Responding after an overcall

With a support in the opener's major suit,
raise at level 2, 3 or 4 according to your strength, or make a forcing bid above 11 HCP (shift or cue-bid)

Without any support,

Pass with less than 5 HCP
NT bids with at least one stopper in the opponent's suit
Sputnik double with 4 cards in the remaining suits and a minimum of 7-8 HCP
Shift : at level 2, you need 11 HCP and at least 5 cards
With no possible major fit, cue-bid with 11 HCP or more in order to find stoppers in your partner's hand.

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Exercise E4888 PASS with these poor and useless points

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Exercise E4889 2 ♥ 7 HCP and 3 cards : simple raise

With a support in the opener's major suit
During competitive biddings, with a limited hand (maximum 10-11 HCP) you must raise rapidly and...at the right level.
  Raise at the lowest level with 3 cards and a minimum 5-6 HCP

  Game proposal at level 3 with 4 cards and at least 8-9 HCP

  Game with 4 cards and 10-11 HCP

  Forcing bid :shift or cue-bid the overcalled suit4 cards in a well distributed hand counting 11 HCP and above

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Exercise E4890 3 ♥ Game proposal with these nice 9 HCP

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Exercise E4891 4 ♥ Raise with this strong 11 HCP well distributed hand (4332)

Looking for a major fit
2 biddings will allow you to look for a major fit : Sputnik double or shift.
Sputnik double : 7-8 HCP and above (at level1), it's a take out double for the remaining suits

Shift : at level 2, you need 5 cards and at least 11 HCP

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Exercise E1232 With at least
- 11 HCP
- 5 ♠ cards
shift at level 2. It's a responder's shift, therefore, it's a forcing bid.

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Exercise E1571 X From 7-8 HCP (no upper limit) and 4 cards in the unnamed major suit, use the very efficient Sputnik double

With no possible fit in a major suit : NT
Level 1 NT bids show at least one stopper in the opponent's suit, at a higher level they require more than one stopper :

1NT : 8-10 HCP at least one stopper in the overcalled suit
2 NT : 11 HCP, a balanced hand and two stoppers in the overcalled suit
3 NT : 12-14 HCP, a balanced hand with two serious stoppers in the overcalled suit

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Exercise E1476 3 SA 3 NT. First of all, it guarantees solid stoppers in ♥...your partner will take care of ♠ !

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Detail specifications 430Z - Level 1 ★

Responding after an overcall

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