Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

When our side opens the bidding, we promise partner a better-than-average hand -- say, 13 points or more -- and promise to continue the conversation if partner has anything worth talking about. More often than not, our side has the majority of the high card strength. Our major suit openings promise a five card suit -- any five cards -- and our minor suit openings show only three or four cards. Our better-than-average strength gives our side a little bit of breathing room to wander about while finding our best fit.

After the opponents have opened the bidding, the situation changes dramatically. We are one step behind in the auction, because the opponents have already struck the first blow. The opponents probably have more strength than we do.  There is a fair chance that we might end up on defense. We are already at a tactical disadvantage, so we have to make our every action count. .

There are three reasons to overcall after the opponents open:

• To suggest a playable contract;
• To ensure a lead, if we defend;
• To take away bidding space from the opponents.

Your overcalls should accomplish at least two of those objectives.

To suggest a playable contract:  You are showing partner at least a good five-card suit.. You want partner to raise with just three small cards and a minimum hand, so don't bid just any five-card suit. Sure, at the one-level, most anything goes. But for a two-level overcall, partner will raise with any three-card fit and a minimum hand and you will be playing a three-level contract with only three small trumps and a couple of side honors in dummy! You don't want to be going down for more than the value of their partscore. So, the suit quality for a two-level overcall should be at least K Q 10 9 x, or A Q 10 8 x.

To ensure a lead:  If we end up on defense, partner will consider it almost mandatory to lead your suit. So you'd best have a quick trick or two in your suit; at least two of the top three honors is ideal. Otherwise, you just wasted partner's time when she might have had a much better lead.

To take away bidding space:  Weak jump overcalls are an obvious example of taking away bidding space. But there are other ways. If the opponents open 1 ♣ you might do well to stretch for a 1 ♠ overcall, taking away the one level from responder. Similarly, if the opponents are playing 1NT Forcing, you might stretch just a little for a two-level overcall after a major suit opening; this takes away the important 1NT step in many of their bidding sequences. But keep in mind that partner will raise with only three small and a minimum hand, so don't stretch very hard; suit quality matters.

THE PRINCIPLE:  Overcalls should satisfy at least two out of three: suggest a playable contract, ensure a lead on defense, and take away bidding space. If your hand doesn't meet those criteria, just Pass. If you do come in later in the auction, partner will know how bad your hand is.

BONUS MINUTE: How many points does it take to overcall?
There is no place on the score sheet to record how many points you have. There is only a place to record how many tricks you take. Overcalls are about tricks, not points. As a practical matter, one-level overcalls will typically have at least eight high card points; two-level overcalls will have at least a good ten-count, more when vulnerable. But don't overcall because you have points; overcall because you can meet the two-out-of-three rule.

-- Ray 
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