Overcalls

When the opponents open the bidding, any bid you then make is an "overcall."

To see if your hand is good enough for an overcall, you evaluate the same way you do for opening bids – you count points.

How many points you need for an overcall depends on who you ask. Opinions vary widely. What matters most is that you and your partner have the same understanding about overcalls. Learn my methods and you will fit in with most partners. If asked, you might describe your overcall style as "standard."

So, how many points do you need for an overcall? I'm going to give you several guidelines.

The first is: 12 points and a five card suit is enough for a one level overcall (1 ♦, 1♥ , or 1♠ ).

Here are two 12 point hands worth a 1♠ overcall.

♠ J 6 5 4 3 ♥ A 2 ♦ A Q 6 ♣ J 8 7

Pretty poor spade suits, aren't they?

But 12 points is enough.

You can overcall on hands with 12+ points and a five card suit.

You can also overcall at the one level on 10-11 point hands, provided they have what I call a "plus value."

Let's take a look at the different kinds of plus values:

GOOD SUIT

1) The first plus value is a good suit. "Good" means at least 2 of the top 3 honors (or 3 of the top 5 honors) in a suit that has 5 or more cards. These are good suits:

♠ A K x x x   (2 of the top 3 honors)
♥ A Q x x x   (2 of the top 3 honors)
♦ K Q x x x   (2 of the top 3 honors)
♣ A J T x x   (3 of the top 5 honors) Yes, the T is considered an honor.
♠ K J T x x   (3 of the top 5 honors)
♥ Q J T x x   (3 of the top 5 honors)

Here are two examples of 10-11 point hands that qualify for a 1♠ overcall based on the good spade suit that you are overcalling.

♠ K J T 8 4 ♥ 8 7 2 ♦ 9 6 ♣ A Q 3

The first hand has 2 of the top 3 honors.

The second has 3 of the top 5 honors.

GOOD SIDE SUIT

2) The second plus value is a good side suit. Good honors have already been defined as 2 of the top 3 honors, or 3 of the top 5. That was when we were talking about the primary 5 card suit that you're overcalling. You can also have good honors in a 4 card or longer suit other than the one you plan to overcall – a side suit – and that's a plus value.

♠ A 9 8 7 4 ♥ Q 7 2 ♦ 9 ♣ K J T 3

These 10-11 point hands qualify for 1♠ overcalls because the first hand has a plus value for a good diamond side suit, and the second hand has a plus value for a good club side suit.

EXTRA LENGTH

3) The third kind of plus value is extra length. That would be a sixth card in a suit you overcall, or a fifth card in a side suit.

♠ Q J 8 7 4 ♥ 9 ♦ A Q 5 4 2 ♣ J 3

These 10-11 point hands are 1♠ overcalls because the first has extra spade length, and the second hand has extra length in the diamond side suit. Diamonds also have good honors. Two plus values for diamonds.

SINGLETON OR VOID

4) The fourth kind of plus value is a singleton or void. If you have a five card suit with 10-11 points, a singleton or void is a plus value and makes the hand good enough for an overcall.

♠ 9 8 7 4 2 ♥ – ♦ A J 5 4 ♣ A J 9 6

Both of these 10-11 point hands are 1♠ overcalls.

The first has a plus value for a singleton diamond and the second has a plus value for a void in hearts.

Let's practice counting points and plus values:

♠ K Q 8 6 4 ♥ Q 8 2 ♦ 5 ♣ A 9 3 2

This hand has 11 points and two plus values (good honors in the spade suit, singleton diamond).

My notation for this will be 11++.

♠ 4 ♥ Q T 9 ♦ A K T ♣ J 7 6 4 3 2

This hand also has two plus values (singleton spade, and extra club length). Diamonds are not a plus because the suit doesn't have 4 or more cards.

10++

♠ 4 3 2 ♥ A K 9 7 ♦ K J T 8 5 4 ♣ –

This hand has 4 plus values (good honors in diamonds, extra diamond length, good honors in the heart side suit, club void).

