[nick_s]

In a sectional swiss teams at love all, you pick up in 4th seat:
AQTx Axxx xxx Jx

(1♣) P (1♠) P
(2♣) 2♦ (P) P
(3♣) P (P) ?

What now? What's going on?

Partner's overcalling style is generally sound.

[Mbodell]

My guess is partner has a reasonable hand that is 1=4=5=3 or 2=4=5=2 or 1=3=6=3 or 2=3=6=3. One that was too weak and/or too unsure about strain to bid 1♦/1♣, too strong/or too unsure about strain to bid 2♦/1♣, but prefers diamonds to hearts enough to bid 2♦ instead of X the 2♣ and is strong enough to not want to sell out to 2♣. Give him something like x KJx KJxxxx xxx with opener having 6 or 7 clubs and responder having short clubs and hence bidding a weak hand with K-5th of spades or even K-6th of spades (assuming no WJS on card). I'd bid 3♦.

[andy_h]

I don't understand delayed overcalls like 2♦ when partner could have easily bid 1♦ at a safe level or even preempted 2♦ over 1♣ which can causes a lot of havoc.

My only guesses is that either partner has 5-5 minors (though even with that I'd still tend to overcall) or if partner believes that "1 level overcalls are sound" then his thinking might be that a weak hand should pass first and come back in. Well whatever it is, I'm competing to 3♦ as I don't think partner would have 4♦'s to be bidding.

[nick_s]

Thanks for the responses.

FWIW I think we both suffered from brain-farts at the table, so I'm not going to burden you with details about what actually happened.

So far, the best explanation I can come up with for the delayed overcall is a long suit that isn't good enough for a WJO. Maybe something like Jxxxxx(x). (Or am I crazy?)

I suppose the 4 hearts and longer diamonds explanation is playable, but I wouldn't want to spring it on anyone without prior discussion.

[gwnn]

i completely agree with andy_h. i always enjoy seeing 'experts' who pass on the 1 level because it is too risky to overcall but then come in on the 2 level -after the opponents exchanged considerable information already- only because it's so important to fight for the partscore. the funniest ones are 1m-p-1NT-p-p-2M I think

[neilkaz]

I agree with andy_h and gwnn about the sillyness of not overcalling earlier.

Anyhow I raise to 3♦ now. Support with support.