Responding to a one-level major suit overcall
If your partner overcalls 1♥ or 1♠, you know that they have at least five cards in their suit. If you have three or more cards in your partner’s suit, you have found the Holy Grail. You proceed differently, based on what you have in your hand:-
Three or more cards in your partner’s suit: If you have three cards in your partner’s overcalled suit, you have located an eight-card fit. This is no time for secrets; raise your partner’s suit! This advice applies whatever the level of overcall you’re responding to — in fact, the higher the level of the overcall, the faster you should raise! When your partner overcalls in a major suit and you bid another suit, you deny three or more cards in your partner’s major suit.
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Fewer than three cards in your partner’s suit: When your partner overcalls and you have fewer than three cards in their suit, you can’t support your partner. However, if you have enough points to bid, you may feel like introducing a decent five- or (preferably) six-card suit of your own. A five-card suit should be topped by at least two of the top four honors, plus intermediates. Experienced players know how important intermediate cards are in long suits. All you need is eight or more high card points (HCP) and a respectable five-card suit.
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Branching off into notrump: When your partner overcalls at the one level, your hand may lack three-card support or a long suit, which suggests a balanced hand. If you have honor strength in the opponent’s suit, you can branch off into notrump by using this scale:
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9 to 12 HCP: Bid 1NT
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13 to 15 HCP: Bid 2NT
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16 or more HCP: Bid 3NT
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Responding to a two-level overcall
Two-level overcalls show the strength of an opening bid, typically with six-card suits. If your partner makes an overcall of 2♣ or 2♦, and you have strength in the opponent’s suit, think about the possibility of playing in notrump. If you have a decent holding in the opponent’s suit and a balanced hand, respond in notrump according to the following scale:-
10 to 12 HCP: Bid 2NT
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13 to 16 HCP: Bid 3NT
Responding to a weak jump overcall
When responding to any preemptive opening bid or overcall, you’re better off adding your tricks to your partner’s tricks, rather than your HCP to your partner’s HCP. When your partner makes a jump overcall at the two level, they promise to take five or six tricks; at the three level, they promise six or seven tricks. So, if you have a modicum of support plus a hand that looks like the two hands may add up to ten tricks (assuming your partner has bid a major suit), go for it. Invite your partner by raising to the three level, or bid game (4♥ or 4♠) if you can see a likely ten tricks.Responding to a 1NT overcall
When your partner offers a 1NT overcall, you have a pretty clear picture of what they have: a balanced hand and 15 to 17 HCP — no more, no less. When your partner opens 1NT, assume that they have 16 HCP — that way, you can never be off by more than a point.When your partner opens 1NT, your own long suits take on a little extra luster because you know that your partner has at least two cards in your suit (your partner must have a balanced hand to open 1NT). If your partner has two cards in your suit, at least one of them probably is an honor card.
Responding to 1NT is much easier than responding to any other bid because your partner’s high-card range is so narrowly defined. Because a 1NT overcall tells you so much about your partner’s hand, you can formulate a pretty specific plan of attack for your response, which includes the following:
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If you have 10 points or more: Play in a game contract.
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If you have 9 points: Invite game by asking your partner to bid game if they have 16 or 17 HCP, or stay out of the game with only 15 HCP.
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If you have 0 to 8 points: You want out, either in 1NT or at the cheapest possible level in another suit.
