[dave_beer]

You have 3 imperfect choices:
(1) Pass and hope to make delayed takeout double of 1♠ or 2♠.
(2) 1NT ignoring the singleton ♠ and hope partner doesn't bid too many of them.
(3) 1♥ ignoring the lack of fifth trump.

I didn't include double because I think that making a takeout double and rebidding NT or a suit that partner didn't bid shows a much better hand than what I have.

Since I don't like to sit back and assume that the opponents will do what I expect, my preference is to act and I prefer the 1♥ overcall.

[eagles123]

 jmcilkley, on 2015-April-11, 09:14, said:

Surely you wouldn't double with only 12-14 points? It is fine to open a weak NT when noone else has bid but once an opponent has opened the who;e ballgame has changed and bidding 1nt with only 12-14 is asking for a big penalty when doubled,
This is clearly a 1nt overcall so there is no problem with this hand.
You say that you plat Stayman over 1nt overcall - I presume you also play transfers, etc as weel. Just like over an opening 1nt but responses are with 3 points less to cater for the stronger overcalled 1nt.

No it isn't

pass it pretty clear imo, but even 1H is better than 1N

[zillahandp]

North should bid 1nt only other bid is pass, if fixed stay fixed is a good maxim, south should pass in either case.

[eagles123]

 zillahandp, on 2015-April-11, 12:31, said:

North should bid 1nt only other bid is pass, if fixed stay fixed is a good maxim, south should pass in either case.

why on earth would south pass 1N?

[case_no_6]

I don't think opening 1NT on 12-14 HCP or any other range has much to do with anything here.

If you have defined a 1NT overcall as 12-14 HCP and balanced, I have a money game that I want to invite you to play in as my opponent.

This hand is the type of hand that convinces people to play power/informatory/off-shape takeout doubles, so if you have that agreement along with the appropriate machinery for advancer (e.g., a Herbert negative 1D bid), I would go ahead and bid that.

But standard players have a problem. Your choices are Pass, 1H, and 1NT. I am not a passer because a 16 HCP is simply too good. I don't like dealing with the possibility of being transferred into spades if I overcall 1NT, especially since I have a lot of my values in opener's suit so the hand seems more defensive than offensive in nature. Certainly though, 1NT could be the winning action.

I will bid 1H as the least of evils.

I am certain I will hear from many telling me how insane it is for me to overcall with a mediocre 4 card suit. Oh well.

[keithhus]

 helene_t, on 2015-April-11, 04:55, said:

The rationale is that you need a way to bid a 19-20 count without necessarily forcing to the 2-level. If dbl followed by 1NT didn't show this, it is not clear what you could do to show the strong hand.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to play it that way. There are alternatives. For example, reversing the fast and the slow 1NT, i.e. a direct 1NT is 17-20 and dbl followed by 1NT is 14-16, is arguably better. However, a double that can be a normal t/o double and also be a 14-16 notrump hand is awkward for partner if opponents compete. Partner can no longer trust that you have support for all three other suits.

Basically, I think, it has become standard to play dbl as "classic t/o OR too strong for an immediate action" because it is a simple principle, or maybe just by historic coincidence. You can chose different methods but you have to think carefully about the consequences it will have for how partner responds to your double.

Helene, thank you for this, very helpful.

[Cascade]

The early responders did not mention the possibility of overcalling 1♥. If the heart spots were better I would think that it was clear to bid 1♥ - say ♥ AQT9 or maybe a bit weaker.

1♥ has the advantage over 1NT of making it easy for partner to bid 1♠ and allowing you to rebid 1NT without showing the world's fair or necessarily a balanced hand, which ultimately may avoid a lot of bad 5=1 spade fits. Possibly though at the cost of playing some 4=3 heart fits.

[fourdad]

 msjennifer, on 2015-April-11, 06:35, said:

Not at all safer. A TOD followed by 1Nt shows 18-19 balanced,since with 15 -17 you overcall 1NT playing SAYC

A TOX followed by 1NT shows what the partnership has agreed to. My regular partners and I play TOX is opening count (13-15) and support for unbid suits. ANY continuation shows 16+... We prefer this to mis representing the shape of our hand.

[PhilKing]

 wank, on 2015-April-10, 12:12, said:

yes just pass and double spades for take-out or 1nt for penalties.

I don't think this is technically consistent. Put it this way, passing first time does not rate to be a good idea if there is only one subsequent auction after which we can show our hand.

It seem to me much better for a delayed double to show a good hand with short spades in BOTH sequences. For a start, I don't think there is much utility in a delayed pure penalty double of 1NT, and I think it is better both for catching them or allowing an escape route, or for bidding a good contract our way, to play the delayed double as this kind of hand.

I don't think the hand needs to be as good as this, but every extra value helps.

[wbartley]

Pass.

Overcalling 1NT will often get you to 2S going down when you can get +200 defending an eventual 1NT by RHO. A 1H overcall shows five and all your total tricks partners will be bidding 3H on air against the opponents' 3C and you'll be down again when you're getting +200 defending 3C and you'll never recover from double so pass is your bid. Frankly, I don't see what the problem is.

[blackshoe]

Suppose North's hearts were AQJx. Would that not make 1♥ also a possibility?

[MrAce]

 blackshoe, on 2015-April-16, 09:09, said:

Suppose North's hearts were AQJx. Would that not make 1♥ also a possibility?

Even with AQxx it is a possibility to me. As well as 1 NT. I can not see any bid that deserves a "clear" title with this hand. But I personally would prefer to pass.
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