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Overcall NT or dbl?


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Sitting south, you hold:

S: AKJT

H: KQXX

D: XX

C: KXX

 

Pd, as dealer, passed and East opened 1S, what do you bid now? I choosed to dbl, then auction went:

 

W N E S

- 1S X

2S 3D 3H X

3S - - X

- 4C - -

X - - -

 

Pd holds:

S: X

H: X

D: KJ8XXX

C: T8XXX

 

Pd think I should bid 1N over 1s. What do you guys think about it? Thanks in advance.

Hongjun

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Well, you have 16HCP and a stop in S. I dont see why you doubled because you have long S (normally you should have at least 2 other 4 cards and a 3 card)? I would bid 1NT. Maybe 2H is another option but it's very risky! 1NT gives the best description of your hand.
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Sitting south, you hold:

S: AKJT

H: KQXX

D: XX

C: KXX

 

N E You

P 1S ?

 

Hi. I think this is a very easy one....

 

If East had passed, what would you have opened? 1NT of course. After East opened 1S, is this hand any better or worse for a bidding 1NT?

 

Sure you have 4H's, but overcalling 1NT doesn't DENY four cards in the other major. Now what can go wrong with overcalling 1NT versus double?

 

If you double, and partner bids 2D are you going to pass and maybe play in 4-2 fit? What would a 2NT rebid over 2D show? 2NT would show a really good hand, too good for 1NT directly. What would 1S-x-p-2d-p-2H show? A hand too good to overcall 2H?

 

A one notrump overcall perfectly describes your hand... a) balanced, :) 15-17, or 15-18, or 16-18 or whatever your precise range is, c) spade stopper. When you can describe your hand accurately, and limit both its hcp and its distribution, you should do so. Make your partner the captain and sit back and wait.

 

But since your partner gave it to you for not bidding 1NT, you can give it back to him for his 3D bid and his 4C bid. What was he thinking? Surely he is right that he can not sell out for 2S, that part is easy. But what he doesn't know is if CLUBS or DIAMONDS are better. This is where a responsive double comes into play. After you double 1S, you pretty much promise 4+ hearts. So if your partner has hearts, he simply can bid them to whatever level he likes. But with both minors, he can double...asking you to bid your better minor.

 

On the other hand, with 6-5 your partners desire to play the hand, especially when he expected you to be either short in spades (and thus fit nicely one of the minors), or very strong is highly understandable. So he is very likely to have made anohter try over 3C even with his subpar hcp values. He can imagine 17 point games opposite some scrounge 13 hcp minimums like....

 

S-xx H-AJxx DQxxx C-AQx

 

And 19 point slams opposite something as little as...

 

S-xx H-Axxx D-Axxxx C-AQ

 

Ben

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