Practice 3G01 Main

Overcalls

by Richard Pavlicek

West

1 NT
3 NT NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass East
1 !
2 NT South
Pass
Pass Board 1 A 6 5
A 9
K Q 8 4 3
6 4 2 Trick
1 N
2 W
3 E
4 N
5 N Lead
4
2!
K!
K
8 2nd
2
9
4
9
3 3rd
10
Q
3
5
7 4th
J
7
A
6
A W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
2 2
3 2
Q 10 8 3
K 2
A J 7 6
8 7 3 Table K J 2
Q J 8 4 3
9 2
A K Q
Bidding

Play
Choose defensive action
Resp to suit overcall
Placing enemy cards
Lead toward honor

9 7 4
10 7 6 5
10 5
J 10 9 5
3 NT West 4 top tricks Cash 6 more winners made 3 -400

West

Pass
Pass North

3 EAST
1
Pass South
1
Pass! Board 2 Q 6 4
A J 9 7 2
8 3
A 4 3 Trick
1 W
2 E
3 E
4 N
5 E
6 S
7 S
8 N
9 S Lead
J
Q!
6
8
9
Q
9
6
J 2nd
3
2
7
A
A
10
K
7
5 3rd
K
8
10
5
5
4
Q!
K
2 4th
4
3!
A
6
4
2
3
10
8 W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
1 3
2 3
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
10 5
10 8 4
J 10 6
K J 10 8 5 Table 9 8 7
K Q 3
A K 9 7 2
Q 6
Bidding

Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Follow up major raise
Holdup play
Avert overruff
Attack dummy’s entry

A K J 3 2
6 5
Q 5 4
9 7 2
3 South 7 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 3 +140

West

Pass
2 NT
3 North

1
Pass
Pass East

2
3 !
4 SOUTH
Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass Board 3 K J 10 7 4
A
J 10 9 3
A J 9 Trick
1 S
2 W
3 N
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 E
8 E
9 N
10 E Lead
3
3!
K
5
4
K
J
6
J
6! 2nd
A
A
4
8
9
9
10
3
K
7 3rd
7
2
8
Q
K
6
9
10
5
5 4th
2
7
5
4
2
10
J
J
2
? W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
6 2
7 2
0 0
A 9 6 5
Q 3
Q 6 2
Q 10 5 4 Table 2
K J 6 5 4 2
A K 7 4
K 6
Bidding

Play
Resp to suit overcall
Rebid by overcaller
Lead toward honor
Automatic squeeze

Q 8 3
10 9 8 7
8 5
8 7 3 2
4 East 9 top tricks North is squeezed made 5 -650

WEST
1
Pass
All Pass North
2
2 NT! East
Pass
Pass South
2
3 NT Board 4 9 5
K 6
A 10 8 7 3 2
A J 2 Trick
1 E
2 N
3 S
4 N
5 S
6 N
7 N
8 N
9 W Lead
J
2
Q
2
5
10
A!
6!
A 2nd
2
3
K
4
8
5
9
8
3 3rd
5!
K
A
J
J
4
7
9
2 4th
K
4
6
3
6
4
Q
10
7 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
7 0
7 1
7 2
K 8 4 3
A Q 10 5 3
K
Q 8 4 Table J 6 2
J 8
9 6 5 4
10 9 6 3
Bidding

Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Cue-bid general force
Placing enemy cards
Throw-in play
Duck to retain entry

A Q 10 7
9 7 4 2
Q J
K 7 5
3 NT North 4 top tricks W endplayed (lose 2) made 3 +600

Practice 3G05 Main

Top Overcalls

Overcalls II

West

2 !
4 NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass East
1 NT
2 South
Pass
Pass Board 1 Q 9 8 4
5
K Q 10 8 5
A J 10 Trick
1 S
2 E
3 W
4 S
5 E
6 W
7 N
8 W Lead
3
7
2!
2
J
3!
5
5! 2nd
2
4
10
5
6
J
8
A 3rd
Q
7
Q
8!
9
4
2
6 4th
A
5
K
K
8
9
J
9 W L
1 0
2 0
2 1
3 1
4 1
4 2
5 2
5 3
A J 6 5
K J 9 7
2
7 5 3 2 Table K 3
A Q 10 8
A J 7
Q 8 6 4
Bidding

Play

Defense
Resp to 1 NT overcall
Stayman convention
Ruffing with 4-4 fit
Establish side suit
Lead partner’s suit
Finesse against dummy

