Cream of the Crop 11/Cream of the Crop 11-1.iso/games/marvin01.zip/SJO.DBA

Text File | 1995-08-31 | 4KB | 76 lines

                      STRONG JUMP OVERCALLS


There are two main reasons for preferring strong jump overcalls to
the weak variety in most situations:

1) There is no other way to describe such infrequent but very
important hands, and 2) trying to describe them by first making an
off-shape takeout double destroys the whole takeout double process
(as described in chapter TAKEOUT DOUBLES in the book "Conventional
Doubles"). A third reason is that most partners go crazy with weak
jump overcalls, resulting in a game I call "poker bridge," which
is not a partnership game.

What is a strong jump overcall? As described by Culbertson, a
single jump overcall shows a good strong suit in a hand with about
eight playing tricks, whether made at the two or three level. It
should have at least three and one-half defensive tricks ("honor
count," to use Culbertson's term). For instance, this is a 2S jump
overcall of a lower suit opening:  S-AQ109653 H-AK5 D-32 C-6. The
jump says, "I can just about make this bid in my own hand."

A jump to three of a minor suit is an invitation to three notrump,
so it implies a solid suit plus a few high cards outside. This is
a 3C overcall of a 1S opening:  S-54 H-A7 D-A76 C-AKQ1096. Partner
can bid 3NT with a spade stopper and little outside (nothing
outside, if the stopper is the ace). A jump to two of a minor
(i.e., 2D over a 1C opening) does not require a solid suit. If
partner bids 2NT, showing a stopper in opener's suit, overcaller
rebids 3D if his suit is not solid (unless he too has a stopper).

(Modern bidders think it's cute to bid 3S over a 1S opening with
that last hand, asking for a stopper. The result is often a ten-
trick contract for an eight-trick hand, with the opponents having
nothing their way.)

The jump to three of a minor is permissible with a semi-solid suit
if the jump bidder has a stopper in the opposing suit. Partner will
recognize the situation if she has a high card in the jump suit,
and will bid 3NT with no stopper herself. With a partial stopper
she can cue bid:

              South  West   North  East
              1S     3D     Pass   3S - partial spade stopper

West can now bid notrump with Jxx, Qx, or better in spades.

The jump overcall can be made with a two-suited hand, if the higher
suit (in which the jump is made) is quite strong:  S-AKJ95
H-AQ1087 D-65 C-6. Hearing a jump to 2S over a 1C opening, partner
will raise to 3S with S-Q3 H-K95 D-J853 C-10654, and will pass a
subsequent 4H bid.

As in the previous example, partner can respond to a strong jump
overcall with little in high cards. Takeouts to 2NT or a new suit
are forcing for one round. A raise of the jump suit is invitational
but seldom passed.

One trouble with strong jump overcalls is that they don't come up
very often. You can up the frequency a little by reducing the high
card requirement (but not the playing trick requirement) for a
one-suited jump at the two level. The jump should never be weaker
in high cards than an opening bid, but a non-vulnerable jump to 2S
may be chanced with a hand as weak as  S-AKQJ87 H-92 D-Q1097 C-6.
Optimistically counting only two losers in diamonds, this hand has
eight playing tricks. There is a danger that partner will misjudge
the auction in some way, counting you for more in high cards. That
is why the bid should perhaps be just 1S when vulnerable--a good
normal vulnerable overcall.

Not all jump overcalls are strong. See chapter PREEMPTIVE JUMP
OVERCALLS in the book "Weak Bidding" and REOPENING THE BIDDING in
this book.

STRONG JUMP OVERCALLS was published in Popular Bridge magazine,
October 1979.