View source for User:Brian/Bridge/Overcalling 1 of a suit

This page covers the following kinds of auctions:
* (1X) ?
* (1X) P (P) ?
* (1X) P (1Y) ?
where X and Y denote suits, and ? denotes your position.

The various possible overcalls are listed in the following tables. Within the appropriate table, '''if more than one applies, use your judgement.''' Don't forget that "Pass" is a perfectly valid call.

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Bidding after (1X)
! You can bid... !! if...
|-
| Double
| You have 19+ HCP, balanced, with a stopper in X
|-
| Double
| You have a 5+-card suit other than X, and 17+ HCP or equivalent playing strength
|-
| Double
| You have opening strength or better, shortness in X, and at least 3 cards in each of the other suits
|-
| 1 of a suit higher than X
| You have 8+ HCP with a 5-card suit
|-
| 1NT
| You have 15&ndash;18 HCP, balanced, with a stopper in X
|-
| 2 of a suit lower than X
| You have 10+ HCP with a 5-card suit. At unfavourable vulnerability, strength or suit quality needs to be better.
|-
| 2X
| X is a minor and you have 5-5 or better in the majors with 9+ total points. This is called the ''Michaels cue-bid''. (Vulnerable against not, you need good suit quality.)
|-
| 2X
| X is a major and you have 5-5 or better in the other major and some minor with 9+ total points. This is called the ''Michaels cue-bid''. (Vulnerable against not, you need good suit quality.)
|-
| Any suit bid above 2X
| You have the distribution and values for a [[User:Brian/Bridge/Opening bids#Weak_openings|weak opening]]. This type of overcall is a ''weak jump overcall''.
|-
| 2NT
| You have 5-5 or better in the two lowest unbid suits with 9+ total points. This is called ''unusual notrump''. (Vulnerable against not, you need good suit quality.)
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Bidding after (1X) P (P)
! You can bid... !! if...
|-
| Double
| You have 19+ HCP, balanced, with a stopper in X
|-
| Double
| You have a 5+-card suit other than X, and 14+ HCP or equivalent playing strength
|-
| Double
| You have 10+ total points, shortness in X, and at least 3 cards in each of the other suits
|-
| 1 of a suit higher than X
| You have 6+ HCP with a 5-card suit
|-
| 1NT
| You have 11&ndash;15 HCP, balanced, with a stopper in X
|-
| 2 of a suit lower than X
| You have 8+ HCP with a 5-card suit. At unfavourable vulnerability, strength or suit quality needs to be better.
|-
| 2X
| You have the right distribution for a Michaels cue-bid (see the previous chart).
|-
| A jump into a suit above 2X
| You have a 6-card suit or better with 13+ total points. (There are no preemptive jump overcalls in balancing seat; if your hand is that bad, pass and hope the opponents missed a game.)
|-
| 2NT
| You have 16&ndash;18 HCP, balanced, with a stopper in X
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Bidding after (1X) P (1Y)
! You can bid... !! if...
|-
| Double
| You have 19+ HCP, balanced, with a stopper in both X and Y
|-
| Double
| You have a 5-card suit other than X or Y, and 17+ HCP or equivalent playing strength
|-
| Double
| You have opening strength or better, shortness in both X and Y, and at least 4 cards in each of the other suits
|-
| 1 of a suit higher than Y
| You have 8+ HCP with a 5-card suit
|-
| 1NT
| You have 15&ndash;18 HCP, balanced, with a stopper in both X and Y
|-
| 2 of a suit lower than Y
| You have 10+ HCP with a 5-card suit. At unfavourable vulnerability, strength or suit quality needs to be better.
* Note: If X is a minor, then you can make an overcall in that suit. For example, 1&clubs; (P) 1&hearts; 2&clubs; shows 10+ HCP with 5+ clubs.
|-
| 2X where X is a minor
| You have 10+ HCP with a 5-card suit. The idea is that LHO may not be long in the minor shown.
|-
| Any suit bid above 2Y
| You have the distribution and values for a [[User:Brian/Bridge/Opening bids#Weak_openings|weak opening]]. This type of overcall is a ''weak jump overcall''.
|-
| 2NT
| You have 5-5 or better in the two unbid suits with 9+ total points. This is called ''unusual notrump''. (Vulnerable against not, you need good suit quality.)
|}

If you have a two-suited hand and you can't show it using either a Michaels cue-bid or Unusual Notrump, then the usual method is to bid the higher suit first, planning to rebid the lower suit if partner disagrees.

The following are common examples of when judgement should be exercised:
* RHO opens 1&hearts; and you have 5 spades, 4 diamonds, and 4 clubs with opening strength. You can either overcall 1&spades; or make a takeout double.
* You have a two-suited hand but one of the suits was bid by an opponent. You can either overcall the other suit, or pass. (With length in the enemy suit, defending can sometimes be a better proposition.)
* You're in direct seat and have a long suit and a borderline hand for an overcall. Do you make a normal overcall or a weak jump overcall?