10 7 2
6 4 3 2
9 6 4 3
K 9
4 East 7 top tricks Win the rest made 4 -420

West

1
All Pass North

1 EAST
Pass
Pass South
Pass
1 NT! Board 2 Q 9 5
A 10 9 8 7
A 3 2
J 7 Trick
1 W
2 S
3 N
4 S
5 N
6 E Lead
J
3!
10!
2
9
7 2nd
2
6
6
J
Q
9 3rd
5
Q
K
A
2
10 4th
Q
2
4
3
4
A W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
4 1
5 1
A J 6
J 4
K J 10 8 6
A 9 4 Table 10 8 2
Q 6 5 3
7 5
K 10 5 3
Bidding

Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Rebid by overcaller
Timing the play
Lead toward honor
Return partner’s suit

K 7 4 3
K 2
Q 9 4
Q 8 6 2
1 NT South 3 top tricks Cash 2 more winners made 1 +90

West

2
4 North

2
All Pass East

3 ! SOUTH
1
Pass Board 3 10 8 7 2
5
10 9 8
K 10 9 7 6 Trick
1 N
2 S
3 W
4 W
5 S
6 S
7 E
8 E
9 W Lead
2
J
Q
J
A
Q
A
2
10 2nd
3
7
5
7
2!
8
3
5
10 3rd
K
7
4
9!
8
6
8
A
3 4th
Q
4
2!
K
6
A
9
8
6 W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
2 3
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
Q
Q J 10 8 7
A K Q J 6
8 2 Table 6 4 3
A 9 4
4 3 2
A 5 4 3
Bidding

Play

Defense
Resp to suit overcall
Follow up major raise
Keep trump control
Avoid tap; shed loser
Make declarer ruff
Holdup play

A K J 9 5
K 6 3 2
7 5
Q J
4 West 9 top tricks Claim the rest made 4 -620

WEST
1
All Pass North
1 East
Pass South
3 ! Board 4 A J 9 8 4
J 7 6 3
K 3 2
5 Trick
1 E
2 N
3 N
4 S
5 N
6 S
7 N
8 W Lead
J
A
5!
9
4
J
2!
A 2nd
4
2
8
Q
3
K
7
3 3rd
9!
5
A
8
K
9
10
4 4th
K
6
10
2
7
3
Q
6 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
6 0
6 1
6 2
7 6
K 9 8
A Q 9 8 5
K Q 10 Table 3 2
A 10 2
J 7
8 7 6 4 3 2
Bidding

Play
Defense
Resp to suit overcall
Follow up major raise
Ruff/discard endplay
Lead partner’s suit
Ducking play

K Q 10 5
Q 5 4
10 6 4
A J 9
3 North 6 top tricks W endplayed (lose 2) made 3 +140

Practice 3G09 Main

Top Overcalls

Overcalls III

West

2
3 NT NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass East
1
2 NT! South
Pass
Pass Board 1 K Q 9
A J 9 8 6
J 4
Q J 7 Trick
1 S
2 S
3 N
4 E
5 E
6 W
7 S
8 E
9 W
10 W
11 W Lead
Q
5
J
K
2
10
8
4
9
8
7 2nd
2
3
K
3
5
9
2
3
6
8
? 3rd
9!
A
3
6
A!
4
Q
A
7
10 4th
7!
10
4
4
J
Q
A
7
5
6 W L
0 1
0 2
1 2
2 2
3 2
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
7 3
2
4 3 2
A 10 9 8 7 6
A 8 2 Table A J 10 7 4
K 10 7
K 2
K 10 4
Bidding

Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Rebid by overcaller
Holdup play
Positional squeeze
Duck to retain entry

8 6 5 3
Q 5
Q 5 3
9 6 5 3
3 NT East 5 top tricks North is squeezed made 4 -430

West

Pass
Pass North

2 !
4 EAST
1
Pass
All Pass South
1
2 Board 2 Q 2
A K 8 7
A Q 5 4
9 6 4 Trick
1 W
2 S
3 E
4 S
5 N
6 N
7 S
8 E
9 E
10 S
11 S Lead
2
10
Q
3
A!
2
9
Q
J
8
7 2nd
4
4
K
5
J
3
2
6
10
7
8 3rd
10
Q
5
K
4
K
4!
6
7
5
Q 4th
A
A
6
2
9
5
J
7
9
6
3 W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
5 2
5 3
6 3
7 3
8 3
5 4
9 5
J 8 7 6 2
8 7 5 2 Table A J 6 3
Q J 2
K 10
Q J 10 3
Bidding

Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Cue-bid general force
Trump management
Loser-on-loser play
Cash high trump

