ACBL10D – Bidding: Strong Takeout Overcalls      Ward Trumbull

                                                                                                     Feb 25, 2013

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History

       Before there was Michaels, a direct que bid was used to indicate a 16+ HCP takeout hand. As a nuisance bid, I use 6-12 HCP hands for level 1 overcalls.  That hand would have 5+ cards in the suit, with 2-or-more honors (10 thru ace), but not as weak as just a 10 and jack.  Think of it as a suit you would like your partner to lead if your left hand opponent (LHO) is declarer and your partner is on lead.

Point Count Requirements

      You should overcall at the one level with 6-12 HCP.

      You should overcall at the two level with 8-12 HCP.

      You should double (Takeout Double) with 13+ HCP.  (Takes 1 year to

                                                                                           learn this.)

There are still many intermediate players that only overcall with strong hands.

CHECK – CHECK - CHECK

      When you record hand results on the traveler (and you have 8-10 HCP) but you get a bad score, review the bidding.  Did partner make a overcall?  Ask what the HCP was.  Typically, partner will say 13-14 HCP, when in reality it was 15-18 HCP.  Your pair might have missed a makeable game

or top score on a penalty double.

Learn to take those overcalls as STRONG HCP hands.