BB

What’s Standard? by David Lindop

This series is based on Grant Suppose the auction starts: Standard, a set of conventions and Notrump WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH agreements that are in popular use 1♦ Pass 1♥ ? today, such as 15-17 1NT openings, Even though both the ♠ J 4 five-card majors, and weak two- opponents have bid, bids. A summary chart of Grant ♥ K J 9 we can still ♦ Standard and the corresponding Although double of a 1NT opening K Q 10 1NT with this hand. ♣ A Q J 7 5 can be found at bid is for penalty in standard We have a maximum: www.AudreyGrant.com. The site methods, many modern partnerships 17 high-card points plus 1 length also has Grant Basic, a simpler set prefer to use it as a conventional point for the five-card club suit. We of agreements. takeout. Even when it is for penalty, also have stoppers in both their suits. Earlier articles in this series the partner of the doubler may be Overcalling between the opponents appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and unsure about leaving it in with a is very dangerous. The opponents can also be found under ‘Articles’ at weak hand. There’s no such doubt each know something about their www.AudreyGrant.com. about the double of a 1NT overcall. partner’s hand and are well placed It’s almost universally for penalty to double the 1NT overcall for pening notrump bids put the and the opening bidder will usually penalty. So we need a sound hand. partnership in very familiar choose to defend except with a very Some partnerships prefer to give Oterritory. Responder has an distributional hand. up the natural notrump overcall in accurate picture of opener’s strength The other difference from the this position. Instead, they use the and distribution, making it easy to 1NT opening bid is that we need one 1NT bid as a conventional weak decide both HOW HIGH and WHERE or more stoppers—high cards and takeout for the other two suits. the partnership belongs. Responder length—in their suit(s). This is However, this is not standard. also has tools such as Stayman and because our left-hand opponent bids to help out. now has a good idea what to lead, Stronger Notrump Overcalls So when the opponents open the especially if the opening bid is in a Suppose we are sitting South and bidding we want to keep our notrump major, promising five or more cards. the auction starts like this: structure intact whenever possible. Suppose we are South and our WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH We can do that, but with a few right-hand opponent opens 1♠: 1♦ ? adjustments here and there. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH With a ♠ A Q 5 1♠ ? and 21 high-card points, The Direct 1NT Overcall ♥ K 7 This hand is a sound we would have opened ♦ A direct overcall of 1NT is similar ♠ A K J 4 to an opening bid of 1NT: overcall of 1NT. We A Q 10 2NT with this hand. ♣ K J 9 2 have a balanced hand, ♥ 8 3 However, we don’t make DIRECT 1NT OVERCALL 16 high-card points, ♦ K Q J 8 a jump overcall of 2NT with this ♣ • Balanced hand. and stoppers in spades. A 10 7 3 hand. There are a couple of reasons. • 15-18 points. If left-hand opponent leads a spade, Strong hands like this are quite we’ll get at least two tricks in the suit. rare when the opponents open the • Stopper(s) in their bidding. So most partnerships assign suit(s). We’d definitely open this hand 1NT. We ♠ 9 4 a conventional meaning to the jump ♥ A J 6 5 overcall of 2NT, the unusual 2NT. One small difference is that the wouldn’t worry about ♦ upper limit is a little higher, 18 points. the spades. But when K 10 7 We’ll discuss this convention in an ♣ A Q J 6 That’s because it’s more dangerous the opening bid on our upcoming issue. to overcall 1NT than to open 1NT. right is 1♠, an overcall of 1NT is More importantly, we have another Our left-hand opponent is in a better not such a good idea. We expect an way to show this type of hand. We position to make a penalty double if opening spade lead and have nothing start with a . When the deal belongs to their side. The to prevent the opponents from taking partner bids something, 1♥ for opening bid has both shown some all their tricks in the suit. Fortunately, example, we then bid 1NT. Doubling strength and given an indication of the we have a suitable alternative. With and then bidding notrump shows a best . So we’d like a little support for the unbid suits, we can hand too strong to overcall 1NT, extra when we come into the fray. make a takeout double of 1♠. about 19-21 points. BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 11, NO. 5 MAY/JUNE 2007 BB With an even stronger hand, we can Also, it’s a little safer to overcall Advancing Notrump Overcalls double and then jump in notrump. at the two-level or higher when the Most partnerships agree to play Of course, the stronger we are, the opponent’s opening