K 10 9 8 7
10 6 4 3
9 3
A K
4 South 6 top tricks Claim the rest made 4 +620

West

Pass
3 North

1
All Pass East

2 NT! SOUTH
Pass
3 Board 3 A Q 8 7
Q 7 6 2
J 6
K Q 8 Trick
1 N
2 N
3 S
4 S
5 E
6 W
7 E
8 N
9 E
10 W Lead
K
Q
J
10
3
2
4
8
8
5 2nd
4
J
3
4
5
J
9
9
Q
2 3rd
10
A!
8
7
K
A
8!
6
K!
10 4th
2
3
2
4
6
7
Q
5
Q
3 W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
1 3
2 3
3 3
3 4
4 4
5 4
6 4
K 9 5 4 3
K 8 5
K 2
5 3 2 Table 2
A J 10 9 4
A 10 8 4 3
J 4
Bidding

Play

Defense Unusual notrump bid
Competitive auction
Establish side suit
Avert overruff
Force dummy to ruff

J 10 6
3
Q 9 7 5
A 10 9 7 6
3 West 6 top tricks Draw trump and claim made 3 -140

WEST
1
All Pass North
2 East
Pass South
4 ! Board 4 2
A K 10 9 4
7 6 3 2
K Q 2 Trick
1 E
2 W
3 N
4 N
5 W
6 N
7 N
8 S
9 S
10 N
11 N Lead
J
A
A
2
K
10
3
A
10
Q
6 2nd
3
4
2
10
9
5
9
3
5
7
10 3rd
Q
6
3
K
8
7
Q
2
K
J
4 4th
2
4
J
A
5
7
8
4
6
8
J W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
2 2
3 2
4 2
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
8 3
A K Q 9 7
J
A J 8
9 8 5 3 Table J 10 8 6
8 6 5 2
10 9
7 6 4
Bidding
Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Survive bad break
Elimination technique
Make declarer ruff

5 4 3
Q 7 3
K Q 5 4
A J 10
4 North 8 top tricks West is endplayed made 4 +620

Practice 3G13 Main

Top Overcalls

Overcalls IV

West

3 ! NORTH
1
Pass East
1 NT
4 South
Pass
All Pass Board 1 7 5 3
A 7 6 2
K Q J 9 3
A Trick
1 N
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 N
6 W
7 E
8 W
9 W
10 E Lead
K
3
4
5!
Q
2
J
Q
2!
Q 2nd
A
5
6?
3
8
3
8
7
3
9 3rd
2
Q
K
J
4
K
A
10
K
4 4th
5
2
4
A
9
6
5
9
7
7 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
8 2
A Q 2
Q J 10 9 4
5
J 6 4 2 Table K J
K 8 3
A 10 8
K Q 10 8 5
Bidding

Play Choose defensive action
Resp to 1 NT overcall
Keep trump control

10 9 8 6 4
5
7 6 4 2
9 7 3
4 West 8 top tricks Concede high trump made 4 -420

West

Pass North

3 NT! EAST
1
All Pass South
1 Board 2 3 2
K Q 9 3
A K 7
Q J 8 6 Trick
1 E
2 N
3 E
4 N
5 S
6 S
7 W Lead
2
2
5?
3
K
7
9 2nd
4
Q
6
J
9
10
J 3rd
7
4!
8
A
6
7
K 4th
9
6
Q
5
2
10
3 W L
1 0
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
4 2
4 3
10 9 6 5
8 7
J 9 8 6
9 7 4 Table Q J
J 10 5 2
Q 10 2
A K 10 2
Bidding

Play

Defense
Choose defensive action
Resp to suit overcall
Play for best chance
Duck to retain entry
Count signal
Choose discard

A K 8 7 4
A 6 4
5 4 3
5 3
3 NT North 7 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 3 +600

West

1 NT North

2 East

4 ! SOUTH
1
All Pass Board 3 10 7 6
J 9 5 4
Q 7 3 2
Q 6 Trick
1 S
2 S
3 W
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 W
8 W Lead
K
6
4
2
10
5
A
10 2nd
7!
A
7
J
J
9
3
7 3rd
9
4
K
A
3
K
6
4! 4th
3
4
5
6
2
2
J
8 W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
A J 4
A 10 7
A K 10 8
8 3 2 Table K Q 9 8 3 2
3
6 5 4
K 7 4
Bidding

Play

Defense
Choose defensive action
Resp to 1 NT overcall
Avoidance duck
Ruffing finesse
Trump length signal
Honor signal

