Friday, May 23, 2003 1:48 AM

Subject: 1NT after an overcall

PITBULLS:

A simple auction that should be understood by established partnerships . What does 1NT mean in response to an overcall ? Some people say the “modern” way is to play it as just a bid to keep the auction alive and does not even promise a stopper in the opponents suit ! It is a forcing NT bid that is not forcing . I think the bid is semi-suicidal as the easiest bid to double is 1NT . If you have a misfit , there is going to be serious blood on the table . You overcall to “get in there “ and help partner with leads and these overcalls can have very minimum values.

A	x	A	x
J	x	J	x
10		x
x		x
x

Everybody vul and the opponents bid 1♦ . You overcall 1♠ and partner bids 1NT . You are minimum and flat so you pass. It goes double on your left and 2♣ by partner which gets doubled . Partner now bids 2♥ which gets doubled again . With clubs and hearts breaking badly you go for -800 and the opponents are cold for +120 . Partners hand is

x	Q	x	A
	x	x	x
	x		x
	x		x
	x		x

Surely you need more values to bid 1NT to an overcall . Yes , partner can have a opening bid value hand and make an overcall . However Bridge is a game of probabilities . The range of an overcall makes it such that the odds are that the overcall is under the HCP needed for game values . To make a game with a misfit , partners overcall would have to be quite substantial . Bidding 1NT on a misfit with 6 HCP and no stopper in the opponents suit is inviting disaster.

In match points , I guess the risk might be worth it , as 1♠ is going down you are making an “advance rescue” bid . However , how does partner determine the difference between a rescue and a constructive 1NT bid ? Pass is a legal bid in bridge . If the opener re-opens with a double and it gets converted , you have a nice 1NT run out saying bid one of the unbid suits partner. After an overcall and bidding 1NT with 6 HCP and a stiff in partners suit , my estimate is the opponents have an average of 24 HCP to your 16 HCP. The ominous pass by RHO smell of spades and it is a misfit auction . Why put your head on the chopping block ? Bidding 1NT with 6 HCP , stiff in partners suit and no stopper in the opponents suit is destructive bidding. What if partner took you for the flat 10 HCP you are supposed to have and bids 3NT ? The opponents cash 6 diamonds and a another trick and –300 instead of your club partial for +110 . What if partner plays you for some values and competes in spades and gets doubled for -500 against nothing ? I feel 1NT is a master minding bid in that you are not bidding your own hand but what partner might have . You are ignoring the odds and worrying about the infrequent hands where partner might have a “rock” overcall where there is game with your misfit. Bridge works out better if you bid your own hand and let the partnership make a joint decision !! If this 1NT bid is the “modern way”, I do not want any part of it .

Bidding a suit is just a one round force to an overcall. If you have some more values say 8+ HCP and up, just pick a suit and bid it rather than 1NT. You have that luxury with overcalls that you do not have with opening bids. If partner shows no sign of life just drop the auction . Don’t forget that the rebid of the overcall just says I have a minimum and says nothing else. Ron Bass goes 1 step further . Because his overcall style is so light , he plays a new suit to an overcall as not even forcing one round ! This prevents playing a 1NT bid as a general “catch all” bid to an overcall .

Comments please …

P.S. Klimo , Maurice & Vince Nowlan said that 1NT is “obvious” with this hand in a discussion tonight. I find this “style” incomprehensible in IMPS.