Do you overcall?

[Winstonm]

[hv=d=e&v=b&s=saqj97h83d742c963]133|100|Scoring: IMP

RHO opens: 1C, 1D, or 1H. Do you overcall: A) All of these bids. B) Some of these bids. C) None of these bids.

 

What is the risk verses gain of overcalling this type hand verses each of these opening bids?

 

[/hv]

[Guest Jlall]

A) all of these bids.

 

There are so many ways to gain with this bid. They can misguess any honors because of your overcall. You can get partner off to a winning lead against 3N (or 4H if they didnt open 1H). You can enable partner to preempt their auction. You can successfully compete for a partscore when you otherwise would have passed throughout. You can steal from them if partner makes a strongish sounding action with some distro, and they believe you (happens much more often than you'd think). You can find a save.

 

The risk of going for a number is pretty small since your spades are so good. The times you'll probably go for a number is if LHO makes a bid like 4H and partner stretches under pressure. This can happen and you can go for 800 or 1100 vs 620. A minor risk is you may get them to realize they have no spade stopper, and not bid 3N.

 

I would always overcall this hand, but remember partnership is important. If partner doesn't know you overcall this hand red at imps routinely, he may get you overboard, thus the risk increases and gain decreases.

[inquiry]

Over 1♣ 110% manditory.

 

Over 1♦, 90% but if your partner expects solid values, feel at little bad that he might be disappointed in your hand. Remember, your conditions is IMPS vulnerable, and partner will "Stretch" to bid game, so you might end up in 3♠ here as he issues mild invite, and 4♠ where he thinks he might have game chances against any "average"vul overcall. If he is only inviting with this hand you are not accepting.

 

Over 1♥, 70% for sure overcall (I would, but only if partner knows I overcall light). The reason being, they have already introduced a five card suit, so responder knows much more opener's hand. Second, you have not "shut out" either of their suits (hearts or diamonds), so you have not made it any harder on responder to show his hand. In fact, you have made it easier. He can make a negative double (deny hearts, show minors), he can make a cue-bid, he can show upper range on a balanced hand with a free bid 1NT.

 

Why is 1♠ over 1♣ more valuable then 1♠ over 1♦? You shut out two easy bids by responder (1♥ and 1♦), while over 1♦ only one suit was closed out, and responder can show that one easily enough with a double of 1♠.

[P_Marlowe]

A).

 

For some players this would even be a perfect 2S bid,

at least green versus red, but I cant bring myself

to do it with a 5 carder.

I see the merrits, I agree that it is often a good idea, but ...

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[luis]

a) All of these bids.

In my style this doesn't even need any consideration.

If we have spades we bid spades we live by the rule we die by the rule.

 

As justin said if you find they are ending the auction in 3NT and your pd is on the lead you will really regret not having overcalled 1♠.

[pigpenz]

Why would I not bid?

I think Charely Goren would even overcall onthis one :P

nothing worse than having them get to 3nt and partner has kx or kxx♠'s and never leads them.

 

The benefits far more outweigh the negative.

[han]

Overcall is mandatory for me.

[mikestar]

I prefer 2♠ with this hand (except at unfavorable), against all opening bids.

 

If the remaining points are divided equally, they are going to outbid us--let's cut away a massive amount of bidding room! This may also keep us out of a bad game or an unsuccessful penalty double of the enemy if partner has the cards.

 

At unfavorable, I will stretch and overcall 1♠ over 1m but pass over 1♥: the gain is less because I'll be on lead in their most likely game (4♥) and I don't disrupt their bidding at all, but the risk is the same as over 1m.

[reisig]

All...I have extra length besides! :P

[whereagles]

If NV, it would be a no-brainer 2♠ for me with all hands. Since it's V, I would overcall 1 or 2♠ depending on what I had for dinner.

 

Pass is out of the question. It's a bidder's game! ;)

[the hog]

A 1S overcall on all hands. Also since unlike some I like to have a sensible dialogue with my partner I would not let my dinner influence my bidding.

[whereagles]

Perhaps you should read Zia's book, no?

[helene_t]

Which Zia-book? I recall a convention that related a 1♠ opening to his romantic feelings for his partner, but I don't recall a 1♠ overcall that was related to his dinner. Obviously I missed something.

[Chamaco]

I prefer 2♠ with this hand (except at unfavorable), against all opening bids.

 

If the remaining points are divided equally, they are going to outbid us--let's cut away a massive amount of bidding room! This may also keep us out of a bad game or an unsuccessful penalty double of the enemy if partner has the cards.

 

At unfavorable, I will stretch and overcall 1♠ over 1m but pass over 1♥: the gain is less because I'll be on lead in their most likely game (4♥) and I don't disrupt their bidding at all, but the risk is the same as over 1m.

Ditto.