[mtvesuvius]

Say RHO opens 1♦ and you hold AJxx xx Kx QJxxx, what do you bid?
How about Axxx xx xx AKQxx? AKQx x Jxx KJTxx?

Do you prefer overcalling the minor on the 2 level, or overcalling the 4 card suit. I had this come up several times in Turkey, and I chose to overcall the 4 card suit, which worked well every time. I am wondering though, in the long run is this a good practice?

What about over 1♥ with 4♠ and 5m? What does the strength of the hand have to do with it? etc... Thoughts here would be appreciated... or even wtps

[hotShot]

mtvesuvius, on Aug 28 2009, 01:31 PM, said:

Say LHO opens 1♦ and you hold AJxx xx Kx QJxxx, what do you bid?

I don't bid out of turn, so i guess I have to wait until partner and RHO have made their bids.

Assuming you mean RHO, those who play Raptor firmly believe that bidding 5-4 hands is worth while.
http://www.bridgeguy...ons/Raptor.html

[mtvesuvius]

hotShot, on Aug 28 2009, 07:55 AM, said:

mtvesuvius, on Aug 28 2009, 01:31 PM, said:

Say LHO opens 1♦ and you hold AJxx xx Kx QJxxx, what do you bid?

I don't bid out of turn, so i guess I have to wait until partner and RHO have made their bids.

Oops, still asleep, I'll fix it

[Jlall]

Hand 1: Clear pass.
Hand 2: Clear 2C.
Hand 3: Not clear at all, but I do not like 2C. I prefer pass, hoping to be able to double later, but don't mind 1S at all.

Up until pretty recently I overcalled the 4 card major like 80 % with this hand type.

Good thread.

[pooltuna]

mtvesuvius, on Aug 28 2009, 07:31 AM, said:

Quote

Say RHO opens 1♦ and you hold AJxx xx Kx QJxxx, what do you bid?

Better to get in the auction with 1♠ than pass; 2♣ is not a consideration except at favorable

Quote

How about Axxx xx xx AKQxx? AKQx x Jxx KJTxx?

For the first I have to choose between 1♠ and 2♣ and I choose the ♣ for this one. For the second I choose 1♠.

[Fluffy]

More or less like justin, with a 4135 with 2 good suits I prefer to bid the major, I hate bidding 5 card suits at the 2 level, but AKQxx does the trick

[kenrexford]

IMO, this is sort of a situation that is similar to responding to Opener at the two-level.

If you have four spades and five clubs, you tend to bid the major (all things equal) when you have a one-bid hand, but tend to bid the minor if you have a two-bid hand (often planning a reopening double later if necessary). Or, the stronger I am, the more likely I'd bid the minor first.

However, in complete disregard for what I just wrote, if I am really weak, opposite a passed hand, I often bid the minor at IMP scoring if game seems remote. The factors would be preemption of the opponents and lead-direction, especially after a 1♦ opening. P-1♦-2♣-? is a great start when I as overcaller have unexpected length in one of the majors, reducing the chances of the opponents having an easy counter for my overcall.

[andy_h]

I'm also with Pass, 2♣ and 1♠. And I hate hate raptor.

[Codo]

I love raptor because of frequency issues. I had to give it up two years ago and still wait for a strong NT hand to come in defence.

Anyway, whitout raptor:

I like to rebid 2 Club over 1 Diamond as often as possible. I read this in the book of Sabine Auken and it works for me.
I will rebid spade or X later if possible. To me this seems to win much more hands then it loses, but maybe I am biased.

So I would go with 2 Club at all three hands.

[cherdanno]

Vulnerable, I would never consider an overcall in a AJxx suit. You get just too many horrible results from going down 3 or 4 in your 4-2 fit in 1♠ on a partscore deal.

Non-vulnerable, I wouldn't mind a 1♠ overcall on your first hand, but I wouldn't do it. On the last one I would overcall 1♠ at any form of scoring and vulnerability.

[Winstonm]

#1: Clear cut pass
#2: Clear cut 2C
#3: Unclear but I will bid 2C over 1D to maximize the blocking effect of the overcall and because of the suit quality, KJ10. I am aware this could still go for a number but think it quite unlikely.

[mike777]

mtvesuvius, on Aug 28 2009, 07:31 AM, said:

Say RHO opens 1♦ and you hold AJxx xx Kx QJxxx, what do you bid?
How about Axxx xx xx AKQxx? AKQx x Jxx KJTxx?

Do you prefer overcalling the minor on the 2 level, or overcalling the 4 card suit. I had this come up several times in Turkey, and I chose to overcall the 4 card suit, which worked well every time. I am wondering though, in the long run is this a good practice?

What about over 1♥ with 4♠ and 5m? What does the strength of the hand have to do with it? etc... Thoughts here would be appreciated... or even wtps

2c on all three.

side note I play Astro over 1d by rho so pard knows I do not have long clubs with 4h.

[the hog]

1NT Polish if available, else Pass
2C
1S

[Quantumcat]

I wouldn't ever overcall a four card suit, my partners always raise me as high as they have an excuse to. Except perhaps if he is passed and the only honours I have are in the suit and they are good ones (help partner avoid a bad lead). Aren't you worried in overcalling the AJxx that 1) it may be a bad lead (it catches the jack for the opponents and they make a trick more than if they had to play it themselves) or that your partner might feel aggressive and bid 4♠?

[gwnn]

Quantumcat, on Aug 30 2009, 09:58 AM, said:

Aren't you worried in overcalling the AJxx that 1) it may be a bad lead (it catches the jack for the opponents and they make a trick more than if they had to play it themselves) or that your partner might feel aggressive and bid 4♠?

Who is "you" ?

[Quantumcat]

Everyone who agreed with overcalling 1♠ on AJxx.

[the hog]

Nope, not at all as this would clearly be a situation you have discussed with partner.
Aren't YOU worried about getting crowded out of the auction?

[MattieShoe]

1. Pass. Supposed to have a reasonably strong 5 card suit to overcall, and it's not there.
2. 2♣ definitely. strong 5 card suit, 13 HCP, 4 quicktricks... Textbook overcall for me :-)
3. 2♣ but I'd feel a bit queasy about it, especially if vulnerable. If nothing else, it may give partner something to lead towards if they win contract, maybe have the opporuntiy to finesse the board.

I don't overcall 4 card suits, except maybe with AKQJ while not vulnerable or some such.

[neilkaz]

1) Pass as neither suit is good enough for me and I have only 11 hcp.

2) 2♣ for sure.

3) A 55/45 preference for 1♠ on this really strong suit, getting the boss suit into the auction now. 2♣ is OK..pass is not for me.

Just my opinions.. neilkaz ..