Issue 12 - Standard American

Editorial by Paul Bowyer

Welcome to the twelfth edition of V-Blue, the e-magazine for those "experienced learners" of the wonderful game of bridge.

We are now half way through our program of 24 editions - doesn't time fly? As always, in this issue there are three excellent series for you.

In two of them we are focusing on bidding - this time in overcalling 1NT. A 1NT overcall is made on two different ranges (broadly speaking 15-17 and 12-14 points) depending on where we are sitting at the table. Clear? We expect not at the moment but - equally - we expect that light will dawn once you have read the explanations and played the hands.

After that foray into the dark arts of competitive bidding we come down to earth with our "General Series" of eight miscellaneous deals. Well, a mixture of deals they may be but there is a theme of card-play in suit contracts that runs through all of the hands.

The quiz this time has no theme - just ten random questions across all the topics covered so far. We expect you all to get 100% and graduate with honors...

Series #2324 - The 1NT overcall - Part I (SA)

This set of deals is all about overcalling with balanced hands. You should be aware that a 1NT overcall in the direct seat shows the same as if you'd opened 1NT – a hand of about 15-17 points. (In other words, if the player on your right opens the bidding and you intervene in the auction with 1NT). However, in the balancing position, a 1NT overcall shows far less, about 12-14 points or thereabouts. (By balancing position we mean that the player on your left has opened the bidding and the opening bid has been Passed around to you).

Why the difference? Well, one of the worst contracts to play in is 1NT Doubled with a fair hand facing a heap of rubbish in the dummy. That will certainly be your fate on occasion if you are too eager to join the fray on inadequate values and you catch your partner with nothing.

If the player on your left has a decent responding hand (say 10 or more points) and has heard his partner open the bidding he will know that his side has the balance of the points. Therefore, if your left-hand opponent sees his partner bid and sees a 1NT overcall on his right he will be down on that like a ton of the proverbial bricks with a resounding penalty Double. (Believe us, it happens!) Then you will suffer the consequences with an embarrasing 500-800 (or even worse) penalty.

So a direct 1NT overcall is a step into the unknown with your left-hand opponent an unknowable quantity. You need to have a safety net and that is having a strong hand with secure stops in the opponents' suit. This is a situation where it pays to be cautious.

Now contrast that with what happens after an opening bid on your left has been followed by two Passes. Here, your right-hand opponent is known to have nothing (he couldn't even drag up a simple response to a one-bid). You are now highly unlikely to be Doubled in 1NT and are certainly not sandwiched between two decent opposition hands. In this scenario you can bid without fear and should realize that you should strain to bid something – you don't want the opponents to steal the auction at the one-level.

Series #2324 - The 1NT overcall - Part I (SA):

Miscellaneous Quiz

This is edition number 12 of our scheduled 24 so we are going to give you an unthemed quiz this time. Let's see what you have learnt.

Click here to run the Quiz.

Series #2325 - The 1NT overcall - Part II (SA)

This set of deals continues the theme of the 1NT overcall.

You should be aware (having played the first set of deals on this theme) that a 1NT overcall in the direct seat shows the same as if you'd opened 1NT – a hand of about 15-17 points. However, in the balancing position, a 1NT overcall shows far less, about 12-14 points or thereabouts.

(By balancing position we mean that the player on your left has opened the bidding and the opening bid has been Passed around to you).

Series #2325 - The 1NT overcall - Part II (SA):

Series #2319 - General Hands (SA):