Quick summary

Your opponents are weak, and have tried to mess things up for you, 'cos they fear you will make a good contract. So overcall them if you can.
There are three options

  1. Double for Take-out (opening points, short in enemy's suit)
  2. Suit Overcall: 12 points at the 3 level (or 6 at the 2 level), & a 6-card suit (or v. good 5-card suit)
  3. 2NT Overcall: 16-19 points balanced-ish with a stop in enemy's suit.

Don't double for penalties if you are good in their suit! You'll confuse your partner & end up in trouble. Penalties can come later.

Stayman and Transfers: recommend you use after 2NT.

"Borrow a king" in the 4th passout seat (balancing).

Not so different from defending a weak 3 opening.

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Example Deal


«  0153  »

Advanced Convention. Weak 2 defence

continued. . ... (< back)

5. Responding to your partner's Weak 2 Overcall

Responding to a takeout double

It's very similar to responding to a normal takeout double.

The similarities
Partner is not doubling because he is strong in the enemy's suit, in fact quite the opposite. He has an opening hand, 4441 distribution or similar, is short in the suit just bid by opponents, with his strength spread across the other 3 suits.

The differences
You have less bidding space, and the enemy is both weaker and find themselves at a higher level of exposure.

Partner's normal response (0-8 points)

Unless there is an intervening bid from your opponents, your partner MUST reply ("take you out" of the double), even with 0 points.  It's a forcing bid because you didn't really mean "double" in the conventional "doubled for penalties" sense.  Partner bids his best suit, because he is forced to. 

If you (the overcalling doubler) then go on to change suit with your rebid, partner should spot that something funny is clearly going on, which has a special meaning.

Different responses

Strong. The most common exception is when partner has 9-10 points (include distribution), in which case he would like to have said "hey, you are forcing me to bid, even with no points, but the fact is I would have bid anyway, because I've got plenty of points, 9-10 in fact, and game might be on".   He does this by jumping. Doubler can now evaluate game.

However, after a weak 2 opening, there is less bidding space, and it may not be possible to do this without jumping to the 4 level, which you should avoid. Over 2heart you have room for three bids in spades, 2spade, 3spade or 4spade. But over 2spade you have room for only two bids in hearts, 3heart or 4heart.

So the 9-10 range is only used over a 2heart opening. Over a 2spade opening, you only have two ranges: 0-9 weak response, 10+ go for game.

I've got that 4th suit that you don't have, let's play in NT. Partner can bid NT if he has cover for the enemy's suit:

  • With 13+ bid 3NT.
  • Bid 2NT with 10-12 HCP.
  • With 8-10 HCP you'd like to bid 1NT - but the weak 2 opener's have pre-empted that option, so either risk 2NT or take your partner out of the double with you longest suit.

This follows the usual logic of responding in NT to a suit bid from partner, but with a higher minimum cut-off due to the likely singleton).

Party time. I've also got an opening hand !The responder should cue bid opponent's suit. The doubler should then make a descriptive bid.

But actually, I want to double ! So Pass. Convert the "take-out" double to a "penalty" double if very strong in the opponents' suit, simply by saying "no bid". You need 5-6 or more excellent trumps. The doubler is supposed to lead a trump, so that the enemy's trumps can be drawn. For this reason, it's not recommended that a takeout double be made with a void in the suit doubled.

Oh, and remember, do not pass is you're weak, or your partner might want to strangle you. Your partner is asking you to respond, so unless you're sure that "2heart doubled for penalty" is the best, you should bid another suit.

Hand evaluation

  1. Add points for shape; partner can support any of your suits, so you can assume that you have a fit.
  2. If your partner was bidding in the '4th seat' he may have one fewer king, so you may should adjust your ranges by about 2 or 3 points.
  3. Apart from the Ace, your points in opposition's suit are worth a lot less.


Examples

What should you bid after this sequence ?: 2♥ – Dbl – Pass

Hand 10
S A J 6 2  

You have 8HCP and a singleton, i.e. 11 points and 8 losers. Not enough for game, but enough to jump. Bid3spade Not enough for game on your own, but enough to jump to 3, to show your 8-loser hand.

H 8 4 3
D Q J 10 6 2
C 5

What should you bid after this sequence ?: 2♥ – Dbl – Pass

Hand 11
S A 6 4 2  

You have only 8 HCP, and 9 losers. So make a minimum response and bid 2spade

H 8 4 3
D Q J 10 6
C 6 5

What should you bid after this sequence ?: 2♥ – Pass – Pass – Dbl

Hand 12
S A J 6 2  

Your partner bid in the 4th seat, so might have ‘borrowed' 3 points, so pay it back' as you evaluate your hand. You should bid only 2spade. If your partner then bids 3spade, raise to game.

H 8 4 3
D Q J 10 6 2
C 5

What should you bid after this sequence ?: 2♠ – Dbl – Pass

Hand 13
S A J 6  

You have14 HCP a spade stop. Your partner has 12+ HCP and support in all other suits. Because you have the ace, you will be able to get the lead and keep it: the Weak-Two bidder will hold very few high cards outside his spade suit. Bid 3NT.

H K J 7
D K Q J 7 2
C 9 5

What should you bid after this sequence ?: 2♠ – Dbl – Pass:

Hand 14
S A 6 4 2  

You have 11 HCP and a singleton, which gives you enough for game, given partner must have 12+ HCP. However, dont pass, your spades are not good enough for a penalty double. Your hands should fit, with singletons in both hands likely, and opportunities for cross-ruffing. Bid 4heart

H A 8 4 3
D Q J 4 2
C 5

Now try the quiz

Can you put all this into action ? Try the quiz for this subject by clicking on the link at the top left of the page, just below the main menu.
(You can try quizzes for any other subjects too while you're there. Look out for the thin red line).

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