Your Partner Overcalls After a Preempt and Your RHO Raises

Your Partner Overcalls After a Preempt and Your RHO Raises
By Mike Lawrence

ANSWERS

1. 7 6 4
Q 9 7 3 2
A 6
10 6 5

Pass. But it is close. Curiously, a free raise to 3S shows LESS than a raise to 3S if East hadn't bid 3D. It is important to show a fit so that your side can compete. Still, this principle dictates you need a little more than this. Perhaps if your spades were headed by the 1098 instead of the 764 that you actually have.

2. K Q 6 3
7 6 3
9 8 4
8 7 2

This hand, even with super spades, should pass. If you bid 3S, there is no chance in the world that North will pass. He will bid 4S exactly as you know he will. Better to pass. North rates to have a good enough hand that he will come back in.

3. J 9 6
A 10 9 8 3
6 2
A 10 3

In competition, you may have to bid a tiny bit more than you want to. If East passed, you would raise to 3S and be fairly pleased with it. You have two aces and an honor in spades plus you have good spot cards. Either or both of your ten spots could be working. The only possible minus you have is the doubleton diamond. If North also has a doubleton diamond, the hands may fit poorly.
On the actual auction, East raised to 3D. In situations like this, you have to push a little so as to take the pressure off of partner. This hand should bid 4S. At least if you don't make it, your partner will know you were the one who did the overbidding. If you bid 4S and go down, feel free to blame me. Of course, if it makes, think kindly of my advice next time you get a bad result from listening to me.

4. 5
J 10 7 6 5 3
9 8 6
K 3 2

What does it mean if you bid 3H? If North had doubled for takeout, you would have jumped to 4H. North didn't double. He overcalled 2S. Both double and 2S by North show the same general values, but the 2S bid also says that spades are North's main interest. There is no reason to think that North has real heart support. I think you should pass. There is an important question you must answer here. If you bid 3H, is it forcing, invitational, or weakish? Make up your mind before reading on. I will bet you are not sure what 3H would mean.

5. 5 2
A K J 8 4
7 6
K Q 5 2

This is a possible hand for South to hold and as you can see, South wants to make a forcing bid with it. The only sensible bid is 3H, which allows North to rebid spades, raise hearts, or bid notrump. North might even be able to bid clubs. This hand is good enough to cue-bid 4D, but to what purpose? North won't know you have hearts and he won't be able to get to 3NT any more. I suggest you adopt this understanding. If your side overcalls after a preempt, you should say that a new suit at the three level by partner is forcing. You will have some hands that would like to have a different understanding, but it can't be helped. Best to have an agreement that lets you bid your good hands accurately.

6. 9 7
K Q 4
8 7 5
A J 7 6 3

A disgusting hand. You know East is swiping from you but there is no clear way to get into the bidding. If this hand was given to a bidding panel, the majority would fuss about with this and that and would finally come to some uncertain conclusions. I imagine that the majority would double and would state that it was Responsive. If it was pointed out to them that Responsive Doubles are not part of the system, the experts would still double. Only this time, their explanation would be something like this. "Double. Partner must know that I don't have a diamond stack so I must be showing a bunch of points with nothing good to bid."
You know, double might be the right bid with this hand even if it isn't Responsive. I admit that there is no good bid with this hand. The alternative of 4C doesn't feel good. It gets you beyond 3NT, which is a possible game for your side. Also, if 4C is treated as forcing, your side will keep on bidding and will get to a lot of games that don't make. Yes. Double makes sense, even if it is not defined as Responsive. My apologies for a wretchedly difficult problem.

7. 4 2
Q J 4
8
A J 10 9 7 6 4

If you were thinking about bidding 4C on the previous hand, you will also think about bidding 4C on this hand. Obviously, these two hands have nothing in common with one another. Let's say you do bid 4C on this second hand. Do you mean it to be forcing? I already suggested that a new suit at the three level should be forcing when partner overcalls. Should a new suit at the four level also be forcing? I tend to think not. The reason is that you are unlikely to have a hand good enough that you know you are safe at the five level. I think that 4C should be an encouraging bid, but not a forcing bid.

