[ahtan]

Hi, my partner and I recently encountered this. I’m wondering what is the generally agreed approach here.

In general, I’m looking for a suitable agreement for when your partner overcalls the opponent, you have an opening hand, no stops in opponents suit and no support for partners suit.

An example, let’s say that….

LHO opens the bidding 1C. My partner overcalls 1H. RHO passes.

Our agreement is that an overcall range is 8-16HCP. A change of suit at cheapest level is a non forcing bid.

The actual hand may vary, but the situation is opening hand, no support for partners suit and no stops in opponents suit. Let’s say I have an (say 13HCP) opening hand with a singleton H, 2 lousy clubs, 4 spades, and 6 diamonds. If I bid 2D, my partner may pass.

I tried this hand on the BBO bidding table, and the robot bid 2D as the advancer. But my problem is we may have a game with as little as 10HCP (LHO having most of the opponents strength). It seems to me changing the suit (non forcing) is not ideal. My partner says if I bid 3D (jump shifting) it may be too high, given the possibility of a 8hcp overcall. But I think it’s a risk not worth fussing over as it’s going to be uncommon (and 3D can make most of the time if passed).

[mike777]

Fwiw with your example hand .
Vul I would start with 2C.
NV much closer, probably 2D but close to 2C cuebid, very close.

[jillybean]

2C,cue bids are so useful. Partner can get out in 2H if he needs to.

[TylerE]

ahtan, on 2025-August-06, 17:52, said:

A change of suit at cheapest level is a non forcing bid.

All your problems ultimately stem from this unplayable agreement.

[smerriman]

TylerE, on 2025-August-06, 18:57, said:

All your problems ultimately stem from this unplayable agreement.

Unplayable is a bit extreme, given 2♦ being nonforcing is part of BWS and was still comfortably the majority opinion the last few threads I've seen on it on Bridge Winners..

[mw64ahw]

The Overcall Structure plays a mini lebensohl here so that 2♦ is forcimg and 1N asks partner to bid 2♣. Now you have a way to differentiate, but you lose the option to play in 1N, which on this occasion may be the optimal bid as you have the balance of points.
Here if 2♦ is forcing and I get a 2♥ response then I'm happy with passing.

[mikeh]

smerriman, on 2025-August-06, 19:42, said:

Unplayable is a bit extreme, given 2♦ being nonforcing is part of BWS and was still comfortably the majority opinion the last few threads I've seen on it on Bridge Winners..

While I personally prefer that a new suit by advancer is a one round force, I’d be quite happy playing it as non forcing. Do not confuse ‘non forcing’ with weak.

As I understand it, those experts who play it non forcing require it to be ‘constructive’. Partner is supposed to bid with anything much more than a minimum overcall.

As an example, it’s commonplace to overcall 1H, after 1m, with as little as AQJ9xx and out, if at mps and non vulnerable. So playing 1S as forcing goes long way to undoing any benefit from this overcall. xxx AQJ9x xxx xx, I’d happily pass 1S. Kxx AQJ9x xxx xx I’d happily bid 2S etc.

One way of reducing these issues is to adopt transfer advances of overcalls.

(1D) 1S (P) 2D shows hearts…unlimited….overcaller assumes it’s akin to a weak two and bids accordingly. Advancer can bid again with more…can jump, can cuebid, can bid notrump, can raise partners suit etc.

[Huibertus]

"A change of suit at cheapest level is a non forcing bid."

That is not playable. Make it forcing and your problem is solved.