Overcalling 1NT

[Trinidad]

The NT defense that is most suitable depends on your aim. If you want to bid constructively and find your side's best contract then pick a constructive convention (As(p/t)ro, Multi-Landy, Cappelletti, etc.). If you want to keep the opponents out of their best paying contract then destructive conventions fit best (DONT, Lionel).

 

Destructive conventions are characterized by bids that partner can pass: Fast in, fast out. That means that it is difficult for overcaller to show a good hand. The constructive conventions are better suited for that.

 

Whether you want to bid to your best contract or mess with them depends on quite a few variables:

• Your general approach of the game
  
• The form of scoring
  
• The vulnerability
  
• The strength of the 1NT opening
  
• The strength of the field
  

Your overcalling style (the hands with which you overcall) and system need to be consistent. If you play DONT then don't be bothered (too much / at all) by HCPs, as long as you have the right distribution. If you play Cappelletti, then don't overcall on lousy hands.

 

I have seen quite a few pairs who play DONT, but can't get to pass with a nice balanced hand. They will overcall 2♣ (♣ + other suit) on ♠K43 ♥AQ98 ♦K6 ♣KJ74 and end up playing there when the field defends 1NT and takes it down 3. Similarly, I have seen people playing Cappeletti, overcalling 2♣ (any single suiter) on hands like ♠73 ♥K87642 ♦743 ♣94. They get raised to 4♥, doubled and go for a telephone number.

 

You cannot have it both ways. Choose how constructive / destructive you want to be and choose a convention that fits that style.

 

Rik

[helene_t]

If you want to keep the opponents out of their best paying contract then destructive conventions fit best (DONT, Lionel).

I wouldn't call DONT "destructive". It is not aimed at obstructing the opponents auction. Well, maybe for some pairs it is, but it is not very effective in doing so. With weakish one-suited hands you double 3/4 of the time, with good one-suited hands you double all the time, and with two-suited hands you bit 2♣ half the time. So most of the time you don't take away any bidding space at all.

[Zelandakh]

I would not call Asptro constructive either. It is designed to get in light under the protection of shape and fight for the part score.

[helene_t]

The OP stated 15-17 1NT so constructive bidding should not be a priority.

 

Still, different methods, even if they are all played in a non-constrictive style, have different objectives.

 

With DONT we get into the auction with all 1- and 2-suiters and never force ourselves to the 3-level. The disadvantages are that we don't usually get to show our major suit so partner can't compete to the 3-level when it's right. And we don't always find the best (paying) fit.

 

Landy, ML and the various A**ro variants generally find the major suit fit if we have it but with some two-suiters (and minor one-suiters) we will either not be able to bid at all, or we will have to play at the 3-level.

 

If you play multi and Muiderberg, a passed hand is unlikely to have a long major suit, so your structure should cater to the 4M5m hands, minor onesuiters, and major two-suiters. So playing ML by a passed hand that could have opened Muiderberg is one of the few things that I find really bad.