Overcalls & Take-out Doubles - Facts sheet

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.

  1. Overcall at the 1-level : 8-15 points and a 5+card suit with SQ = 7 or better
    Usually 8 losers or less

  2. 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 :

  1. 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)
  2. 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