Back

1.	7 6 4 Q 9 7 3 2 A 6 10 6 5
Pass. But it is close. Curiously, a free raise to 3S shows LESS than a raise to 3S if East hadn't bid 3D. It is important to show a fit so that your side can compete. Still, this principle dictates you need a little more than this. Perhaps if your spades were headed by the 1098 instead of the 764 that you actually have.
2.	K Q 6 3 7 6 3 9 8 4 8 7 2
This hand, even with super spades, should pass. If you bid 3S, there is no chance in the world that North will pass. He will bid 4S exactly as you know he will. Better to pass. North rates to have a good enough hand that he will come back in.
3.	J 9 6 A 10 9 8 3 6 2 A 10 3
In competition, you may have to bid a tiny bit more than you want to. If East passed, you would raise to 3S and be fairly pleased with it. You have two aces and an honor in spades plus you have good spot cards. Either or both of your ten spots could be working. The only possible minus you have is the doubleton diamond. If North also has a doubleton diamond, the hands may fit poorly. On the actual auction, East raised to 3D. In situations like this, you have to push a little so as to take the pressure off of partner. This hand should bid 4S. At least if you don't make it, your partner will know you were the one who did the overbidding. If you bid 4S and go down, feel free to blame me. Of course, if it makes, think kindly of my advice next time you get a bad result from listening to me.
4.	5 J 10 7 6 5 3 9 8 6 K 3 2
What does it mean if you bid 3H? If North had doubled for takeout, you would have jumped to 4H. North didn't double. He overcalled 2S. Both double and 2S by North show the same general values, but the 2S bid also says that spades are North's main interest. There is no reason to think that North has real heart support. I think you should pass. There is an important question you must answer here. If you bid 3H, is it forcing, invitational, or weakish? Make up your mind before reading on. I will bet you are not sure what 3H would mean.
5.	5 2 A K J 8 4 7 6 K Q 5 2
This is a possible hand for South to hold and as you can see, South wants to make a forcing bid with it. The only sensible bid is 3H, which allows North to rebid spades, raise hearts, or bid notrump. North might even be able to bid clubs. This hand is good enough to cue-bid 4D, but to what purpose? North won't know you have hearts and he won't be able to get to 3NT any more. I suggest you adopt this understanding. If your side overcalls after a preempt, you should say that a new suit at the three level by partner is forcing. You will have some hands that would like to have a different understanding, but it can't be helped. Best to have an agreement that lets you bid your good hands accurately.
6.	9 7 K Q 4 8 7 5 A J 7 6 3
A disgusting hand. You know East is swiping from you but there is no clear way to get into the bidding. If this hand was given to a bidding panel, the majority would fuss about with this and that and would finally come to some uncertain conclusions. I imagine that the majority would double and would state that it was Responsive. If it was pointed out to them that Responsive Doubles are not part of the system, the experts would still double. Only this time, their explanation would be something like this. "Double. Partner must know that I don't have a diamond stack so I must be showing a bunch of points with nothing good to bid." You know, double might be the right bid with this hand even if it isn't Responsive. I admit that there is no good bid with this hand. The alternative of 4C doesn't feel good. It gets you beyond 3NT, which is a possible game for your side. Also, if 4C is treated as forcing, your side will keep on bidding and will get to a lot of games that don't make. Yes. Double makes sense, even if it is not defined as Responsive. My apologies for a wretchedly difficult problem.
7.	4 2 Q J 4 8 A J 10 9 7 6 4
If you were thinking about bidding 4C on the previous hand, you will also think about bidding 4C on this hand. Obviously, these two hands have nothing in common with one another. Let's say you do bid 4C on this second hand. Do you mean it to be forcing? I already suggested that a new suit at the three level should be forcing when partner overcalls. Should a new suit at the four level also be forcing? I tend to think not. The reason is that you are unlikely to have a hand good enough that you know you are safe at the five level. I think that 4C should be an encouraging bid, but not a forcing bid.