Bridge Lesson 22: Overcalls and How to Raise Them

An overcall is a bid of your own suit after an opponent has opened the bidding. A one-level overcall shows a good five-card or longer suit and about 8-16 HCP; at the two level you want a better suit and about 11-16; and a 1NT overcall shows a balanced 15-18 with a stopper in the opener's suit. These are the 2/1 Game Force ranges, the same as in Standard American, and Acol players use much the same.

Overcalls do several jobs at once. They compete for the part score, they take bidding space from the opponents, and they tell partner what to lead if the opponents win the auction.

When your right-hand opponent opens 1♦ and you bid 1♠, you have overcalled. The opponents have shown the stronger hand, so an overcall is not an opening bid: it is a bid that says "this is a good suit to play or to lead, and I have some values."

Because the opener's partner still has a turn, an overcall can be doubled for penalty. That risk is why the suit matters so much.

Compare two hands after RHO opens 1♦:

• ♠KQJ93 ♥85 ♦742 ♣A63: 10 HCP, a strong suit. Overcall 1♠. If partner leads a spade, it helps the defense; if you are doubled, the suit takes tricks.
• ♠J7532 ♥AQ ♦K84 ♣Q82: 12 HCP, a weak suit. Many good players pass here. A spade lead from partner would often cost a trick, and the suit takes few tricks if you are doubled.

A simple test for a two-level overcall is two of the top three honors or three of the top five in the suit. At the one level you can be a little looser, but the suit should still be one you want partner to lead.

A jump overcall, such as 2♠ over 1♦, skips a level. In 2/1 Game Force, as in Standard American, it is usually played as weak: a six-card suit and a hand like a weak two opening. Some partnerships play intermediate jump overcalls (about 11-15 with a good six-card suit) instead, so check before you play.

When partner overcalls and you bid a new suit, it is usually not forcing: you show a long suit of your own and a sensible hand, and partner may pass.

Over 1♠, a heart, diamond or club overcall must go to the two level. That is riskier: you are one trick higher and the opener's partner may hold your suit. Use the stricter rules:

• About 11-16 HCP, more when vulnerable.
• A good five-card suit or any decent six-card suit.
• With a weaker hand and a strong six-card suit, a weak jump overcall may be the better bid.

With a balanced 15-18 and a stopper in the opener's suit, overcall 1NT. It is like a strong 1NT opening, so partner can use the same tools: Stayman and transfers in most partnerships ("system on"). Without a stopper in their suit, double for takeout instead, or pass.

Partner's overcall promises five cards, so three-card support is enough to raise.

The jump raise is weak on purpose. With a nine-card fit, the Law of Total Tricks says you are safe at the three level, and the bid makes the opponents guess. With a real game try, use the cue bid of the opener's suit. You can see what that 2♦ cue bid means in every system.

You hold 10 HCP and a strong five-card spade suit: overcall 1♠. Partner has 9 HCP and three spades, so partner raises to 2♠. East, with a minimum 13, has no safe way back in.

Double-dummy analysis gives 2♠ by South eight tricks: it makes. East and West could have made nine tricks with diamonds as trumps. Your overcall and partner's raise took that part score away from them.

Competitive auctions are hard to practice at home. In the BridgeDummy Bidding Room the EPBot robots open and compete by their system, so you face real opening bids and decide when to overcall. For more detail, read overcalls in bridge.

Previous lesson: Lesson 21: Bidding a Slam. Next lesson: Lesson 23: Takeout Doubles. Full course: Bridge lessons for beginners.