[MFA]

During our recent national teams championship finals the never-ending discussion of overcalling style arose once again. It seems that Danish top players have very different styles when it comes to this.

Try a few.

1) ♠AQ95, ♥5, ♦JT5432, ♣92

All vul. Pass from partner, 1♣ from RHO, you?

2) ♠-, ♥98543, ♦AKJT4, ♣KT9

All vul. Pass from partner, 1♦ from RHO, you?

3) ♠J6543, ♥JT, ♦-, ♣KJT543

Vul vs not. You pass, 1♥ from LHO, pass, 3♣ (4card limit raise) from RHO, you?

[P_Marlowe]

#1 Pass, but I like the idea of bidding 1S
#2 Pass
#3 3H (Michaels), the only thing which may prevent
me from doing this, is the current vulnerability, which
would be a valid reason to pass, at any other vulnerability
I would bid.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[gnasher]

1) 1♠, but 1♦ is reasonable.

2) 1♥. This is 2009, so we no longer need an honour in the suit to overcall.

3) I can't see any point in an undefined Michaels cue bid - if partner doesn't know which minor I have, he won't be able to judge what to do anyway. I'd double, showing clubs, then double 4♥, suggesting (I hope) a black two-suiter. Afterwards, I'd discuss the idea of using 4♣ over 3♣ to show clubs and spades.

[OleBerg]

1) 2♦, 3♦ if I feel I need a swing.
1) 1♥
3) 4♣ (Clubs and spades.) (Edit: yes, I play that.)

You didn't expect any passes, did you?

[gwnn]

1,2: Agree with Andy
3: Double then 4♠?

Active bridge is happy bridge

[Codo]

pass pass and pass.


In No 1 1 Spade is a close second.

In No 2 I would bid 1 spade with the majors reversed.

In no. 3 I would double for clubs if I had this tool avaiable.

[mich-b]

1. Pass - 1♦ is neither preemptive nor lead directing ; 1♠ is both , but we consider 4 card overcalls vulnerable to be too dangerous.

2. 1♥ - my suit is weak , but my hand is quite good, and entering the auction later may be difficult.

3. Double - showing Clubs. If partner passes , I will not bid again over 4♥, though I might bid 3♠ over 3♥.

[rbforster]

Add another from a sectional the other day:

P-(1♣)-?

void
void
K98xxx
KQT98xx

[gnasher]

gnasher, on May 4 2009, 11:20 AM, said:

1) 1♠, but 1♦ is reasonable.

I hadn't noticed that partner was a passed hand. I'd bid 2♦.

[whereagles]

1. Prefer 1♠ here, for the lead-directing value.

2. 1♥. I don't like this, but with a spade void, I think I have to bid NOW.

3. 3♥. Glad I can do this at a "low" level

[jdonn]

1. 1♦, 1♠ is far from being my style, preempting is even farther, and pass is even farther still. To me the problem is very easy (I don't mean I expect all to agree, just that I am quickly certain of what I would always do.)
2. 1♥. I rarely justify choices this way, but Mike Lawrence's book on overcalls has a very good page or so on why it's just so wrong to pass on hands that are good for offense and defense but have a bad suit.
3. Double showing clubs. I'll probably pass when it comes back at 4♥, I guess I'm chicken.

[Phil]

mich-b, on May 4 2009, 06:15 AM, said:

1. Pass - 1♦ is neither preemptive nor lead directing ; 1♠ is both , but we consider 4 card overcalls vulnerable to be too dangerous.

2. 1♥ - my suit is weak , but my hand is quite good, and entering the auction later may be difficult.

3. Double - showing Clubs. If partner passes , I will not bid again over 4♥, though I might bid 3♠ over 3♥.

Ditto.

[hanp]

Agree with jdonn quite strongly.

[JLOL]

I would bid Michaels on the last one. The key thing for partner to judge is whether or not to bid 4S, knowing I have a 2 suiter should help him in that.

[mtvesuvius]

1. 1♦, 2♦ could go wrong very easily, and I want to keep the spade suit in play also.
2. 1♥, it would be a crime not to bid with this hand, despite not having any honors in the suit.
3. Double, then 4♠ over 4♥... Not perfect, but...

[MFA]

MFA, on May 4 2009, 04:36 AM, said:

During our recent national teams championship finals the never-ending discussion of overcalling style arose once again. It seems that Danish top players have very different styles when it comes to this.

Try a few.

1) ♠AQ95, ♥5, ♦JT5432, ♣92

All vul. Pass from partner, 1♣ from RHO, you?

I tried 1♦ which was pure meat for the commentator vultures, since they had been waiting all day to see one of those reckless and pointless overcalls finally result in a true disaster. And so it was. Partner unsuccesfully led ♦K from ♦Kx and we conceded 140 instead of 110 in 2♥.

Quote

2) ♠-, ♥98543, ♦AKJT4, ♣KT9

All vul. Pass from partner, 1♦ from RHO, you?

This one annoyed me, because for some reason I passed, which is out of character for me. We sold out to 2♠ 8 with 3♥ our way. I'm positive that it's right to bid 1♥.

Quote

3) ♠J6543, ♥JT, ♦-, ♣KJT543

Vul vs not. You pass, 1♥ from LHO, pass, 3♣ (4card limit raise) from RHO, you?

Bidding is right since partner has Axxx, x, Axxxxx, xx and 4♠ is a lucky make. Yes he might have overcalled 2♦ but that doesn't really matter.
I think it's 3♥ if anything. X to show clubs and then pass seems pointless when we are wishing for a diamond lead. X followed by 4♠ looks like a suicide attempt to me.

[neilkaz]

1) Pass for me. Overcalling 1♦ on this junk opposite a passed PD doesn't accomplish enough for me. Overcalling 1♠ is reasonable but I'd want a better suit just incase PD isn't onto the 4 card overcall joke with 7 HCP and competes.

2) Easy 1♥. I'll refer those who pass to Lawrence's book, and do hope that some W/C players come out with a new book on overcalls by 2010.

3) 3♥ Mike is adequate for me at these colors with only 5 working HCP and noting PD failed to overcall.

[the hog]

whereagles, on May 4 2009, 10:11 PM, said:

1. Prefer 1♠ here, for the lead-directing value.

2. 1♥. I don't like this, but with a spade void, I think I have to bid NOW.

3. 3♥. Glad I can do this at a "low" level

Agree with Nuno - yet again.

[jmcw]

1. = 1♠ pretty normal I think.
2. = 1♥ because we have a fit.
3. = DBL because I have ♣. ♠ will have to wait.

[akhare]

MFA, on May 4 2009, 04:36 AM, said:

During our recent national teams championship finals the never-ending discussion of overcalling style arose once again. It seems that Danish top players have very different styles when it comes to this.

Try a few.

1) ♠AQ95, ♥5, ♦JT5432, ♣92

All vul. Pass from partner, 1♣ from RHO, you?

2) ♠-, ♥98543, ♦AKJT4, ♣KT9

All vul. Pass from partner, 1♦ from RHO, you?

3) ♠J6543, ♥JT, ♦-, ♣KJT543

Vul vs not. You pass, 1♥ from LHO, pass, 3♣ (4card limit raise) from RHO, you?

1) 1♠ -- the more interesting question of course is what if it goes the ominous (P) - P - (X)

2) 1♥ -- blame it on Lawrence

3) 3♥ -- X could work I suppose, but it gives them 3 more free bids