Overcalls

Overcalling in NT

No trump overcalls are very similar to no trump openings, showing a balanced hand with 15 to 17 points, but there is one crucial difference. When your right hand opponent has opened with a suit bid, overcalling in NT also shows at least one stop in the suit they have bid. This applies even when they open 1♣ , which may not actually be showing clubs. Watch the video to see the types of hand that make this bid, then see if you can make the right overcalling choices in the quiz.

Try some hands

Hand 1

Partner will make a transfer to hearts and then show game forcing strength, so you must choose the best game contract. There’s a bit of work to do in order to make the contract, and partner’s long suit looks like a good source of potential tricks. Hint: when you know that you have to lose a trick in a suit to set it up, you normally want to lose that trick sooner rather than later to keep entries.

Hand 2

This time, you are in the fourth seat in the auction (the protective, or pass-out, seat). Remember that you need fewer points for a 1NT overcall in this position. Again, you will need to lose a trick to establish your long suit, but think carefully about which opponent it’s better to lose to.

Hand 3

Choose your overcall wisely. That’s all we’re saying on this one.

Hand 4

In the bidding, remember that overcalling 2NT after a pre-emptive, two level opening is just the same as overcalling 1NT over a one level opening. The play on this hand is very challenging, so do have more than one go at it. Hint: Think about the heart suit, where you will need to deploy not just one, but two card play techniques to succeed.

Back

Overcalling in NT

A good option for when you have stronger hands without a five card suit to bid, and with good cards in the opponents’ suit.

Question 1/7

Penelope has opened 1♠. What should Boris bid with this hand?

Boris has the perfect 1NT overcall here. He has 17 points, no good suit of his own to bid, and two good stops in spades.

Same situation, different hand. What should Boris do here?

Boris does have a balanced hand and good cards in Penelope's suit, but he only has 14 points, so he's not strong enough to overcall 1NT. He has no five card suit so he can't bid a suit of his own. He just has to pass for now and hope that something good will happen.

Another 1♠ opening on his right, and another decision for Boris. What should he do this time?

Boris has enough points to overcall 1NT, and he has stops in Penelope's suit, but it's much better to show his own excellent five card major, hoping to find a fit with partner. It might sometimes be a good idea with a poor five card minor to overcall in NT if you have the strength and the stops but you should always show a 5 card major when you have one to overcall.

This time, Penelope has opened at the two level, showing about 6-10 points and 6 spades. What should Boris bid?

This is a tricky one, and you are not really wrong if you answered 2NT. His point count is right and he does have a spade stop. The problem here is that Penelope has a six card suit, so ideally, Boris should have slightly better stops in her suit. With only two cards, he is only going to be able to hold up the ace for one round, so if Penelope's partner has three spades he will still be able to lead one when he wins a trick and Boris will lose five spade tricks for sure. His spade stop will be gone after the second trick so if he can't take seven more tricks without losing the lead his contract will be beaten. His club suit is good, so it's better to show that.

Again, Penelope has opened 2♠, showing a weak hand with six spades. What should Boris bid?

This is a much better 2NT overcall. Boris has two sure-fire stops in spades and a nice 17 point hand, without a five card suit to bid. He can definitely show his strong, balanced hand by bidding 2NT here.

Penelope has opened 1♥, and both Boris and Walter have passed. What should Ophelia bid here?

Remember that in the 'pass out' seat, a 1NT overcall still shows a balanced hand with stops in the opponent's suit but you need less strength to make the bid here - 11 to 14 points is the range. Ophelia has nice spades, but only four of them, so she can't overcall that suit. Overcalling 1NT is the best description of her hand.

What should Ophelia bid here?

Ophelia does have a balanced hand, with a stop in opener’s suit and no clear suit of her own to bid. However, because a 1NT overcall in the pass out seat is weaker than in the direct seat (immediately after opener), showing only about 11 to 14 or 15 points, Ophelia would be misleading her partner if she were to overcall 1NT - her hand is too strong. She can start with double, and she may choose to bid NT after her partner’s next bid, depending on what that is.

The links will take you to the Bridge Training website, where you can bid and play the hands. You will need to have completed the module on responding to 1NT in order to interpret your partner’s responses in the bidding. Responses to 1NT overcalls work in just the same way as responses to 1NT opening bids.