bid shows a weak “front of the card” (FOC) after a more likely partner has a very weak hand. We can expect partner to hold notrump overcall. This refers to the hand, especially with our opponent a little something. The contract will front of the Convention Card, where having an opening bid. often belong to our side. the responses to opening notrump 1NT in Position Suppose we are South and the bids are described. What this means When the opponent on our left bidding begins: is the partnership uses exactly the WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH same methods when advancing a opens and the next two players pass, ♠ we are in the balancing position. If 2 ? notrump overcall: we pass, the auction is over. In this We can’t afford to be ♠ A J 5 position, it’s standard practice to shut out of the auction ADVANCING A 1NT OVERCALL ♥ 8 4 compete with up to about a king—3 by the weak two-bid ♦ •3NT - To play when we have a hand Q J 8 7 3 ♥ ♠ points—less than in direct position. ♣ A K J •3 / - Slam invitational Following this principle, 1NT in the this strong, 16 high- •3♣/♦ - Invitational, 6-card suit card points plus 1 length point for balancing position shows about 12–15 • 2NT - Invitational points. For example: the five-card suit. If partner has ♠ ♣ about 9 or 10 points, we have •2 - Relay to 3 (to play in WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 3♣ or 3♦) 1♥ Pass Pass ? enough combined strength for game, •2♥ - Jacoby transfer to spades With a hand unsuitable but partner is unlikely to enter the ♠ •2♦ - Jacoby transfer to hearts for a suit overcall or a 7 5 auction at the three level. The hand ♥ K J 8 is unsuitable for a takeout double and •2♣ - Stayman takeout double, we can ♦ make a balancing 1NT A J 10 4 partner would expect a better suit for ♣ K J 6 3 bid. We expect partner a 3♦ overcall. The most descriptive We should discuss this with our to hold some values since left-hand call we can make is 2NT. partner beforehand, because there opponent didn’t open with a strong If East opened 3♠, we’d have to are other possibilities. The older two-bid and right-hand opponent risk an overcall of 3NT with this style is to play “systems off ” when didn’t have enough to respond. hand or run the chance of being shut advancing the 1NT overcall. That out of the auction by the preemptive would make all bids natural and the We don’t want to ♠ cuebid of the opponent’s suit would over-use the balancing 9 4 opening. Could we be too high? ♥ K J 9 7 3 be used as Stayman. 1NT. With a hand like Certainly, and if left-hand opponent ♦ K Q 5 this, it’s probably best has the balance of strength, we’ll Let’s assume we have agreed to ♣ K 8 2 to pass and leave West probably hear about it with a penalty use “front of the card” as South and to struggle in 1♥. If we bid, East- double. But bidding will likely lead the auction begins: WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH West might find a better spot. to more good results than bad results ♦ With a stronger hand, start with a in the long run. We can’t let the 1 1NT Pass ? takeout double and then bid notrump. opponents push us around! With this hand we ♠ ♦ 8 3 Higher Level Overcalls We have to use some ♠ can bid 2 , asking ♥ J 9 8 7 5 2 Q 7 3 partner to bid 2♥. judgment. This hand ♥ Q J 2 ♦ J 6 4 We usually don’t want to come into has 15 high-card points We would then pass. ♣ the auction when the opponents have ♦ K Q 7 5 9 2 but no real source of bid to the two level or higher. They ♣ K Q 2 With this hand we tricks and a dubious would bid 2♣ as the ♠ A J 6 3 probably have most of the strength. ♥ K 10 7 4 An exception, however, is when an spade stopper. We should probably . ♦ pass over a weak 2♠ bid, and we If partner bids 2♥ or 8 3 opponent makes a preemptive bid. ♠ ♠ ♣ 9 4 2 A notrump overcall after a weak should definitely pass after a 3 2 , we’ll invite game . It’s not even a sound over- by raising to the three level. If our two-bid or three-bid shows about the ♠ ♦ same as a 1NT overcall, 15-18 points. call of 1NT over a 1 opening bid. partner bids 2 , we’ll bid 2NT. This might seem a little strange. In contrast, a hand ♠ When advancing a 2NT overcall, like this is worth a A Q we can use the same approach. We typically need more strength to ♥ 10 7 3 overcall at the two- or three-level bid of 3NT over ♦ WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH either 2♠ or 3♠. A 5 2♥ 2NT Pass ? than at the one level. However, the ♣ A K J 9 7 2 opponent’s preemptive bid has taken We’d expect to take Here we’d bid 3♥ as ♠ K 10 8 7 3 away bidding room, and hands in the nine tricks on a spade lead with a transfer to spades. ♥ 4 2 15-18 point range are quite common. very little help from partner—some After partner bids ♦ K J 7 5 We need a way to handle them. length in clubs perhaps. 3♠, we’ll bid 3NT. ♣ Q 4 BETTER 15 BRIDGE VOL. 11, NO. 5 MAY/JUNE 2007