[ArtK78]

Last round of a Sectional Swiss Teams. Not real strong competition - you are clearly the best team in the event. Nevertheless, your lead going into the last round is only 3 VPs and you are playing the team in second place.

First hand of the 8 board match:

Scoring: IMP

1♦ - (1♠) - x - (P)
2♠ - (P) - 2NT - (P)
3♣ - (P) - 3♠ - (P)
4♦ - (P) - 6♦ - All Pass

---

The opening lead is the ♥7. You play the Q from dummy and it holds.

How do you play the trump suit?

[Phil]

LHO looks like 6-4 / 6-3; possibly 5-4 / 5-3 in the majors.

Double hooking is correct with this suit combo and it's even more correct in this layout. There's no risk of a major suit ruff.

I don't think LHO needs a diamond honor for the overcall. If I did I would lay down the Ace.

Furthermore, LHO would be nuts to lead a heart looking at ♦KQ tight and the ♥K on this auction.

[ArtK78]

Phil, on May 31 2009, 06:29 PM, said:

LHO looks like 6-4 / 6-3; possibly 5-4 / 5-3 in the majors.

Double hooking is correct with this suit combo and it's even more correct in this layout. There's no risk of a major suit ruff.

I don't think LHO needs a diamond honor for the overcall. If I did I would lay down the Ace.

Furthermore, LHO would be nuts to lead a heart looking at ♦KQ tight and the ♥K on this auction.

Remember - LHO overcalled on a spade suit that is headed by the KJ (at best), and he heard both his opps cue bid spades, and his partner did not double when LHO cue bid spades.

So, spades was certainly out of the question for a lead.

If he did have the ♥K and the ♦KQ, it might be necessary to establish a heart trick before the diamond suit is cleared.

Besides, if he is 6421, a club lead followed by Ace and another diamond forces him to lead a major suit later.

[Phil]

ArtK78, on May 31 2009, 07:15 PM, said:

Besides, if he is 6421, a club lead followed by Ace and another diamond forces him to lead a major suit later.

And he will no doubt know which to lead a few tricks later.

[CSGibson]

edit: I changed my mind. I'm playing to the ace. If RHO had KQx in diamonds, and spade support, then they would have raised spades. If LHO had KJxxxxx Kxx x xx, then i think he would have preempted, instead of just overcalling 1 spade.

[Phil]

CSGibson, on May 31 2009, 08:28 PM, said:

edit: I changed my mind. I'm playing to the ace. If RHO had KQx in diamonds, and spade support, then they would have raised spades. If LHO had KJxxxxx Kxx x xx, then i think he would have preempted, instead of just overcalling 1 spade.

I don't think RHO raises on xxx xxx KQx xxxx, but you have a good point.

[whereagles]

Does the trump suit matter? The other table may be playing 3NT by North, probably down on a spade lead

Anyway, I don't see why I should deviate from the normal play in trumps.

[manudude03]

I'm laying down the ace. Giving East both diamond honours makes the overcall very weak. I would guess East is broke and West has KQ tight.

[rogerclee]

people are double hooking? LOL

[hackenbush]

I would inquire if they are playing overcall structure.

[rbforster]

Unless they are known for really crappy overcalls and/or not playing 2♠ as a weak jump overcall, I think I'm playing overcaller for a diamond honor and laying down the ace.

[ArtK78]

I don't disagree with any of the points raised in this post by any of the posters. This was mostly a reality check.

The fact was that LHO did overcall 1♠ at both vul at IMPs holding:

KJTxxx
KTxx
x
xx

His comment after the hand was that he was "too weak" to bid 2♠. I thought this was bizarre, but the overcall did lead to my going up with the ♦A on the first round of the suit and going down in the slam.

The Hideous Hog once said that no bid or play is truly bad if it provokes a worse bid or play by one's opponent.

[gnasher]

ArtK78, on Jun 1 2009, 03:26 PM, said:

The fact was that LHO did overcall 1♠ at both vul at IMPs holding:

KJTxxx
KTxx
x
xx

I think that's a normal 1♠ overcall. However, I think that xxx xxx KQx xxxx is a normal raise, so I agree with going down.

[Hanoi5]

I voted for the double hook, but I didn't really see the bidding. I would have probably played ♦A at the table, too.

[jdonn]

I think both of my opponents bid correctly and both myself and my partner bid incorrectly. But I can't actually answer the question asked since I now know the hand, I'm merely pointing out that I disagree with the criticism of the non-raise, and I disagree very strongly with the general concept of trying to figure out when random opponents are strong enough to overcall.