[ghow]

What guidelines do you use when deciding whether to overcall or double or pass with
balanced hands ? Say for example rho opens 1♦ and you hold T9x Axx AKx QJxx.
Call this 15hcp & bid 1nt ? X with 3 card support for both Majors (& 4 card support for neither)? Pass? If you are passing what is the smallest change in the hand you'd require
to double?

[han]

With this hand I would pass.

I will overcall very rarely when my shape is 4333, it must be something like KQJ10 xxx Axx xxx and then only when non-vulnerable. Of course, when partner is a passed hand I may do it more frequently when I have a very good 4-card suit that I can bid at the 1-level.

Double is possible when I am 4333, but here I wouldn't do it because: (1) I have only 3-cards in either of the unbid majors (2) I have no spade honor and (3) I have a lot of values in the suit bid on my right. Give me AKx K10xx xxx KJx and I would gladly double 1D. I would do it maybe without the club jack as well but not any lighter.

I wouldn't bid 1NT with a 14-count unless I have a very nice 5-card suit and good positional values in the suit opened on my right. For example with K10x KJx AQJ10x xx I would overcall 1NT if my RHO opens 1H. I would certainly not upgrade a 14-count 4333 to a 1NT opening, I think that would be really bad.

Hope that's helpful.

[TimG]

I pretty much agree with Han, except that I think most people's 1NT overcalls are generally 15+-18- -- a notch better than a standard 15-17 1NT opening bid (which so often really means 14+-17- these days) -- so I would seldom, of ever, upgrade a 14 count to overcall 1NT. Rather I would be deciding whether my 15 were worth a 1NT overcall or a pass or a suit overcall or a double.

[han]

I don't disagree with that Tim, I do play it as 15+ to 18. I just think that the extreme example that I gave is worth as much as a good 15.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I count 14HCP, so 1NT is out.

Possible changes, add a Jack, our 1NT overcalls are light,
adding a Jack does not make the hand significant stronger,
but than, you need to know, where the line in the sand is.

Make it a diamond doubleton, I will make a t/o.

I am not going to make a t/o, if the Ace King of diamonds show
up in other suits, but ta least we can discuss the merrits of a t/o.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[awm]

I've generally found that we do not do so well playing in a 4-3 suit fit where the hand with 3 has 4333 distribution. In fact even a 5-3 fit (again where the hand with 3 is 4333) often does not play so well.

For this reason I would rarely double with a 4333 pattern. With this distribution, my checklist goes something like:

(1) Do I have fifteen or more points with a good stopper in RHO's suit? If so overcall 1NT (or double planning to rebid NT if much stronger).

(2) Do I have opening strength (something like 12+) with a fairly good four-card suit that I can bid at the one level? If so then bid it. I will bid on much worse suits than Han requires; for example I would overcall 1♥ on Axx KJTx Axx xxx, but I still want two of the top four honor and a decent third-highest card (like 9 or better) at minimum.

(3) Do I have a 1NT overcall strength hand with xxx in the opponents' suit but no biddable four-card major? If so I will double and hope for the best.

(4) Otherwise pass.

[dake50]

I think my partnership's reopening structure can catch up after an initial pass. IF partner reopens.

[cherdano]

awm, on Oct 14 2008, 05:25 PM, said:

I've generally found that we do not do so well playing in a 4-3 suit fit where the hand with 3 has 4333 distribution. In fact even a 5-3 fit (again where the hand with 3 is 4333) often does not play so well. Axx KJTx Axx xxx, but I still want two of the top four honor and a decent third-highest card (like 9 or better) at minimum.

Hmm, in my experience 4-3 fits with the four card trump suit belonging to a hand with 4333 shape don't play all that well either.

[655321]

On your actual hand (T9x Axx AKx QJxx) I think passing and doubling are both reasonable options. The hand is not worth a 1NT overcall because it is a 4333 14 count.
As you move more values from diamonds to the other suits, double looks a bit better.

Overcalling a 4 card major is fine with something like a 2434, when you can't double because you have a doubleton in an unbid major. But with a 4333, doubling will almost always be better than overcalling a 4 card suit.

[jdonn]

I would double on the hand you gave. Passing will have it's followers, and so might 1NT but those followers are insane. I generally, when 4333, do double with 14, don't double with 12, and go either way with 13 depending how good my cards are and whether my four card suit is a major or minor.

[benlessard]

Read "Overcall" by Mike Lawrence, IMO its a mandatory reading.

Overcalls are basically for 3 main reasons.

1- To buy the contract or to push the opps higher. Overcalling with a hand where you have little or no hope of buying the contract is often dubious. 3rd hand too light or passed hand overcall when the opps have the spades are common mistakes.

2- Lead directing, this IMO is where there is a big philosophical difference between overcalling style. In good old days having a good suit for overcalling was more important than the modern "get in your face" overcall style. Im somewhat in the middle here.

3- To rob opponent valuable space. a 1S overcall after 1C steal space and make it harder for opps, but 1D over 1C is harmless.

As for 1Nt or not, I suggest you to try 16-19 instead of 15-18. Passing balanced 15 count is less dangerous than people think.

[TimG]

jdonn, on Oct 14 2008, 07:52 PM, said:

I would double on the hand you gave. Passing will have it's followers, and so might 1NT but those followers are insane.

Are both the passers and 1NT bidders insane, or just the 1NT bidders?

[jdonn]

TimG, on Oct 15 2008, 07:21 AM, said:

jdonn, on Oct 14 2008, 07:52 PM, said:

I would double on the hand you gave. Passing will have it's followers, and so might 1NT but those followers are insane.

Are both the passers and 1NT bidders insane, or just the 1NT bidders?

Just 1NT bidders, sorry thought that was clear from what I said.

[skjaeran]

I'd double. Agree that 1NT is insane.