Expert Conventions Expert

Two-suited Overcalls

It doesn't often happen that your opponents open the bidding and you have a hand with two good five card suits. When it does, though, it's great to be able to show these powerful hands in a single bid, allowing your partner to pick the best spot to play.

Try some hands

Hand 1

See if you can find the best contract based on partner’s overcall. Remember, you need to focus on partner’s suits here rather than your own. In the play, think about getting best use out of all of your trumps.

Hand 2

You have an easy choice between the two suits partner has shown here, and a nice hand, so be ambitious! Again, be sure to make all of your trumps work for you.

Hand 3

Another straightforward choice, and another very shapely hand that should stretch a little in the bidding. You will have spotted a theme in how to play these hands by now.

Hand 4

This time, you will be the one making the overcall. Think carefully about what partner’s response is looking for.

Back

Two-suited Overcalls

Discover how a single bid can deliver so much useful information. There’s a lot here though, so you might want to watch more than once before tackling the quiz.

Question 1/8

Penelope has opened 1♦ and Boris has an interesting hand. What is the bid that best describes it?

A jump to 2NT over a one level opening shows the two lowest unbid suits (2 Not Top). With a diamond opening, that means clubs (the lowest suit) and hearts (the next lowest ignoring the one that has been bid). These are Boris's two suits and he has five cards in each so that's his bid. 1♥ would not be wrong, because he does have a good heart suit, but it misses the opportunity to give a great description of his hand in one bid.

After Penelope's 1♠ opening, what is the bid that best describes Boris's hand?

Boris's hand is 5-5 in clubs and diamonds. After a 1♠ opening, these are the two lowest unbid suits, so 2NT is the bid that shows this hand. 2♠ would show the other major and a minor. Boris could start with 2♦ and then hope to be able to show his clubs on the next round, but showing his whole hand in one bid is much better.

Penelope has opened 1♣ and once again, Boris has a two-suited hand. Which is the bid that best describes this hand?

After a one level minor suit opening, bidding opener's minor at the next level shows both majors, at least 5-5. This is a perfect description of Boris's hand, and Ophelia will be able to choose the major she prefers and the level she would like to play at in that suit.

This time Penelope has opened 1♥. What is the bid that will allow Boris to tell his partner as much about his hand as possible?

When your opponent has opened a major suit, bidding their suit at the next level shows the other major and an unknown minor - at least 5-5. With five spades and five clubs this is a good description of Boris's hand. Ophelia won't know for sure which is his minor suit but if she doesn't want to play in spades she can make a bid (3♣) that will allow them to play in the minor, whichever one it is.

Which two suits does Boris’s 2NT bid show here, after Penelope’s 1♥ opening bid?

A jump to 2NT over a one level suit bid shows the two lowest unbid suits. So when the opening bid is a major suit, that's always both minors.

Penelope has opened 1♠ and Boris bids 2♠. Which two suits does this show?

When the opening bid is a major, a bid of that suit at the next level shows the other major and a minor. So here, Boris is definitely showing hearts (5+) but the minor is unknown.

Moving over to look at things from the other side of the table now. What should Ophelia bid here?

As the opening bid is a major, Boris has shown 5-5 in the other major and a minor. Knowing that her partner has five hearts, Ophelia will definitely want to play in hearts, but she does not have a good hand, despite her great heart support. She should just show her preference for hearts at the lowest level.

What should Ophelia bid in this auction?

After a minor suit opening, an overcall of the same minor at the next level shows both majors, so Boris has at least five cards each in hearts and spades. Ophelia has a clear preference for hearts, but she also has a good hand, so she should go straight to game

These links will take you to the Bridge Training website. You will have the opportunity both to interpret your partner’s two-suited overcall and to make one of these overcalls yourself.