Test your knowledge
Overcalls, in NT, over a suit
- Question 1
(of 9 on this page)
You have a 16 point hand, so you could expect to open. Here is it
A J 10
K Q J 10
10 8 3
A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. 2 Clubs
4. 2 Diamonds
5. 2 Hearts
6. 2 Spades
7. double
Back to explanation
- Question 1
(of 9 on this page)
You have a 16 point hand, so you could expect to open. Here is it
Answer A J 10 K Q J 10 10 8 3 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?
2 ). 1 NT
If you don't need a 5-card suit to overcall in NT. With 16 points and a balanced hand, with a stopper in the enemy suit, you can call NT
Back to explanation
- Question 2
(of 9 on this page)
You have a balanced hand, this time with 14 points. Here is it
A J 10 K Q 10 4 10 8 3 A 9 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. 2 Clubs
4. 2 Diamonds
5. 2 Hearts
6. 2 Spades
7. double
Back to explanation
- Question 2
(of 9 on this page)
You have a balanced hand, this time with 14 points. Here is it
Answer A J 10 K Q 10 4 10 8 3 A 9 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?
7 . double
You need 15 points to overcall in NT, which you don't have. You don't have a 5-card suit to overcall either. With 3 suits however, you can "double for takeout", requesting your partner to bid unless there is an intervening bid.
Back to explanation
- Question 3
(of 9 on this page)
You have a balanced hand, this time with 16 points. Here is it
J 10 9 K Q J 10 A 10 8 3 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. 2 Clubs
4. 2 Diamonds
5. 2 Hearts
6. 2 Spades
7. double
Back to explanation
- Question 3
(of 9 on this page)
You have a balanced hand, this time with 16 points. Here is it
Answer J 10 9 K Q J 10 A 10 8 3 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?
7 . double
Although you have a balanced hand with stoppers in 3 suits, and the required 15-18 HCP, you can't overcall 1NT because you don't have a stopper in the enemy suit. You should double for takeout.
Back to explanation
- Question 4
(of 9 on this page)
Look at the deal at the side of the page. Your partner North had the same hand from Quiz no. B 0103 question 1 above, and overcalled 1NT after West opened 1 Spade.
What should you bid with your 9 HCP ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 Clubs
8. 3 Diamonds
9. 3 Hearts
10. 3 Spades
Back to explanation
- Question 4
(of 9 on this page)
Look at the deal at the side of the page. Your partner North had the same hand from Quiz no. B 0103 question 1 above, and overcalled 1NT after West opened 1 Spade.
Answer
What should you bid with your 9 HCP ?
2 . 2 Clubs
Stayman, asking partner for a 4-card Major. You do of course need to agree with your partner beforehand if you plan to use Stayman and Transfers after a NT overcall. Partner will reply with 2 Hearts. You know that you have a minimum 24 HCP, max 27. Given the 8-card Major fit, the only decision remaining is to play at 2, 3 or 4 Hearts. With the fit, you can now re-evaluate your shortages in Clubs and Spades, and in the light of the promised 15 HCP, make your decision. . ...
Back to explanation
- Question 5
(of 9 on this page)
Look at the deal at the side of the page. Your partner North had the same hand from Quiz no. B 0103 question 1 above, and overcalled 1NT after West opened 1 Spade.
What should you bid with your 9 HCP, assuming that you have agreed NOT to use Stayman and transfers after a 1NT overcall ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 Clubs
8. 3 Diamonds
9. 3 Hearts
10. 3 Spades
Back to explanation
- Question 5
(of 9 on this page)
Look at the deal at the side of the page. Your partner North had the same hand from Quiz no. B 0103 question 1 above, and overcalled 1NT after West opened 1 Spade.
Answer
What should you bid with your 9 HCP, assuming that you have agreed NOT to use Stayman and transfers after a 1NT overcall ?
8 . 3 Diamonds
Any bid at the two level is weak, and must be passed. But you are strong, and with your 6-card diamond suit you should bid at a higher level.
