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Bidding Problem #16, December 07-February 08: In December, we decided to see the current state of vulnerable 1 level overcalls. Inspired by a weak 2 bid discussion by Larry Cohen on the importance of intermediate spots, I decided to throw this one-level problem at our panelists:
Matchpoints, vul vs. not
In second seat, you get a 1 opening bid on your right and you are looking at:
 QT962
6
 KQ72
 K76
Possible calls include 1, pass, double and 2.
Perhaps this months' problem did not inspire our panelists as it only brought out 11 responses. Of those, 9 threw in the expected 1 overcall and only 2 panelists, Carlos Munoz and Pat Callahan said that it was not up to their standards and they chose pass instead. Carlos thinks this will be an easy hand to balance with later, and he hopes that by passing he will find out if the opponents have a fit and possibly avoid making a call that will help declarer make his contract. Pat implied that this hand, being well short of an opening bid, wasn't up to his standards to get into this auction, but he would certainly balance with 2 if the opponents try to play in 2. He thinks this is a good point for partnership discussion though and that those willing to bid with this hand should have some agreement in place regarding the nature of their overcalls so partner doesn't get carried away.
Now going right to the horses' mouth that inspired this problem: Larry Cohen says that in spite of his cautionary lecture on intermediaries in vulnerable bids, this hand qualifies for a 1 call on all counts. The key ingredient for bidding is the shortness in the opps suit. With a good fit, he wouldn't be surprised if we can make a game in spades. Also, the 10-9 spots are extremely helpful in the spade suit. Without them, say a spade suit of Q5432, he would probably pass, but even then it would be a close decision. With the hand in question, he feels bidding 1 is right at any colors.
Bruce Rogoff would overcall 1 also and he says he was seduced by the 9 spot. With a mediocre 5 card suit, he is much happier introducing it at the one level, rather than balancing in after 2-P-P-? where the opponents may wind up with more trumps than him. The decent honor structure and shortness in hearts also points to acting now. Joan Gerard also bids 1 but acknowledges that she expects some to think her crazy for doing so. As Bruce states, she is happier to bid this suit now than to balance at the 2 or, god forbid, the 3 level. Again, the recurring theme mentioned here is the shortness in the opps suit (although no guarantee that they have a fit and that pard is not loaded with hearts). Rick and Laura don't see any problem here and bid 1 (sorry, will try to make the next one harder) and Gene Fisher goads me not to make him wait for the results for this one when 1 is so obvious (sorry, made you wait nearly three months anyway)! Gene says to pass is "old bridge" and he can't believe Larry would forego the 1 overcall here (right you are)! Henry Deutsch, Rob Stayman and Dana Rossi camp with the 1 bidders- suit quality and hand strength "just enough" according to Dana, Henry wants to get his call in early also (not good enough to double) and Rob says that if you interchange one of the minors and spades he would double instead, but overcalls 1 here.
Jason Fuhrmans' monthly dissertation was too long to put it all here (thanks for the good read though, Jason!), but the gist is an introduction that Larry's cruise bridge lectures are intended for the mainstream masses, and generally lacking partnership udnerstandings, Larry's caution is designed at preventing them from going for a zip code. In the real world, we need partnership udnerstandings on what we will and won't overcall with so that handling these types of hands are not an adventure. Jason also likes to pre-empt on 5 card suits but states both the vul and hand strength are wrong here for that action, this hand being closer to a double than a pre-empt. Among the many reasons he gives for bidding here are: we have the master suit, our suit, while not great, does have 3 intermediate honors, he believes in bidding as often as possible and tells partner he has some points (might even have a game together which will never be found if he doesn't bid here), might talk an opponent out of bidding a cold 3NT afraid of the spade suit when say the spade A-K are in separate hands and the opps don't have room to find out about it. He does says that if he agreed to play sound overcalls with a partner, then this is not the hand to bid 1 with.
Ed Z. |
