HOME > BRIDGE LESSONS > DEFENSIVE BIDDING LESSONS

Responding to Partners overcall

After one of your bridge opponents opens the bidding and your partner overcalls, you need to respond to the overcall if at all possible. You know that your partner has at least a five card or if at the 2 or higher level a six card suit. The strength of your hand plus the number of cards you hold in your partner’s suit decides what you respond.

My partner has overcalled, what can I bid?

Responding to Partners Overcall

It is important to bid if you possibly can so as to make life difficult for your opponents.
The principle is the same for the overcaller’s partner as it is for the overcaller.
It is the trump suit that matters.
A big difference between opening and overcalling is that your partner has shown a 5-card suit, so you need only as few as 3 trumps in support.

6-9 TP and a fit raise partner’s overcall 1 Level
10-12 TP and a fit in partner’s suit jump the bidding 2 Levels

This is a ‘lite’ version of the lessons available to members. Our full interactive lessons include in inbuilt Bridge term glossary, instant quiz to test your knowledge and multiple practice hands to play on each subject. Our members area also delivers a new Hand of the Day lesson each day, daily Bridge competitions and unlimited random practice hands to play.

The bidding was opened by the opposition 1♦. Your partner overcalls 1♠ and the opener’s partner passes, what is your bid?

Your Hand

♠ 9 7 3
♥ 9 6 4 2
♦ Q J 4
♣ K 3 2

You have 6 points and 3 card support for your partner’s suit, bid 2♠ this bid pushes the bidding up a level and the opposition now have to bid at the 3-level to participate.
If you had 8 or more points and the same distribution you should jump your bid 1 level and bid 3♠