Back to explanation
- Question 6
(of 9 on this page)
Imagine your partner is North on the Table to the side, yet again, and has again overcalled 1NT after 1 Spade opening from West, showing balanced with stopper in 3 suits including Spades. This time you are much stronger, and you have the following 11-HCP 6-loser hand
9 8 A 9 4 K J 9 7 4 2 K 7
What should you bid ?1. 2 Clubs
2. 2 Diamonds
3. 2 Hearts
4. 2 Spades
5. 2 NT
6. 3 Clubs
7. 3 Diamonds
8. 3 Hearts
9. 3 Spades
10. 3 NT
Back to explanation
- Question 6
(of 9 on this page)
Imagine your partner is North on the Table to the side, yet again, and has again overcalled 1NT after 1 Spade opening from West, showing balanced with stopper in 3 suits including Spades. This time you are much stronger, and you have the following 11-HCP 6-loser hand
Answer
9 8 A 9 4 K J 9 7 4 2 K 7
What should you bid ?
10 . 3 NT
You've got at least 26 HCP, max 29. You could possibly have something going in Diamonds, but a game in NT seems certain.
Back to explanation
- Question 7
(of 9 on this page)
You have a very strong 20 point hand, so you could expect to open. Here is it
A J 10 K Q J 10 A 10 8 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. 2 Hearts
4. 2 NT
5. double
Back to explanation
- Question 7
(of 9 on this page)
You have a very strong 20 point hand, so you could expect to open. Here is it
Answer A J 10 K Q J 10 A 10 8 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?
5 . double
You might be thinking that since an 15-18 HCP balanced hand with stoppers in the enemy suit is good enough for a 1 NT overcall, then with 19+ why not bid 2NT ? Well that's fine unless you use the "Unusual 2NT"overcall to signify two 5-card minors after an opening bid in a Major. Since that is such a useful bid, it's better to double and then rebid your NT next time round. Your double is of course forcing, so you'll get a chance to bid your strong NT hand.
Back to explanation
- Question 8
(of 9 on this page)
You have a super-strong 23 point hand, so you could expect to open. Here is it
A J 10 K Q J 10 A K 10 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?1. pass
2. 1 NT
3. 2 Clubs
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 NT
6. double
Back to explanation
- Question 8
(of 9 on this page)
You have a super-strong 23 point hand, so you could expect to open. Here is it
Answer A J 10 K Q J 10 A K 10 A J 4
Unfortunately, your RHO opened 1 Spade, and you don't have a 5-card suit to overcall, but your Hearts are pretty good. What should you bid ?
6 . double
Same answer as in the last question. Only this time when you rebid the NT, you should jump rebid to show 21-23. With 24-26 you would jump rebid at the 3 level.
Back to explanation
- Question 9
(of 9 on this page)
Your partner North bid 1NT as an overcall to West's opening bid of 1 Diamond. You have the following hand
8 5 4 A Q J 9 5 2 K 9 8 7
What should you bid with your 10HCP 7-loser hand ?1. 2 Clubs
2. 2 Diamonds
3. 2 Hearts
4. 2 Spades
5. 2 NT
6. 3 Clubs
7. 3 Diamonds
8. 3 Hearts
9. 3 Spades
10. 3 NT
Back to explanation
- Question 9
(of 9 on this page)
Your partner North bid 1NT as an overcall to West's opening bid of 1 Diamond. You have the following hand
Answer 8 5 4 A Q J 9 5 2 K 9 8 7
What should you bid with your 10HCP 7-loser hand ?
2 . 2 Diamonds
A transfer bid. It is promising a 5-card major in Hearts, and denying a 4-card Spade suit. (With a 5-4 in the Majors, bid Stayman 2 clubs). After various bids to establish if you have 5 or 6 of them in trying to find your 8-card Major match, you will end up in game in Hearts of NT. In this case NT looks dangerous with your ultra weak singleton !
Back to explanation
| West | |
|---|---|
 | ? ? ? ? ? |
 | |
 | |
 |
| North | |
|---|---|
| A J 10 |
| K Q J 10 |
| 10 8 3 |
| A J 4 |
| East | |
|---|---|
| |
| |
| |
|
| South | |
|---|---|
| 3 |
| A 4 3 2 |
| K Q 9 7 4 2 |
| 5 3 |
Other Deals that illustrate this technique