Andrew:

“SQOT” - The Suit Quality Overcall Test

We have noted that an overcaller must have a decent five-card suit or better. This will enhance the chances of a making contract or a profitable sacrifice should the overcaller declare, plus prevent calamities should the deal be a misfit. If the overcaller ends up defending, at least his partner will start with the best opening lead.

The question is: just how good must the five-card suit be in order to justify the overcall? Cluttering up the auction for the opponents is good, but not at the cost of going for a large penalty or giving misleading information to partner.
Here is a rough and ready guideline for the quality of the suit - however as it discounts important factors such as shape and strength of the overall hand, plus vulnerability and state of the rubber, it must not be taken as gospel.

Suit Quality Overcall Test (or “SQOT”)

Add up the no. of cards in you suit (minimum five) to the no. of honours (ace=one, king=one, queen=one, jack=one, ten=one) in the suit. Overcall (generally at the lowest level) if the total is at least as many as the number of tricks you are bidding for.

Exercise: Which of the following heart suits are worth a 1 ♥ overcall over 1 ♦, or a 2 ♥ overcall over 1 ♠?

(a) ♥KJ752 (b) ♥QJ1083 (c) ♥A97632 (d) ♥AKJ9

SQOT count: (a). Seven. (b). Eight. (c). Seven. (d). Seven.

(a). Overcall 1 ♥ over 1 ♦; not 2 ♥ over 1 ♠.
(b). Overcall 1 ♥ over 1 ♦ and 2 ♥ over 1 ♠.
(c). Overcall 1 ♥ over 1 ♦; not 2 ♥ over 1 ♠.
(d) Do not overcall on a four-card suit.

Take West cards and defend this hand

North Deals
None Vul

♠	A 10 3
♥	K Q 10 7
♦	A Q 6 4
♣	7 2

♠	Q J 9 7 6
♥	9 8 4
♦	10 9 2
♣	J 5

N
W		E
S

♠	4 2
♥	A 6 5 2
♦	8 3
♣	K Q 10 6 4

♠	K 8 5
♥	J 3
♦	K J 7 5
♣	A 9 8 3

West	North	East	South
	1 ♥	2 ♣1	2 NT2
Pass	3 NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

Five clubs with three honours make eight, so East overcalls 2 ♣ (bidding for eight tricks). However, Two-level overcalls are dangerous and this bid is very marginal. I wouldn’t chance it if vulnerable. Even non-vulnerable, perhaps I should have ♣ 9 instead of ♣ 4.
Perhaps South is supposed to have a second club stopper, but he hopes ♣ 9 will do.

3 NT by South

Lead: ♣ J

West - who would have led a spade without partner’s overcall, enabling 3 NT to make easily - led the jack of clubs (top from two - to unblock). Declarer let this card hold the trick, but won a second club (to East’s ten) with the ace. He cashed four diamonds, but East threw hearts. When, at Trick Seven, he knocked out the ace of hearts (as he had to), East won his ace and cashed three further clubs. Down one - entirely due to East’s lead-directing overcall.

Book a Club Course

BridgeCast with Andrew

All drop in sessions

ARBC: 31 Parsons Green Lane, London SW6 4HH

Call NOW: 0207 471 4626

Book a Course

Andrew:

“SQOT” - The Suit Quality Overcall Test