Overcalls by Paul Bowyer

A: 1♠. Yes, you should overcall on this hand. 9 points only? True, but your suit is good and - crucially - you have Spades.

These are the two factors that should sway you. One is that you are indicating a good lead should West end up declaring. Secondly that you can use the top suit (Spades) to push the opponents around in the auction.

A gentle raise to 2♠ or an aggressive raise to 3♠ by an obliging partner might cause East-West all sorts of problems.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. This hand is nowhere near a two-level overcall.

It is fine to overcall Clubs with Spades - depending on the level of support opposite you have genuine chances of pushing the opponents about and outbidding them with the top suit.

How can you expect to push the opponents about when you have Clubs? You can't - you'll be brushed aside by any of the other three suits.

On the plus side, a 2♣ overcall indicates a good lead. On the minus side, you have a repulsive 5·3·3·2 shape. If you end up declarer you will make next to no tricks on this hand. (And you may be Doubled).

Your result so far:

A: 2♣. Now you are fine to make a two-level overcall.

You are combining safety (you are unlikely to get socked for a large penalty) with aggression (you are bidding to inconvenience West and to indicate a good lead). Unlike the previous hand this collection contains playing tricks.

If West wanted to respond 1♠ he may have a difficult bid now - let's hope he has a problem.

Many (good) players reckon you should have a six-card suit for a two-level overcall, especially in a minor. They are nervous of conceding a large penalty if they butt in on an unsuitable hand.

Your result so far:

A: 1♠. Yes, you have 16 points, but you should not too anything foolish on the grounds that you are "too good to overcall".

The fact that you may, on occasion, overcall with as few as 8 points doesn't meant that an overcall is ipso facto weak.

Sometimes you may have a good hand - like this one.

Your result so far:

A: Pass. As in Q2 this hand is nowhere near a two-level overcall.

"But I have 14 points!" you cry. True - an accountant would not quibble with the arithmetic.

However, partner is a Passed hand, and how could you expect to successfully compete with this garbage?

You are 5·3·3·2 (BAD news) and your suit (such as it is) looks like a whole army of moths has been at it. Ugh.

There is one other point. You have three low Spades. If West has Spades then he will outbid you in the suit. If he doesn't, and 2♦ steals the deal, then West will have an effective lead against your contract. It is unwise to overcall with × × × in the opponents' suit - especially at the two-level.

Your result so far: