All About Overcalling

It is annoying when the opponents open the bidding in front of you, but
that doesn’t mean to say that you are constrained to pass for ever. In
fact there are quite of number of reasons why it would be right and
proper for you to enter the bidding and these can be classified as
follows:
1) Because you have a good hand!

2) Because you want to take up bidding space to make things more

difficult for the opponents.

3) Because you want to indicate a lead to partner should the hand on

your left end up as declarer.

4) Because you might want to pave the way for a possible sacrifice.
Sometimes it is better to concede a penalty than let the opponents
end up declaring.

1. You have a good hand

Suppose you hold: S AQ765

H K2
D A87
C 75

and hear the hand on your right open 1H. As you would have opened
the bidding if you had been declarer it seems only sensible that you
should bid now and a bid of 1S seems a stand out. And so it is, but there
is one requirement that is absolutely sacrosanct whatever the reason
you have for overcalling and that is that you must hold at least a five
card suit. We shall see in a moment that the suit must have some quality
about it, but that is less important if you have a good hand.

2. You want to be difficult

In the early days of bridge it was almost considered to be bad form to

bid when you didn’t have much in the way of high cards, but that has all
changed. Now the main thrust is to bid at all cost and the more bidding
space you take up the better it must be. So a bid of 1S over 1C is much
more worrying for the opponents than a bid of 1D over 1C! So what are
the requirements here? Well again you just have to have at least a five
card suit and with few points the quality has to be good. Something like
QJ976 would be near the bottom end of what partner might expect. As
for the number of points, well anything from about six or seven points
up is ok if you are both overcalling at the one-level and also taking up a
lot of space. If the hand in front of you opened 1C it would surely be all
right to overcall 1S holding:

S KQJ76
H J98
D 75
C 976.

(Certainly if you are not vulnerable. Maybe if you are vulnerable you
should raise your minimum level by a point or two.)

If your overcall suit takes you to the two-level then you have to be a
little more circumspect and would be expected to hold something like an
opening bid with a suit of good quality, and preferably with six cards in
it. If the hand in front of you opens 1S it would be ok to overcall with 2D
holding something like:

S A3
H J98
D KQJ976
C J3.

As you can see the quality of the suit is paramount. Take away a
diamond and it would be dubious.

3. You want to indicate a lead

If the opponents outgun you in the bidding and the hand on your left
becomes declarer, the very fact that you have overcalled should give
partner help when deciding what to lead. Of course it is not written in
tablets of stone that he has to lead your suit but he should have a very
good reason for not doing so. This is why it is so essential to have a
measure of quality in the suit in which you overcall.
4. You might want to make a sacrifice bid

Sacrificial bidding is part of the modern game when you bid to a

contract with the understanding that not only will you fail in your
contract but that you will be doubled as well. Nevertheless such is the
clever structure of the scoring system that by doing so you can still show
a profit. If the opponents bid to a vulnerable game you can afford to go
three down if you are not vulnerable, even if you are doubled. At equal
vulnerability you can only afford to go two down, while at adverse
vulnerability you can only afford to go one down. For this reason it is
very rare to find one side sacrificing when they are vulnerable and their
opponents are not.

Because it is only right and proper to consider overcalling for each of

the reasons detailed above it can be troublesome when the partner of
the overcaller has a good hand himself and would like to know whether
he is facing a good hand or just a modest collection. Take the following
hand for example:

Love All. Dealer North S 76

H AQJ98
D KJ54
C K3
S K94 S AQJ83
H 73 H 1054
D A1076 D Q2
C AJ54 C 1092
S 1052
H K62
D 983
C Q876

North East South West

1H 1S No ??
No one could disagree with the opening bid and by now I hope you are
convinced that it is ok to overcall on the East hand with 1S. South has a
clear pass but West would appear to be in a dilemma. While he would
like to be in game if East had an opening bid it would be foolhardy just
to bash 4S in case East has a light overcall. The solution is to bid the
opponents’ suit – in this case 2H. This carries the following distinct
message, ‘ I have a good hand partner and I know where we are going if
you have a good hand. But if you have overcalled on very few values
then please just repeat your suit at a minimum level.’ Here East would
rebid 2S if North passes and West would do likewise. Nine tricks are
likely to be made but certainly not game.

This clever device of bidding the opponents’ suit to garner

more information as to the strength of the overcaller is called
an ‘Unassuming Cue Bid’ or UCB.

The corollary to all this of course is that direct support of the

overcaller’s suit is not showing a good hand but is merely an attempt to
make life more difficult for the opponents especially when there is the
likelihood that the opener has a very strong hand. The following hand
shows just what I am talking about:

Love all. Dealer North S7

H AKJ98
D KQ103
C A86
S K862 S AQJ103
H 43 H 1075
D A9865 D74
C 95 C QJ3
S 954
H Q62
DJ2
C K10742
 North East South West
1H 1S No 3S
???

Left to their own devices North/South would sail into 4H but the
barrage bidding has made life more difficult. Note that West is not
showing a good hand in terms of points when he bids 3S but is just
preempting the bidding with a known nine card fit. Generally speaking
the partner of the overcaller, with a modest hand, raises to the total
number of trumps held between the two hands. Here West knows of
nine trumps so he bids to make nine tricks and although 3S would not
make it is only one down. Obviously some caution is required when
vulnerable and with a very weak hand, but generally speaking the
principle is a sound one.

Another source of confusion is as to the meaning of a change of suit by

responder to the overcaller. After an opening bid a change of suit is
forcing of course because the responder knows that his partner has the
strength to open in the first place, but after an overcall that is not the
case. As a consequence it is good practice to make a change of suit by
the responder to an overcaller as encouraging but not forcing. And one
absolute requirement is that the suit will have a minimum length of five.
Just remember that as far as overcalls are concerned we are in five-card
suit territory. An example will make this clear

Love All. Dealer North S 73

H A3
D AQJ976
C K53
S A2 S KQ1086
H KQ1087 H J92
D 52 D K103
C Q1064 C A9
S J954
H 654
D 84
C J872
 North East South West
1D 1S No 2H
No 4H End

Notice that West’s bid of 2H is encouraging but not forcing. However

with a good hand and with three card trump support East has an easy
raise to game.

So we have learned that: -

1) You can overcall for many different reasons but you will always
have at least a five-card suit of decent quality.

2) If the responder to the overcaller has a good hand with trump

support he can find out the strength of his partner’s hand by
bidding the opponents’ suit – the so-called Unassuming Cue Bid.

3) Direct raises of the overcaller’s suit by his partner shows the

number of trumps held and not a good hand, else he would have
made an UCB.

4) A change of suit by the partner of the overcaller is encouraging

but not forcing and shows at least a five-card suit.

The 1NT Overcall

It is logical to open 1NT with an average of about 13 points because the
expectation is that partner will hold on average about 9 points – a third
of the missing 27. But all that changes of course when one of the
opponents has opened in front of you because now the expectation is
that partner will have fewer than 9 points. Indeed if you imagine an
opening bid of one in a suit to contain on average about 15 points and
you hold 13 then the expectation is that partner will only hold 6 points -
a half of the missing 12 and giving you only a total of 19 points, not
enough to make more than half the tricks. However if instead of holding
13 points you held about 16 then partner would be expected to hold 4 or
5, making a contract of 1NT in your direction much more likely to
succeed. So we come to the conclusion that a direct overcall of 1NT over
an opening bid of one should be an essentially balanced hand ranging
from a ‘good’ fifteen points to a ‘bad’ eighteen points. And it goes
without saying that the hand should contain at least one- and preferably
two - stops in the suit the opposition has opened.
What is more all the gadgetry you employ after a weak no-trump –
Stayman and transfers – should still apply if third hand passes except
you now know partner has a strong no-trump.

Ex. SJ3
H A Q 10 7 5
D K J 10 5
CJ2
SK985 SAQ62
H2 HKJ43
D762 DQ3
CAQ765 C K 10 4
S 10 7 4
H986
DA984
C983

North East South West

1H 1NT No 2C
No 2S No 4S
No No No

In fourth position things are different because although the hand on

your left has indicated opening values the hand on your right has shown
less than about six points, leaving it sensible to make the so-called
‘protective no-trump’ with about 11-14 points. Once again Stayman and
transfers would apply.

Jump Overcalls
In traditional Acol a single jump overcall of a right hand opponent was
made on a strong hand with a good six-card suit; something like 16-18
points. However the frequency of such a hand arising was very low and
these days the accepted approach is to play jump overcalls in one of two
ways:-

a) Weak jump overcalls when not vulnerable. The requirements are to

have a reasonable six-card suit and about 5-9 points. The following
hand would qualify for a 2S bid after an opponent opens 1D:-
 SAQ7643
H82
DQ65
C72

b) Intermediate jump overcalls when vulnerable. The requirements now

are to have a reasonable six-card suit and about 11-13 points. The
following hand would qualify for a 3C bid after an opponent opens 1S:-

S6
HK86
D753
CAKJ832

Note that in both cases the jump is a single jump. Any higher barrage
could be made on a normal preempt type hand, although if partner has
already passed the hand might be quite strong. For example, if partner
passes and the next hand opens 1D it would be quite acceptable to bid
4S on:-

S A K 10 8 6 5 3 2
HA4
DK2
C7

If partner has made a single jump overcall the responder to that

overcaller can only show a good hand by bidding the opponent’s suit.
All raises of the overcall suit are defensive in nature. For example, if
partner has overcalled 1D with 2S at favourable vulnerability then it
would be perfectly in order to raise to 4S on:-

SK65
HKQ732
D642
C73

And you should bid this whether right hand opponent bids or not. The
purpose of this call is not so much an attempt to make game as to make
life difficult for the opposition.
 S9
HAJ8
D A Q J 10 5 3
CKQ9
SK65 S A Q 10 8 4 3
HKQ732 H95
D642 D87
C73 CJ82
SJ72
H 10 6 4
DK9
C A 10 6 5 4

Here N/S can make 6D but will find it difficult to bid if the opponents
barrage to 4S.

Michaels Cue Bid

One of the most popular ways of showing a two-suited hand after the
opponents have opened in front of you is by using the exotically
sounding ‘Michaels Cue Bid.’ It is very simple and works like this:

1. After the hand on your right opens 1H a bid of 2H by you shows at

least 5-5 in spades and a minor.

2. After the hand on your right opens 1S a bid of 2S by you shows at

least 5-5 in hearts and a minor.

3. After the hand on your right opens 1D a bid of 2D by you shows at

least 5-5 in the majors.

4. After the hand on your right opens 1C a bid of 2C by you shows at

least 5-5 in the majors.

5. After the hand on your right opens 1S/H/D/C a bid of 2NT by you
shows 5-5 in the lower two suits. (The so-called Unusual No-Trump.)

If the responder in cases 1) and 2) wishes to know which is the minor he

asks by bidding 2NT.
Ex. SJ76
HQ652
D 10 3
CJ974
S94 SA853
H K J 10 7 3 H8
DAQ654 DK987
C8 C Q 10 6 2
S K Q 10 2
HA94
DJ2
CAK53

S W N E
1S 2S No 2NT
No 3D All Pass

You must have an agreement as to the strength of this overcall but

popular wisdom has that it should be weak non-vulnerable, say 6-10
points, and intermediate if vulnerable, say 11-14 points.
1. SQ6
HAKQ75
DK842
C97
SK82 S A J 10 7 5
H42 H J 10 6
D Q J 10 3 DA
CAQ54 C K 10 3 2
S943
H983
D9765
CJ86

South West North East

1H 1S
No 2H No 3C
No 4S End
West bids 2H – the opponent’s suit – to find out the strength of his
partner’s overcall. 3C shows a good hand with spades and clubs
enabling West to bid the easy game.

2. SK985
H2
D762
CAQ765
S 10 7 4 SJ3
H986 H A Q 10 7 5
DA984 D K J 10 5
C983 CJ2
SAQ62
HKJ43
DQ3
C K 10 4

South West North East

1H
1NT No 2C No
2S No 4S End
North bids Stayman after his partner has shown a strong no-trump
enabling the spade game to be reached.
3. S K Q 10 9 6
H5
D 10 9 5 4
CA94
SJ S74
HAKJ8 H Q 10 9 3
DKQ872 DAJ3
C 10 8 5 CK632
SA8532
H7642
D6
CQJ7

South West North East

No 1D 1S Dbl*
4S End
*Sputnik double showing a hand that would have responded 1H.

North bids to the total number of trumps. 4S makes, as does 5H for E/W
except on a diamond lead but the barrage makes life difficult for them.

4. S Q 10 8
H 10
DAK875
CKQ96
SA6 SKJ932
HK932 HAQ875
D Q J 10 2 D3
C 10 8 7 CJ5
S754
HJ64
D964
CA432

South West North East

No 1D 2D
No 4H End

With his good cards in the majors West is fully justified in bidding 4H
after his partner’s Michaels bid showing both majors.
5. S K Q 10 4 2
HA94
DJ2
CAJ5
SA853 S9
H8 H K J 10 7 3
DK987 DAQ654
C Q 10 6 2 C83
SJ76
HQ652
D 10 3
CK974

South West North East

1S 2S
No 2NT No 3D
End

2S is Michaels showing hearts and a minor and 2NT enquires.

6. S8753
H63
DA8752
CK6
SKQ4 S A 10 9 2
HQJ872 HAK954
D3 DJ9
CQJ82 C 10 5
SJ6
H 10
D K Q 10 6 4
CA9743

South West North East

1H
2NT 4H 5D End

2NT shows the minors. 4H just makes and 5D is only one down.
7. S76
H875
DKQ85
CK985
S A Q 10 9 3 SKJ82
HK942 H 10
DA9 D 10 7 6 4 3
C 10 2 CQJ3
S54
HAQJ63
DJ2
CA764

South West North East

1H 1S Dbl 3S
End

North’s double shows the minors and 3S is a preemptive raise and NOT
strong. With a good hand in support East would bid 2H.

8. S K Q 10 7 3
HA2
D985
C732
SA2 SJ986
H9654 H 10 8
DKQJ74 D 10 6 3
CKQ CA954
S54
HKQJ73
DA2
C J 10 8 6

South West North East

1D 1S No
2H End

After an overcall a change of suit is encouraging but NOT forcing

because the overcaller might not have an opening hand. (As here.)