion?

[allias]

I find a frustrating number of balanced hands that I can't bid so I am thinking of playing a weak (12-14) nt overcall in direct seat, not vulnerable.

 

Your comments, experience and usual unrestrained criticism would be appreciated.

 

Much of what I've read here seems to be intuitive and incorrect

If my math is correct on average your RHO would have 13.5 points and you would have 12.5 points and the other 2 hands would have 7 points each [i stress on average]

Every time you bid you take the risk that the outcome could be a disaster so what is different here? On the other hand you have the advantage that if you or partner become declarer of knowing where many of the ops points are. I agree with another reply that that you could be well advised to have a comprehensive rescue system in place if say the ops come in with a double.

Perhaps less controversial is to pass and allow partner to protect [after all protection is all about calling on fewer points because you think p may have a reasonable hand that does not conform to direct seat rules] and that the hand belongs to you.

Finally what value has the comments of "what the better players do" have? Players are not neccessarily the best system designers,as a pilot is unlikely to be an expert in aerodynamics

[neilkaz]

This was more or less my partners response when I suggested it. Back to the drawing board.

 

We agree. I'd expect some of your concerns occur after PD's or your decisions to balance or not in PO seat didn't work out. Thus you desire to bid these values instantly and avoid some balancing actions later.

 

With regards to balancing, allow me to strongly recommend Lawrence's rewrite of his great book about Balancing. If you and PD both read this, you should end up on the same wavelength more often.

 

.. neilkaz ..

[aguahombre]

The very idea of a weak balanced NT overcall should have died long before this thread began; and the thread is being necro'd from January??

[steve2005]

There is an alternative to a weak NT overcall that I don't believe has been mentioned here.

 

Overcalling on a 4-card major at the 1-level. This is mentioned in Mike Lawrence's book on overcalls.

 

If memory serves you need:

 

a decent 4 card suit

 

values in opponents suit

 

and not be suitable for another call especially a takeout double

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ArtK78]

There is an alternative to a weak NT overcall that I don't believe has been mentioned here.

 

Overcalling on a 4-card major at the 1-level. This is mentioned in Mike Lawrence's book on overcalls.

 

If memory serves you need:

 

a decent 4 card suit

 

values in opponents suit

 

and not be suitable for another call especially a takeout double

 

 

 

Length in the opponent's suit, not values.

[Finch]

I've played an 8-board Swiss match against a pair playing a 1D overcall of a 1C opening as 0-7 any. It's actually much more effective than you would expect at first sight.

(They were also playing forcing pass with a 1D opening bid as 0-7 any).

[whereagles]

If the statistics above are correct (opener avg 13.5 H, overcaller avg 12.5 H), then the weak NT overcall is marginally unsound in theory. In practice, since it is a very well defined bid, you're probably ok playing it.

 

I would say find a pard willing to play that way and check it out in practice.