[mtvesuvius]

V vs NV at IMPs you hold:

♠ K
♥ Kxxxx
♦ xx
♣ Axxxx

(1♦) - ?

[655321]

1♥ seems completely obvious to me.

I would never pass with this shape and strength, and I am not so keen on 2NT with such empty suits.

[jdonn]

Enough? You gifted us the king of spades too much, without which it's still not close.

[kenrexford]

My overcalls are sounder than others, especially at IMP's. So, this is not obvious for me.

But, I overcall.

My definition of a minimum 1♥ opening is a hand that I might plausibly open in first seat. I have 10 cards in two suits with 10 HCP. That's a plausible opener.

The King being stiff means that I might not really open this in first seat, but when overcalling my definition is that I might open in first seat.

[gwnn]

are you like 130?

[rogerclee]

Did this come up in a Seniors event?

[hanp]

Definitely not enough for 2NT.

[the hog]

Seriously, I do not understand the question. Is there anyone under the age of 100 who would pass this hand?

[neilkaz]

1♥ for sure !

[mtvesuvius]

The_Hog, on Apr 23 2009, 09:17 PM, said:

Seriously, I do not understand the question. Is there anyone under the age of 100 who would pass this hand?

My partner... Who is 17.

Well, "Enough?" was relating to 2NT, but I thought this was a easy 1♥ overcall. My partner passed, then the auction continued:

(1♦) - P - (1♠) - P
(1NT) - X - (XX) - 2♠
(P) - P - (X) - P
(P) - P

I had:

J98xxx
QJ
xxx
JT

♥ were 4-2 and ♣ were 4-2 also. I developed a trump coup for -800.

[Fasteddy]

I guess I'm showing my age, but there's a lot to be said for passing red at IMPS:
1) You have no texture in your suits.
2) You want partner to lead whichever unbid suit he prefers.
3) With both opps bidding, there's a good chance your ♠K is worthless, giving you a working 7-count.
4) Sometimes when you pass, it will go 1♥ on your left and you'll be very happy you kept quite.

Once you choose to pass, though, it's dangerous to enter the auction later iunless the opps show a fit. Opener might have rebid 1NT on 1=4=4=4 or responder may be planning to rebid 2H on 5=4=1=3.

Finally, as the auction went I think partner should bid a confident 2♣ over the double. This might induce opener to bid 2D or 2S with a 5332 pattern and get you off the hook. If it doesn't, you can always consider 2♠ later.

[skjaeran]

Fast in, fast out...
Easy 1♥ overcall.
It might easily be our hand, and we need to get in early to be able to bid constructively.
Or we can to mess up opps bidding if we hit partner with a preemptive raise.

[vuroth]

The_Hog, on Apr 23 2009, 09:17 PM, said:

Seriously, I do not understand the question. Is there anyone under the age of 100 who would pass this hand?

This is the attitude the B/I forum needs.

I found it a tough problem.

[hanp]

I don't have a problem with a style in which you pass this hand (though it certainly isn't mine). As for some arguments by the passers:

Quote

2) You want partner to lead whichever unbid suit he prefers.

Not sure if that is completely true, what if partner has 5 spades and 3 hearts and LHO ends up in 3NT? And by overcalling we might also find out which suit we should (or should not) lead.

Quote

3) With both opps bidding, there's a good chance your ♠K is worthless, giving you a working 7-count.

Only one opponent has bid.

Quote

4) Sometimes when you pass, it will go 1♥ on your left and you'll be very happy you kept quite.

Isn't it far more likely that it will go 1S next? And in the very likely scenario that it goes 1D - p - 1S - p - 2S, aren't we almost forced to double, forcing ourselves to the 3-level when both opponents have bid, red, at IMPs?

By bidding we will sometimes go for a number. Sometimes we will find our game that we would not find otherwise. On many, many auctions partner will have some fit and we will have a partscore battle with the opponents which must be better than letting them bid to their preferred contract by themselves. If we don't have a fit then I'd rather find out at the 1-level rather than guessing whether to compete at the 3-level.

[kfay]

mtvesuvius, on Apr 23 2009, 10:50 PM, said:

(1♦) - P - (1♠) - P
(1NT) - X

Where I come from this double shows..... diamonds

[Fasteddy]

Certainly overcalling 1♥ might work out well, but I'll continue to be devil's advocate on this hand:
1) If pard is on lead in notrump with say Qx in hearts and Qxx(x) in clubs, wouldn't we much prefer to have him lead a club?
2) If we're on lead against a spade contract, will we feel much more comfortable about leading a heart if pard raised to 2♥ along the way?
3) If we do buy the hand for some number of hearts or clubs, would we be surprised to find the ♠K was much more useful on defense than offense?
4) If we overcall 1♥, it's unlikely the auction will develop in a way that will ever let us get our clubs in, which could certainly be damaging if we happen to have a good fit there but not in hearts.

If we do pass, it's only right to reenter the auction if the opps have found a fit. I wouldn't have a problem doubling after 1♦ - P - 1♠ - P - 2♠, though on some days that too might be killed.

Re kfay's auction ((1♦) - P - (1♠) - P - (1NT) - X), I'd be interested in knowing if there's a lot of support for the "modern" interpretation of this double -- something like xx KQJx xx AQxxx. When holding a diamond stack you pass and wait for pard to reopen.

[hanp]

I won't further comment on the overcall question.

As for kfay's auction, I prefer to play this as takeout of spades, often with a few diamonds. With the hand you suggest I would have overcalled 1H, with xx KQxx xx AQJxx I would have overcalled 2C.