11++++

Sometimes you don't get dealt quite as many points, but you might risk an overcall anyway. With only 8-9 points, you can still overcall if you have either a good 5 card suit, OR if you have at least TWO plus values.

These two 8-9 point hands are 1♠ overcalls because...

♠ Q 9 8 7 3 ♥ K Q 6 5 ♦ Q 7 3 ♣ 5

The first hand has a good suit.

And the second hand has TWO plus values (good side suit, singleton).

You can overcall at the one level (overcall 1♦, 1♥, or 1♠) with a five card or longer suit if you have...

• 12 or more points, or...
• 10-11 points, with one plus value, or...
• 8-9 points with a good five card suit, or TWO plus values.

♠ A Q 8 5 4 ♥ Q 8 2 ♦ 5 3 ♣ 6 4 2

8+ (good spade honors)

With a good suit to overcall, you don't need more pluses.

Overcall 1♠

♠ K 9 8 5 4 ♥ A Q 8 2 ♦ 5 ♣ 6 4 3

9++ (good heart honors, singleton)

8-9 points with two pluses is enough to overcall.

Overcall 1♠

♠ A 8 5 4 3 ♥ K 8 2 ♦ 7 ♣ Q J 3

10+ (singleton)

With 10-11 points, one plus is enough.

Overcall 1♠

example 1

♠ Q 8 7 4 3 ♥ A K 2 ♦ 5 2 ♣ J T 3

Count the hand. Do you overcall 1♠?

Yes No

example 2

♠ 9 8 7 4 3 2 ♥ A K 2 ♦ Q 2 ♣ J 3

Do you overcall 1♠?

Yes No

example 3

♠ K J T 4 3 ♥ 2 ♦ A 2 ♣ T 9 7 5 3

Do you overcall 1♠?

Yes No

example 4

♠ A J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 4 ♦ Q T 9 8 7 ♣ 8

Do you overcall 1♠?

Yes No

example 5

♠ A K T 9 3 ♥ 7 ♦ A Q T 2 ♣ Q 8 6

The opponents open 1♥ . Do you overcall 1♠?

Yes No

example 6

♠ T 9 8 7 6 ♥ A 9 ♦ Q J 2 ♣ K Q 3

Do you overcall 1♠?

Yes No

When your suit is lower in rank than your opponents' one level opening, your overcall will have to be at the two level. We call this a "two over one" (2/1) overcall. For a 2/1 overcall, add two points to our formula.

Overcall with:

• 14 (or more) points, and any 5 card suit, or...
• 12 (or more) points, any 5 card suit, and one plus value, or...
• 10 (or more) points and a good 5 card suit, or...
• 10 (or more) points, any 5 card suit, and two plus values.

example 7

♠ K 8 ♥ 9 5 ♦ K Q T 9 2 ♣ Q T 8 6

The opponents open 1♥ . Do you overcall 2♦?

Yes No

example 8

♠ K 8 ♥ 9 5 ♦ Q T 9 8 2 ♣ K Q T 6

This hand is almost the same as example 7. Do you have enough to overcall 2♦?

Yes No

example 9

♠ K 8 ♥ K J 5 ♦ A T 9 7 2 ♣ Q T 6

The opponents open 1♥ . Do you overcall 2♦?

Yes No

example 10

♠ K 8 ♥ J T 3 ♦ K Q J 9 7 3 2 ♣ 6

West	North	East	You
–	P	1♥	?

What's your call?

Pass 2♦

The two level jump overcall is similar to a weak two opening bid. It shows a good six or seven card suit and 5-9 points.

♠ K Q 5 4 3 2 ♥ 3 2 ♦ 3 2 ♣ 4 3 2

Two of the top three honors and a six card suit is enough for a two level jump overcall.

This hand has only 5 points, but it's enough for a 2♠ jump overcall.

♠ K J T 8 4 2 ♥ T 7 5 ♦ 3 ♣ K 8 6

7+++

This is not strong enough for a 1♠ overcall, but it's a clearcut 2♠ jump overcall.

example 11

♠ J T 8 6 4 2 ♥ Q 9 5 ♦ K 3 ♣ K 6

West	North	East	You
–	P	1♥	?

