Discussion

When the opponent's make the opening bid, you are entitled to complete by making a suit bids (called overcalling) or doubling.

• Reasons to Compete
  1. Your partnership may have more points and better distribution than the opponents. You may be able to make a higher contract than the opponents.
  2. Even if you do not have more points than the opponents, you may have sufficient distribution to sacrifice. To sacrifice you intentially bid higher than the opponents to win the contract even though you are likely go down. The penalty for going down may be less than the score the opponents would make if they made their optimum contract.
  3. You may push the opponents to bid at a higher level which gives you a better chance of defeating their contract.
  4. Your bids will interfer with the normal bidding (information sharing) of the opponents and they may make a mistake.
  5. Your bids describe your hand to your partner. This information exchange may help your side make a better play that will defeat the contract.
  6. An overcall to suggest a suit to lead is a common technique used.
  
  
• Reasons Not to Complete
  1. Your overcall bid can be doubled and the opponents can make a big score by setting your contract and collecting double bonus.
  2. Your double can be redoubled and the opponents can make a big score by making the contract and collecting redouble bonus.
  3. Your bid gives the opponents additional options (double or redouble and cuebids). Rather than interfer with their communication, you enhance it.
  4. Your bid tells the opponents about your hand. They may be able to use that information to play the cards better and make extra tricks.
  
  
• Conclusion:
  • Winning bridge players have found that the advantages of competitive bidding outweigh the disadvantages.
  • Just learn the guidelines so that you rewards that you reap will be much greater than the penalities that you pay.
  
  
• Approach:
  • At the 1- and 2-level (sometimes higher), doubles are not typically used as penalty doubles. A sucessful double at the 1- and 2-level occurs infrequently. Therefore, doubles are often used to show specific hands which enhances the competitive bidding communication. The Takeout Double is the most used.
  • Since your parntership is unlikely to want to play a contract in the suit bid by opener, a cuebid (bidding opponent's suit) is another defensive bidding tool.
  • Recommendation:  Initially, avoid overcalls at the low-end of the following competitive actions (e.g., 8-9 points for 1-level overcalls). Do this until you AND your partner have sufficient bidding and card-playing skills/experience to backup such an agreesive action.

Options to Complete

• 1-Level Overcall Requirements
  • 5-card suit
  • 8-16 pts
  
  
• 2-Level Overcall Requirements
  • good 5-card suit
  • 10-16 pts
  
  
• NoTrump Overcall Requirements
  • balanced hand
  • 15-18 HCPs
  • full stopper in opener's suit
  
  
• Takeout Double Requirements
  • 4 cards in unbid Major suits
  • 3-4 cards in unbid Minor suits
  • 12+ pts (evaluate as responder with fit (SUP))
  • add 2 pts each higher level bid by opener
  
  
• Strong Double Requirements
  • Sequences:   double then bid new suit
  • unbalanced:   5+ card suit, 17+ pts
  • balanced:   18-21 HCPs
  
  
• Weak Jump Overcall Requirements
  • Sequences:   jump overcall to 2D/H/S after 1-level opening bid
    • 6+ card suit
    • 5-9 pts
    • points in overcalled suit
  • Sequences:   jump overcall to 3C/D/H/S or higher
    • 7+ card suit
    • Similar to Preemptive Opener
• 2-suited Overcall
  • Sequences:   2NT Overcall over 1-level opening bid
    • Unusual 2NT
  • Sequences:   2-level overcall (cuebid) in same suit as 1-level opening bid
    • Michaels Cue Bid
  
  
• Penalty Double via Trap Pass
  • Trap Pass
    • Intent:   partner will reopen with double and you pass
    • With (17)18+ pts, you are too strong for a Trap Pass to be profitable.
  • Balancing Double
    • With 10-15 pts for double and 12-16 pts along with 5+ good trumps for Trap Pass, a large penalty is a good bet.

Guidelines

• Vulnerability is important
  • Non-vulnerable:   be agressive
  • Vulnerable:   be cautious - penalty for not making your contract is high (doubled or undoubled).
• Partner is a passed hand
  • Overcalls as lead-directing is safer.
  • With a distributional hand, overcall to suggest a suit to sacrifice.
• Opponents bid and raise a suit
  • Safer to complete - opponents less likely to double for penalty.
  • More likely that your partner will have support for your suit.