Teacher's Manual

Session 6.1 : Four players bidding -
The 1NT overcall

Session Program

• Four players bidding mechanism
• Playing in No Trump after the opponents have opened
• Playing a suit contract after a 1NT overcall
• First signalling elements

Start the session with asking the pupils to remind you the conditions of strength and distribution needed for a 1NT opening

Up to now, the pupils have bid their contract with the opponents remaining silent. 
They are going to find out that they also have the right to bid at their turn provided that their bid is sufficient. This session is going to show them that they can themselves bid and play a contract by naming their strength in spite of the opponents’ opening.

 

Four players bidding mechanism

Definition of an overcall:

The four players bidding mechanisme:

Bridge rules say that each player should bid in turn. He then has the choice between Pass and a sufficient bid.

Example:

South	West	North	East
1	Pass	2	?

East can bid 2   or 2NT. If he wants to bid in Clubs or Diamonds, he should bid at least at a 3-level.

Contract is reached when the last bid is followed by three "Pass".

Note: Using a single bidding box for one table takes away the possibility of producing an insuffiscient bid.

Playing in No Trump after the opponents have opened

A 1NT overcall should satisfy to the same criteria as 1NT opening.

Partner’s responses on a 1NT overcall
• He doesn’t take into account the opponents’ opening and responds as on a 1NT opening

Opener’s partner behavior
• A No Trump overcall doesn’t change the definition of the different supports of the opening.
• If the opponent should later play the contract, it will generally be a good thing to lead in the partner’s suit.

For the time being, you should not speak of the notion of stopper. The proposed hands will always have at least one stopper. It will be enough to have them play the hands while taking into account the opponent’s opening. The objective is here essentially to have the side with the greatest number of points play the contract. But you don’t always win…

Session first hand (6.1.1)

Hand 6.1.1     Dealer North

	6 4 3   K 7 4   Q J 10 7 2   K 7
10 9   J 8 6   9 6 4   8 6 5 3 2		N		A 8 7 5 2   A 9 3   A 8 3   J 10
	W		E
		S
	K Q J   Q 10 5 2   K 5   A Q 9 4

South	West	North	East
		Pass	1
1NT	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass

 

Lead: 10
Bidding: bidding 3NT after an overcall
Declarer: establishing the Diamonds honors. If the declarer keeps four cards in Clubs,
he will win ten tricks.
Score: 3NT +1 : 430 NS

Signalling principles

Card to be played in third position (the smallest equivalent card…)
Attitude signal playing or discarding a high card.

Session second hand (6.1.2)

Hand 6.1.2     Dealer East

	8 7 4   9 8 2   8 5 2   Q J 9 3
Q 10 6 5 2   5 4   J 10 7 4   K 5		N		K 9 3   Q J 7 6 3   A 6   A 6 2
	W		E
		S
	A J   A K 10   K Q 9 3   10 8 7 4

South	West	North	East
			1
1NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

 

Lead: 5
Bidding: bidding a 1NT overcall
Declarer: establishing the Club honors.
Defence: On the opening lead, East plays the Jack of Hearts. West should deduce that South owns A K 10 of Hearts and try something else. The contract will go down if he returns a small Spade when he gets the lead with a Club.
Score: 1NT -1 : 50 EW

Playing a suit contract after a 1NT opening

On a 1NT opening, the overcaller’s partner can impose a suit contract if he owns at least six cards in a major.

Examples :

	South		South	West	North	East
8 5   K Q 7 6 5 3   A 7   10 7 4			Pass 4	1	1 NT	Pass
	South		South	West	North	East
Q 8 7 6 3 2   6 5   J 9 5 4   7			Pass 2	1	1 NT	Pass

Session third hand (6.1.3)

Signalling for ruffing by following with a high card

Hand 6.1.3     Dealer South

	A K   Q J 3   Q 7 5 2   A J 8 3
Q 10 8   A K 7 6 4   A 10 3   Q 10		N		7 2   9 2   9 8 6   K 9 7 5 4 2
	W		E
		S
	J 9 6 5 4 3   10 8 5   K J 4   6

South	West	North	East
Pass	1	1NT	Pass
2	Pass	Pass	Pass

 

Lead: A
On the lead of the Ace of Hearts, East should signal interest by following with the 9. He will then be able to ruff the third Heart to limit the declarer to eight tricks.
Score: 2   = : 110 NS

Session fourth hand (6.1.4)

Signalling interest in a suit by discarding a high card

Hand 6.1.4     Dealer West

	J 8 7   Q 4   K J 10 8 3   Q 5 2
10 9 6 5   7   9 4   K 9 7 6 4 3		N		3 2   K J 10 8 5 3   A 6 2   A 10
	W		E
		S
	A K Q 4   A 9 6 2   Q 7 5   J 8

South	West	North	East
	Pass	Pass	1
1NT	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

 

Lead: 7
Defence: Card to be played in third position
West should signal interest with the 9 of Clubs on the second round of Hearts.
Defence should set the contract with two Heart tricks, the Ace of Diamonds and the Ace-King of Clubs.
Score: 3NT -1 : 50 EW