1♠ 2♠ Pass

example 12

♠ Q J T 8 6 4 ♥ 9 ♦ K T 3 ♣ K 8 7

West	North	East	You
–	–	1♥	?

1♠ 2♠ Pass

example 13

♠ Q J T 8 6 4 ♥ 9 ♦ K T 3 ♣ K 8 7

West	North	East	You
–	P	1♥	?

1♠ 2♠ Pass

The 1 no trump overcall is one of the easiest to learn. It's the same as the 1NT opening bid, except you need a stopper (a high card that will win a trick) in the suit they opened.

Overcall 1NT with a balanced hand of 15-17 points and a stopper in their suit.

• Aces are obvious stoppers.
• We also count kings as stoppers because of the advantage of playing last when they lead the suit they have bid.
• Qxx and Jxxx are not certain stoppers, but add just one more honor – QJx and JTxx are good enough.

♠ A Q 7 ♥ A T 9 ♦ K J 8 ♣ Q J 6 5

This hand is a perfect 1NT overcall. You have a balanced hand of 15-17 points with a stopper in whatever suit they open.

♠ A K ♥ K 9 3 ♦ T 6 2 ♣ A Q 8 7 6

This balanced hand of 15-17 points can only overcall 1NT if they don't open diamonds. After a 1♦ opening, you will overcall 2♣ because you don't have a diamond stopper for the 1NT overcall.

♠ A K ♥ K 9 6 3 ♦ T 6 2 ♣ A Q 8 7

Now let's look at a hand that's almost the same as the last one. What will you do if they open 1♦? You don't have a diamond stopper for overcalling 1NT, and you don't have a five card suit to overcall.

When your hand doesn't qualify for an overcall, you can always PASS. Yes, even with all those points.

What might happen after you pass? The bidding isn't over yet. Maybe partner will be able to bid something, and you'll make a strong response. And if not, your opponents may bid too high. Sometimes your best possible result comes from playing defense (even though my wife says defense is boring).

example 14

♠ K 8 ♥ K T 9 6 3   ♦ K 2 ♣ Q 8 7 6

West	North	East	You
–	P	1♥	?

What's your call? show answer

example 15

♠ Q 9 8 ♥ 7 3 ♦ A 6 ♣ K Q T 8 7 4

West	North	East	You
P	P	1♠	?

What's your call? show answer

example 16

♠ K Q 9 8 4 3 ♥ T ♦ 6 5 ♣ Q 7 5 2

West	North	East	You
–	P	1♦	?

What's your call? show answer

example 17

♠ Q T 8 7 3 ♥ T ♦ A K T 9 5 ♣ 5 2

West	North	East	You
–	–	1♣	?

What's your call? show answer

example 18

♠ T 3 ♥ A T 9 5 4 ♦ A J T 9 ♣ T 8

West	North	East	You
–	–	1♣	?

What's your call? show answer

example 19

♠ 5 ♥ A J T 9 5 4 ♦ 9 7 6 2 ♣ T 8

West	North	East	You
–	P	1♣	?

What's your call? show answer

There are many factors that lead experienced players to Pass when their hands meet the requirements for bidding, or to Bid when their hands fall short. They "use judgment" in these cases.

For an example, let's take another look at example hand #4 that we saw earlier on this page.

♠ A J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 4 ♦ Q T 9 8 7 ♣ 8

Some would overcall 1♠ on this hand (7++++), and some would jump to 2♠.

It doesn't meet our requirements for either bid.

So I suggest you simply follow our guidelines and Pass. Only by carefully following the guidelines, and paying attention to the results, can you expect to develop your own good judgment.

Making bids that fail to meet your partnership's agreed bidding standards would have the additional negative of teaching partner that she can't trust your bidding. You might get away with it on this hand (not getting a bad score), only to have partner not trust you on another hand when you actually do have what you've "promised."

Go to the next topic:

Responding to an Overcall

Or see all articles in the Bridge Bidding series.  +