Page 15 - ABF Newsletter December 2024

BRIDGE INTO THE
21st CENTURY
Paul Lavings, plavings@gmail.com
YOUR ACTION AS OPENER WHEN YOUR RHO OVERCALLS 1]
What would you call on the following hands, nei- ther side vulnerable?
WEST NORTH EAST
pass 1[ 1] ?
1. ]A76 [J5 }KJ72 {QJ63
2. ]AJ9 [76 }AQ108 {Q1054
3. ]Q65 [K105 }KQ64 {Q85
4. ]62 [QJ5 }AKQ765 {A3
5. ]3 [A107 }AK1043 {AQ82
6. ]AQ5 [K83 }AQ1076 {K2
7. ]A109 [KJ82 }AQJ8 {K2
8. ]82 [82 }AQ1096 {AJ82
9. ]62 [Q7 }AKQ10752 {A5
10. ] A K J 10 [ 2 } A 8 4 { A 6 5 3 2
SOLUTIONS
1. Pass. With your lifeless 12-count take the oppor- tunity to warn partner you have a minimum opening and would prefer to defend. Normally you cannot pass when partner responds in a new suit to your opening bid but when your RHO overcalls you have that option. No call tells your story as effectively as pass.
Your partner is still there and if your side plays 1NT then it is better your partner is declarer.
2. 1NT. You have good intermediates, two spade stop- pers and you like your hand. Take the opportunity to make a “free bid” to show your extra assets.
3. Double. The key to this auction is the extent of your heart fit. When you make a support double or redouble to show three-card support you are way ahead of the field. The 1[-bidder knows exactly how many hearts your side has and can compete for the partscore or bid to game with accuracy.
4. Double. You would normally jump to 3} to show your six-card suit and around 15-18 HCP but why not show three-card heart support along the way. If partner now bids 1NT you can jump to 3}, or 3NT if you prefer.
5. Double. Without the 1] interpose you would bid 2{ and later support hearts to show you have three card heart support and extra values. Why not show your three-card heart support now without using any space whatsoever? That will create extra space later.
6. 2NT. Even though you have three hearts you should still show your 18-19 balanced rather than make a sup- port double. Bidding 2NT keeps things clear and simple and the strong hand will declare the notrumps and be hidden from view. Most partnerships have methods to find fits after opener’s 2NT rebid.
7. 3[. In my methods the jump raise to 3[ shows 18-19 balanced with four hearts. Many systems require this hand to jump to 4[, which has three drawbacks.
Responder, for various reasons, occasionally fudges their first response and over 3[ can refuse the invita- tion when nine tricks is the limit of the hand. Secondly, the 3[ bid saves space and now there is more room to cue if slam is on the horizon. Thirdly both hands may be 3-4-3-3 and now you can play in 3NT, which invariably makes the same number of tricks as four of a major.
8. 2{. Without the 1] overcall I would rebid 1NT. Know- ing very little about the hands I like to keep the bidding low with 1NT and bring two-way checkback (XYZ) into play. In this auction clubs may be your only fit and you need to introduce the suit now to compete in clubs at the three-level if necessary.
9. 2]. Asking for a stopper in spades to bid 3NT. At first glance, with only 15 HCP, this hand looks like a normal jump to 3}. On closer examination you have eight tricks in notrumps and partner will often pass 3} when all they need for a ninth trick is a spade stopper.
10. Pass. You hope to defend 1] doubled. Give partner a bit extra, say 8+ HCP and hopefully they will re-open with a takeout double. You have four spade tricks and two aces, give partner {K and }K and you are already collecting +300 from 1] doubled and it could well be +500.
You plan to lead {A and another club, maybe partner can ruff a few clubs and you will score +1100. It is im- portant to overcall frequently, but it is even better to collect juicy penalties from frivolous overcalls.
SOUTH 1}
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: December 2024
Page 15