The Overcaller’s team expects to lose the auction and uses different bidding conventions/agreements than the Opener’s team. The Overcaller/Advancer objective is to:
- Interfere with Opener/Responder bidding
- Provide lead direction for partner
- Push opponents too high
- Find a reasonable sacrifice
- Win the auction for a successful part-score or game.
With 5-9 points and a good 6+ card suit, overcall the Opener with a pre-emptive bid such as 2♠.
Overcall at the 1-level:
- with 8-16 points and a 5-card suit (non-vulnerable)
- with 10-16 points and a 5-card suit (vulnerable).
Overcall at the 2-level with 11-16 points and:
- a 5-card major with 4 of the top 6 honors
- a 6-card suit with 1 of the top 3 honors.
With 15-18 points and a stopper in Opener’s suit, bid 1NT.
With 12+ points and shortness in the opener’s suit, double for takeout; i.e., “Double.”
With 17+ points, double for takeout and originate a new suit on your next bid.
