[phil_20686]

---

Would you bid here?

EDIT: IMPS

[paulg]

I'd be mouthing pass as I put the 2♥ card on the table.

[the_clown]

I dont mind 2♥ or pass (I would pass personally) but I think 3♥ on those cards is really poor.

[helene_t]

2♥ at matchpoints. Not sure about IMPs.

[Giangibar]

Hard choice between 2♥ and pass at match points (if I were green, I would bid 2♥ undoubtedly), a definite pass at teams.

[whereagles]

bid yes. 2H

[ArtK78]

Give me the ♥10 instead of the 7 and I would say that it is close. With the hand given, I pass.

Partner is not timid. If this is our hand he may find a way to get into the auction.

[gszes]

I would be a bit more likely to bid 2h if playing against a strong club system
but see not much to be gained here and may have a big surprise if rho lands in 3n.

Some sympathy for MP 2h bidders since its only 1 board if disaster strikes.

Pass

[neilkaz]

Now that the post has been edited to say IMPs I reluctantly changed my vote to pass. As Art says, give me the 10 in my suit and I'd likely o/c. Or give me something a tad better on than side than dub QT.

[Cyberyeti]

In the style I play, I have to overcall 3♥ or pass, I pass.

[Fluffy]

Too balanced for 3♥ also AKxxxx is low ODR, so easy pass.

[gnasher]

Several people have implied that it's better to bid at matchpoints than at IMPs. That's the wrong way around.

The main upside of bidding 2♥ is to get to a making game. That's worth more at IMPs than at matchpoints.

The main downside of bidding 2♥ is going for a penalty. -200 on a partscore board or -800 against game is a minor loss at IMPs, but a disaster at matchpoints.

[cherdano]

gnasher, on 2014-August-01, 13:01, said:

Several people have implied that it's better to bid at matchpoints than at IMPs. That's the wrong way around.

The main upside of bidding 2♥ is to get to a making game. That's worth more at IMPs than at matchpoints.

The main downside of bidding 2♥ is going for a penalty. -200 on a partscore board or -800 against game is a minor loss at IMPs, but a disaster at matchpoints.

It may be worth adding that this isn't only about 2♥X - at matchpoints I would also be worried about playing 3♥X-1.

I would pass at either form of scoring.

[eagles123]

I have to admit i would bid in my sleep but really interested in this discussion

Eagles

[Giangibar]

In my opinion, the purpose of an overcall is multifaceted and should be weighed from time to time. At IMPs, as stated before (and rightly so), the main address is to bid and make a game; competing on a partscore is still important, but not as much. With the aforementioned hand, however, I suppose game is a too ambitious goal: I have 7-8 losers, partner needs to have a monster to make it possible. On this basis, I pass.

At pairs, however, competing and balancing is a key aspect of the game. If I pass now and the bidding goes 2S - Pass - Pass, am I supposed to bid 3H later? It could be a carnage. Better to take this hand off my chest now, if I want to, and give partner the possibility to judge whether to raise, to bid on or to pass. As Robson says in his ultra-famous book "Partnership bidding at bridge", you don't want to take the last guess. Still, in my opinion (as always), this is a very borderline hand even at MPs.

[SteveMoe]

2♥
A lead directing, space eating 2♥.
Too balanced for 3♥
With shortness somewhere I'd venture 3♥.

[whereagles]

Giangibar, on 2014-August-01, 16:16, said:

If I pass now and the bidding goes 2S - Pass - Pass, am I supposed to bid 3H later?

Yes. But it's probably more dangerous to do it then than 2H now.

[jallerton]

Cyberyeti, on 2014-August-01, 11:37, said:

In the style I play, I have to overcall 3♥ or pass, I pass.

Yes. The methods of the opening poster are to play a 3♥ jump overcall as weak. The concept that you make a simple vulnerable 2-level overcall because you are too weak for a weak junp overcall is dangerous. Partner will never know when to play you for a proper overcall.

If a partnership considers it a good idea to overcall 2♥ on hands this weak, then it should play 3♥ overcalls as constructive.

gnasher, on 2014-August-01, 13:01, said:

Several people have implied that it's better to bid at matchpoints than at IMPs. That's the wrong way around.

The main upside of bidding 2♥ is to get to a making game. That's worth more at IMPs than at matchpoints.

The main downside of bidding 2♥ is going for a penalty. -200 on a partscore board or -800 against game is a minor loss at IMPs, but a disaster at matchpoints.

I'm not sure you're right about it being the wrong way round. It is true that, vulnerable at IMPS, partner is more likely to stretch to bidding game, but as our hand lacks the strength partner may be expecting, we're likely to end in a non-making game rather than a making one.

The most obvious advantage of overcalling is that you'd direct partner to the right opening lead (assuming he is going to be on lead, of course). This will gain more frequently at matchpoints where saving an overtrick can sometimes be as valuable as defeating the contract.

[sanyogita3]

phil_20686, on 2014-August-01, 06:32, said:

---

Would you bid here?

EDIT: IMPS

yes

[yunling]

Maybe I'm too conservative but I think it is a clear pass. I'd expect more for a vul 2♥ overcall. If you overcall too light, p will have a difficult decision over
(1♠)-2♥-(P)-?
when he holds some values.

Simulation says you should pass again over (1♠)-P-(2♠)-P-(P)-?