Overcalls
When the Opponents have opened the bidding you can make and
Overcall with a good 5+card suit, headed Q 10 or better.
This will disrupt the
Opponents' bidding and convey to your Partner which suit to
lead in case you end up as Defenders.
- Overcall at the 1-level : 8-15 points and a 5+card suit with SQ = 7 or better
Usually 8 losers or less
- Overcall at the 2-level : 11-15 points
and a 5+card suit with SQ = 8 or better
Usually 7 losers or less
- Suit Quality Test (SQ) of your long suit
- SQ = number of cards in the suit + number
of Honours in the suit
(J and 10
are only counted as Honours when supported by a higher
Honour)
- Partner will respond with :
- 0-8 = Pass
- 9-12 = single raise Partner's suit with 3+card support
- 13-15 = jump raise Partner's suit with 3+card support
- 16+ = raise to Game Partner's suit with 3+card support
- 9-15 = bid a new good 5+card suit
- 9-15 = bid NT with stopper in the Enemy suit
- 16+ = jump shift to new suit
Take-out Double
When the Opponents have opened the bidding you can make a Take-out
Double (up to and including 4♦) to compete in the auction.
You should have 7 losers or less and either one of the following two hands :
- With 12-15 points : the unbid 4-card major and 0-2 cards in
Opponent's suit
(or 43+ in the majors if neither major has been bid)
- With 16+ points : any
shape
- Partner's response priorities are :
- 1. bid his 4-card major
- 2. bid NT with Enemy
suit stopper
- 3. bid his long
minor
- Responses are :
- 0-9 pts = bid 4+card
suit (but Pass with 0-6 pts if RH
Opponent makes a bid)
- 10-12 pts = jump bid 4+card
suit
- 13+ pts = bid Game