5
K Q 8 6 2
J 9
A J 10 9 5
4 East 9 top tricks Lose 2 more tricks made 4 -620

WEST
1
Pass
Pass North
1
2
4 East
Pass
Pass
All Pass South
2 !
3 Board 4 A K J 8 2
10 3 2
7 3
Q 7 3 Trick
1 W
2 W
3 S
4 N
5 N
6 N
7 W
8 S Lead
K
J
5
A
K
Q
J
8 2nd
3
7
9
4
5
4
3
Q 3rd
2
6
2
3
2
6
5
10 4th
4
A
10
7
10
A
K
8 W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
4 2
5 2
6 2
10 7
Q 9 5
K Q J 9
A J 10 9 Table Q 9 6 5 4
7 6
10 6 2
8 5 4
Bidding

Play
Resp to suit overcall
Cue-bid general force
Holdup play
Avert overruff

3
A K J 8 4
A 8 5 4
K 6 2
4 South 7 top tricks Lose 1 trump trick made 4 +620

Practice 3G17 Main

Top Overcalls

Overcalls V

West

2
4 NORTH
1
Pass
All Pass East
1 !
3 South
Pass
Pass Board 1 K J 7 6
10
K Q J 8
K 10 9 3 Trick
1 S
2 N
3 E
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 W
8 E
9 W
10 E Lead
2
K
A
2!
4
7
5
4
J
9 2nd
5
A
8
6
9
J
10
10
K
3 3rd
J
7
2
A
6
K
9
3
4
5 4th
3
6
10
3
7
6
8
8
Q
Q W L
0 1
1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1
5 1
6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
Q 8 2
K 5 3 2
6 5
A J 5 4 Table A 5 4
A 9 7 6 4
A 9 4 3
2
Bidding

Play

Defense Resp to suit overcall
Follow up major raise
Crossruff
Elopement play
Count signal

10 9 3
Q J 8
10 7 2
Q 8 7 6
4 East 7 top tricks Win 1 more trick made 4 -420

West

Pass
All Pass North

2 ! EAST
1
Pass South
1
4 Board 2 A J 6 5 4
K 9 2
Q 3
9 4 3 Trick
1 W
2 E
3 E
4 W
5 N
6 S
7 S Lead
7
K
10
2
2
J!
A 2nd
3
6
Q
A
3
4
5 3rd
A
2
4
10
A
3
Q 4th
5
4
9
7
5
8
8 W L
0 1
0 2
0 3
1 3
2 3
3 3
4 3
8 3 2
5 4
K 9 7 6 5 4
7 2 Table K Q 10 9
7 6 3
10 8
A K 10 8
Bidding

Play
Defense Resp to suit overcall
Follow up major raise
Pursue extra chance
Suit preference signal

7
A Q J 10 8
A J 2
Q J 6 5
4 South 7 top tricks Crossruff the rest made 4 +620

West

1 North

Pass East

4 ! SOUTH
1
All Pass Board 3 8 7 4
7 3
Q 10 7 5
J 7 5 4 Trick
1 N
2 E
3 W
4 E
5 W
6 E
7 S
8 S
9 W
10 W Lead
4
3
5
4!
6
5!
K
6
J
10! 2nd
A
2
4
10
8
K
10
K!
7
7 3rd
9
J
A
Q
9!
2
5
5
6
Q 4th
3
7
2
7
6
3
8
2
8
9 W L
1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
5 0
5 1
5 2
6 2
7 2
8 2
K J 10 6 5
Q J 2
K 8 3
10 3 Table A Q 9 3
A 6 5 4
9 4 2
A 8
Bidding

Play

Defense
Choose defensive action
Resp to suit overcall
Lead toward honor
Use trumps as entries
Trump length signal
Second-hand play

2
K 10 9 8
A J 6
K Q 9 6 2
4 West 7 top tricks Lose 1 more trick made 4 -620

WEST
1
Pass North
1 NT
3 NT East
Pass
All Pass South
2 NT! Board 4 K 7 4
A 10
A K J 3 2
Q 10 4 Trick
1 E
2 W
3 N
4 W
5 E
6 N
7 N
8 N
9 N
10 N Lead
8
9
4!
4
2
K
3
2
Q
10 2nd
Q!
A!
6
J
3
10
2
2
5
9 3rd
A
8
K
Q
9
7
3
3
J
10 4th
4
5
A
6
K
7
8
5
6
? W L
0 1
1 1
1 2
1 3
2 3
3 3
4 3
5 3
6 3
0 0
A J 9 6 5
Q J 8
9 4
A 8 7 Table 8 2
7 6 5 2
Q 10 8
9 6 5 2
Bidding

Play
Choose defensive action
Resp to 1 NT overcall
Play to trick one
Erase dangerous entry

Q 10 3
K 9 4 3
7 6 5
K J 3
3 NT North 4 top tricks West is squeezed made 4 +630

Practice 3G17 Main

Top Overcalls