[jillybean]

MP, all V

P (1♣) to you

AK965, K3, A73, QJ8

If you bid 1N (or tell me why 1♠ is better) and the auction continues..

P (1♣) 1N (2♦*) *transfer
P (2♥) ?

Will you bid 2♠ now?

[Lurpoa]

jillybean, on 2011-March-16, 23:51, said:

MP, all V

P (1♣) to you

AK965, K3, A73, QJ8

If you bid 1N (or tell me why 1♠ is better) and the auction continues..

P (1♣) 1N (2♦*) *transfer
P (2♥) ?

Will you bid 2♠ now?

Depends on the system you agreed with P.



Playing SAYC, this hand is a little too strong for an overcall of 1♠. I would prefer to overcall 1NT, which I think superior to the double, because it better discribes the hand. Besides, this is a hand on which I would open 1NT, to avoid the rebid problem after a 1♠ opening.

Playing BWS2001: you can bid 1♠, because partner knows you can have up to 18H.



On the proposed bidding sequence, I must pass, partner can have 5 litlle ♥ and nothing else. In that case it is clear that the opener has all the rest, which could justify his reverse bidding: or is it just a strength showinw cue-bid ? I would only consider a double with 3♥ with 2 tophonners.

[whereagles]

Most obvious 2♠ overcall eva

I'm ok with 1NT or 1♠ the first round, although I must say I probably wouldn't have tried 1NT unless I was playing puppet stayman.

[Lurpoa]

Oh, got this wrong, the opps are bidding 2♦, NOT my P.

2♠ is a little agressive, but it is kind of a pre-balance. It depends also on your agreements of the actions partner could have taken on the 2♦ transfer.

[kenberg]

I'm one of those unimaginative types who thinks hat with a good five card spade suit you should overcall 1♠. Maybe we buy the hand in spades, maybe the opponents buy the hand and partner leads a spade. OK either way.

If I overcall 1NT then I find it very easy to bid 2S here. If it goes for a number that's just too bad. I have a good hand and good spades. I am not passing.

[helene_t]

I would pass now at R/R and that is why I would have bid 1♠ before because I wouldn't dare to introduce my spades later if I start with 1NT.

Being nonvul I might have bid 1NT. It does get my values across, after all, which I might not achieve if I start with 1♠.

Something else: it is unusual to play transfers in this situation. If I am not confident that opps know what they are doing then that's an extra reason for passing.

[gwnn]

It just seems to work much better to overcall 1M as opposed to 1NT when you are 5332. The reason is, I guess, that you don't wish or hope to show exact point ranges in competitive auctions anymore, and the risk of missing game because of this is lower. Getting to a workable partscore is more important, and for that, telling partner that you have a 5 card major is more important than telling him your points.

As an aside, all the role models here on the forums seem to agree with this (not my half-baked reasoning, but the tendency to overcall 1M and not 1NT).

[Hanoi5]

Although for the sake of competition bidding spades is better than NT (especdially after they opened the bidding and partner already passed) I believe we can safely bid 2♠ now. The only problem I see is that partner holds the hearts and is waitong for the bid to come to him and double, but other than that 2♠ seems automatic here.

[nigel_k]

I would not normally overcall 1NT with a decent five card major but since the clubs are QJx it is ok. I would definitely bid 2♠ the second time and if not willing to do that would have preferred to overcall 1♠.

[jillybean]

Thanks all. I thought it was better to show my point count first but I see getting to the better part score is more important. However if partner was an UPH, is it still better to overcall a 5cM?

---

Hi Helene, transfers are used after 1m (1N) by a few players in this part of the world, they weren't bunnies.

[gwnn]

jillybean, on 2011-March-17, 12:59, said:

Thanks all. I thought it was better to show my point count first but I see getting to the better part score is more important. However if partner was an UPH, is it still better to overcall a 5cM?

Not in my (or the aforementioned role models') opinion.

[jillybean]

gwnn, on 2011-March-17, 13:47, said:

Not in my (or the aforementioned role models') opinion.

So let me clarify, opposite an UPH you would overcall 1N?

[awm]

I would not overcall 1NT on this hand regardless of whether partner has passed already. Opening 1NT on this hand is a different story. There are several reasons:

(1) You are less likely to have game on power after the opponents have opened. Of course it is still possible to have 25-26 hcp or whatever, but by far the majority of your games will be based on a major suit fit. For this reason showing your spades (hoping to catch a raise) is likely better than bidding notrump to show the point count.

(2) A competitive auction is more likely once the opponents have opened. LHO will bid pretty aggressively if he has a suit (or a club raise) because he knows his partner has some stuff. For this reason it is helpful to show your suit right away, so partner can compete further and you are not left guessing whether to introduce spades at the two-level. 1NT is also a lot easier to penalize than 1♠ in case partner shows up with a yarboro.

(3) The 1NT opening has the effect of "siding" most contracts to you (i.e. you will declare notrump, you will declare a heart contract after a transfer). When the opponents values are mostly going to be in one hand (opener's) you often want that person to be on lead. This means some contracts tend to play better from partner's side even though you have more values.

[gwnn]

jillybean, on 2011-March-17, 13:53, said:

So let me clarify, opposite an UPH you would overcall 1N?

I would not overcall 1NT ever. Sorry, I misread your question.

[the hog]

I would certainly have bid 1S first, precisely because of the situation in which you now find yourself. Bidding 2S now is very poor.

[655321]

Even though there are hands with 5 spades where I would overcall 1NT rather than 1♠, this is not one of them, I would have bid 1♠.

Having overcalled 1NT I think bidding 2♠ now is pretty clear, passing is just bad.

[kenberg]

jillybean, on 2011-March-17, 12:59, said:

Thanks all. I thought it was better to show my point count first but I see getting to the better part score is more important. However if partner was an UPH, is it still better to overcall a 5cM?

---

Hi Helene, transfers are used after 1m (1N) by a few players in this part of the world, they weren't bunnies.

If they transfer on four cards to the Jack, even if it includes the Ten, they are definitely something!

[ggwhiz]

I like 1nt followed by 2♠, it's only matchpoints.

On these cards, if I overcall 1♠ my partner is putting me in 3♠ at their next bid, down on a club ruff. With the 1nt overcall first, they MAY decide to defend at the 3 level.

Doesn't work out here but that's just hindsight. Pard can decide to bid 3 spades, get doubled and go for -200 or take a stand on defence with the max info I'm able to provide and I would be happy to get this one right more than 50% of the time

[Lurpoa]

jillybean, on 2011-March-17, 12:59, said:

Thanks all. I thought it was better to show my point count first but I see getting to the better part score is more important. However if partner was an UPH, is it still better to overcall a 5cM?

---

Hi Helene, transfers are used after 1m (1N) by a few players in this part of the world, they weren't bunnies.

even vulnerable, as E, I would bid 3♠ now. We have a 9card fit.... It is taking insurance.....

[the hog]

Lurpoa, on 2011-March-18, 05:05, said:

even vulnerable, as E, I would bid 3♠ now. We have a 9card fit.... It is taking insurance.....

Insurance against what? 3H? Spare me!
3S is at least 1 off and probably 2.