The responder after an overcall

The responder after an overcall
With a fit in the opener's major:
make a support bid at level 2, 3 or 4 according to your strength, or make a forcing bid with 11HCP or more (jump shift, cue bid, jump fit)
Without a fit:

pass with less than 5HCP;
bid NT with at least one stopper in the overcaller's suit;
sputnik double with four cards in the unbid suits and at least 7-8HCP.
To change suits at the two level you need 11HCP and at least five cards. Single jumps are preempts (at your level).
Without a possible major fit, cue bid with 11HCP or more to ask if Partner has a stopper in the overcall suit.

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Problem E4888 PASS with 4HCP completely ineffective.

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Problem E4889 2 ♥ little support with 7HCP and three trumps.

With a fit in the opener's major.
In competitive auctions and with a hand limited to 10-11HCP, you have to give immediate support and at the right level.

with three trumps and more than 5-6HCP, minimum support
with four trumps and more than 8-9HCP. game proposal at the three level
four trumps and 10-11HCP. go to game
11HCP or more, four trumps and a well-distributed hand, make a forcing bid: cue bid the overcaller's suit, a jump shift or a jump fit.

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Problem E4890 3 ♥ Game proposal with nine useful HCP.

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Problem E4891 4 ♥ Game support with 11HCP in a strong hand 4432.

Looking for a major fit
Two bids make it possible to find a major fit: the sputnik double and the jump shift.

The sputnik double: with 7-8HCP (at the one level) takeout for an unnamed suit
The jump shift:

at the two level you need 11HCP and five cards. A single jump is preempt. A double jump is a jump fit.

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Problem E1571 double With a minimum of 7-8HCP (no maximum) and 4 cards in an unbid major, use the very efficient sputnik double.

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Problem E1254 2 ♥ Jump shift at the two level with 11HCP or more and five cards in that suit.

With no possible major fit: NT
NT bids show at least one stopper in the overcalled suit at the one level (more if you go higher) and:

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

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Problem E1476 3NT A 3NT bid guarantees above all good stoppers in hearts...it's up to the Partner to deal with the spades!

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Problem E1497, 2NT which promises a balanced hand of about 11HCP, with good club stoppers and no four-card major.

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Detail specifications 430Z - Level 2 ★

The responder after an overcall

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