Defense to
preempts.
When opener begins with a Weak Two and you are in second seat, you have many, many options (including PASS). You can:
1. Make a simple overcall. Typically, a strong five or six card suit with opening bid or near-opening bid values.
2. Make a jump overcall. STRONGER than a simple overcall. A jump overcall shows a six or seven
card suit with a range of 14-16 HCP. The jump is invitational, not forcing. A double jump overcall to the game level is VERY strong, like 4 ♠ over 2 ♥. Partner doesn’t need much to think slam.
You hold: ♠ AQ10873 ♥ 2 ♦ AQ42 ♣ K9 If RHO opens 2♥, bid 3♠, invitational, not forcing,
WHEN THE BID TO YOUR RIGHT IS WEAK, A JUMP BY YOU IS STRONG.
WHEN THE BID TO YOUR RIGHT IS STRONG, A JUMP BY YOU IS WEAK.
3. Pass if you have a preemptive opening bid of your own. If you bid, partner will play you for a
good hand.
4. Make a take out double, the most common (and most effective) defense to a preempt. What you need is SHORTNESS in the opponent’s suit, support for the unbid suits, plus an opening bid or better. The higher the preempt, the better your hand must be. Doubles of preemptive opening bids through 4♥ are for TAKE OUT. A double of 4♠ is optional, but is usually passed unless the partner of the doubler is quite distributional. The five level is a pretty high level to mess around looking for a fit.
5. Bid 2NT or 3NT depending upon strength. The range for a 2NT overcall is 15-18 HCP; the range for a 3NT overcall (after a three level preempt) is, are you ready for this,16-22 HCP. Of course, you need at least one stopper in their suit.
In addition to these options, you can cuebid.
6. A three level MAJOR suit cue bid asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in the opener’s suit.
This cue bidder has a solid suit with outside strength and is hoping to find a home in 3NT.
You hold ♠ A7 ♥ 7 ♦ AKQ9743 ♣ QJ5
If
7. A four level MAJOR suit cue bid (they open 3 ♠ or 3 ♥) shows a dominant major-minor two
suiter with opening bid strength minimum.
You hold ♠ AK983 ♥ 4 ♦ 5 ♣ AQ10765
If
8. A MINOR suit cue bid at the four level like 4♦ over 3♦ shows a major two suiter with opening bid values.
9. Leaping Michaels is a jump overcall to four of a minor after a 2♥ or 2♠ opening bid. The leap shows FIVE cards in the unbid major plus five or six cards in the bid suit. Leaping Michaels shows a powerful trick taking hand.
You hold ♠6 ♥AQ874 ♦A ♣KQJ932
Over a 2♠ opening, jump to 4♣ showing five or six clubs with five hearts and a wonderful hand to boot. Partner can pass, but as you can see doesn’t need much to go on.
10. To show the two lower unbid, you bid 4NT unusual over any preempt.
It is NOT Blackwood.
2NT and 3NT are always natural bids over any preempt, showing at least one stopper in their suit. They are never unusual!
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