Bridge with Harold Schogger © Overcalling SIMPLE – STRONG JUMP AND SQOT

Bridge with Harold Schogger © 1. N E S W what is 1 ? 1 3. N E S W what is 1 1  1 now ? 2. N E S W what is 1 1  NO 1 now ? Opening bid or Opener Reply or response or responding bid This “joining in bid by opposition” is called an INTERVENING BID OR OVERCALL An Overcall is the first Joining in bid DIRECTLY OVER the Opening Bid

Bridge with Harold Schogger © 4 Reasons to Overcall :- 1. You have good hand and want piece of the action 2. You want to harass the opposition - push them higher than they might want to be 3. You want to indicate a LEAD to your partner 4. You want to make a “Sacrifice type bid” whereby you lose less points than the opposition could have mustered from rubber or slam bonuses

Bridge with Harold Schogger © North EAST 1  ? Overcall 1  Overcall 1  Overcall 2  Overcall 2  This is known as a SIMPLE OVERCALL since you bid your suit at the lowest possible level YOU NEED 8/9 + points and GOOD QUALITY 5 or more card suit

Bridge with Harold Schogger © Now Overcall 2  Now Overcall 3  This is known as a STRONG JUMP OVERCALL since you bid your suit with a JUMP YOU NEED 15/16 + points and SIX card suit North EAST 1  ?

Bridge with Harold Schogger © Simple Overcall Strong Jump Overcall 8/9+ points and good quality suit 15/16+ points and 6 card suit

Bridge with Harold Schogger © Should you overcall here ? N E 1  ? 13 points Poor quality suit Only 4 card suit So JUST PASS

Bridge with Harold Schogger © Standard Quality Overcall Test Add the number of cards in the suit you are thinking of bidding plus the honours in that suit and the TOTAL needs to = TRICKS REQUIRED = only 6 X = = only 5 X

Bridge with Harold Schogger © At 1 level total needs to be SEVEN At 2 level total needs to be EIGHT Aim of this test is to stop people bidding CRAP SUITS