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Interfering bids - Overcall a preempt

Question 1 (of 7 on this page)
Your RHO is the dealer and opened 3 Diamonds. So he is weak with 6-10HCP, with a 7-card suit and his limited power concentrated in his long suits.

What is the minimum number of HCP that you need to overall the enemy to your right at the 3 level (so any suit except Clubs) ?

1. 6
2. 9
3. 10
4. 12
5. 16

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Answer 1 (of 7 on this page)
Your RHO is the dealer and opened 3 Diamonds. So he is weak with 6-10HCP, with a 7-card suit and his limited power concentrated in his long suits.

What is the minimum number of HCP that you need to overall the enemy to your right at the 3 level (so any suit except Clubs) ?
( 4 ). 12

You need an opening hand. Of course, your opening hand needs to be a bit special. In what way ?

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Question 2 (of 7 on this page)
The minimum number of HCP that you need to overall a pre-emptive opening at the 3 level is 12. What else do you need ?

1. luck
2. length - at least a 7-card suit
3. length - at least a 6-card suit
4. length - at least a 5-card suit
5. a stopper in the opener's suit

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Answer 2 (of 7 on this page)
The minimum number of HCP that you need to overall a pre-emptive opening at the 3 level is 12. What else do you need ?

( 4 ). length - at least a 5-card suit

You can get away with a 5-card suit if it's very strong. Otherwise you are promising a 6-card suit. You are going to need trumps to ruff the enemy winners in their long suit. You don't need a stopper in their suit, unless you are thinking of overcalling in NT - and that's pretty hard at the 3-level with no information on your partner's hand.

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Question 3 (of 7 on this page)
In what way is it more difficult to double for takeout after an opening bid at the 3-level, compared with doubling a one-level opening ? What are the extra requirements ?

1. You need a 6-card suit
2. You need a 16-HCP hand (or 6 or fewer losers)
3. You need a 19-HCP hand (you are forcing partner to bid 4)

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Answer 3 (of 7 on this page)
In what way is it more difficult to double for takeout after an opening bid at the 3-level, compared with doubling a one-level opening ? What are the extra requirements ?

( 2 ). You need a 16-HCP hand (or 6 or fewer losers)

Other requirements are the same: distribution should be 4441 ideally, i.e. very short in opener's suit

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Question 4 (of 7 on this page)
Your RHO is the dealer and opened 3 Hearts, a weak opening promising 6-10 HCP. You have a strong hand, with decent hearts, and only 5-losers

4
K Q 10 5 2
Q 8 4
A Q 5 4

What should you bid ?
1. pass
2. double
3. 3 Spades
4. 3 NT
5. 4 Clubs
6. 4 Diamonds
7. 4 Hearts
8. 4 Spades
9. 4 NT
10. 5 Clubs

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Answer 4 (of 7 on this page)
Your RHO is the dealer and opened 3 Hearts, a weak opening promising 6-10 HCP. You have a strong hand, with decent hearts, and only 5-losers

4
K Q 10 5 2
Q 8 4
A Q 5 4

What should you bid ?
( 1 ). pass

If you double your partner will think you asking him to choose his best suit from anything other than hearts, and to ‘take you out'. Worst of all, he will most likely jump to 4. Instead you must pass. You can double on the next round if there is one, or pass for penalties if your partner 'balances' with a double.

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Question 5 (of 7 on this page)
Your RHO is the dealer and opened 3 Hearts, a weak opening promising 6-10 HCP. You have another very strong hand, again with only 5-losers

A Q 8 3
2
K Q 5 2
Q 10 9 6

What should you bid ?
1. pass
2. double
3. 3 Spades
4. 3 NT
5. 4 Clubs
6. 4 Diamonds
7. 4 Hearts
8. 4 Spades
9. 4 NT
10. 5 Clubs

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Answer 5 (of 7 on this page)
Your RHO is the dealer and opened 3 Hearts, a weak opening promising 6-10 HCP. You have another very strong hand, again with only 5-losers

A Q 8 3
2
K Q 5 2
Q 10 9 6

What should you bid ?
( 2 ). double

You are weak in Hearts, and good enough to take any bid from your partner. You've got 16HCP including shape. You know the enemy is weak. Don't let them steal the contract.

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Question 6 (of 7 on this page)
Your LHO is the dealer and opened 3 Clubs, a weak opening promising 6-10 HCP. The next two players passed. You have a 10-HCP hand with a 3442 distrubution.

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

What should you bid ?
1. pass
2. double
3. 3 Diamonds
4. 3 Hearts
5. 3 Spades
6. 3 NT
7. 4 Clubs
8. 4 Diamonds
9. 4 Hearts
10. 4 Spades

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Answer 6 (of 7 on this page)
Your LHO is the dealer and opened 3 Clubs, a weak opening promising 6-10 HCP. The next two players passed. You have a 10-HCP hand with a 3442 distrubution.

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

What should you bid ?
( 2 ). double

Be aggressive. It's true that you don't have enough for a normal takeout double, with only a 7-loser hand, instead of 6. But in the passout seat you are only a King short of what you need, so you can "balance". After all, you have all the suits. Your partner will decide whether to bid his own suit, or pass for penalties. He'll no doubt think about the vulnerability.

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Question 7 (of 7 on this page)
You are South, and Dealer. EW are vulnerable, and the bidding has gone round once. It went. . . you South:3S, West:4H, partner North:4S, East:5H.

A K 7 6 5 4 3
2
7 5 3
4 3

What should you now bid ?
1. Pass
2. 5S
3. Double

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Answer 7 (of 7 on this page)
You are South, and Dealer. EW are vulnerable, and the bidding has gone round once. It went. . . you South:3S, West:4H, partner North:4S, East:5H.

A K 7 6 5 4 3
2
7 5 3
4 3

What should you now bid ?
( 1 ). Pass

South! It's best not to disobey the well-known guideline for pre-emptive openings: "Never bid again unless asked". Your first bid has described your hand pretty well.

Only North can see his own hand and knows what to do over 5-Hearts.
AND your partner North is about to get another bid, and will probably double (because he has:-

Spades:  5,2.
Hearts:    K,Q,5,4.
Diamonds:K,Q,2.
Clubs:     Q,7,6,5).

5-Hearts doubled, with 1 or 2-off is worth 200-500 to you: clearly better than going down in 5-Spades.

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