Defense to Strong Notrump

You might be pleased with your One-Notrump system.  Doubtless you also are aware that it works best when the opponents are silent.  When there is an overcall, much of your structure has to change, and not for the better.  Moreover, the more ambiguous the overcall, the more difficult it is to counter.  There are many popular overcalling systems, such as Astro, Brozel, Becker, Suction, and DONT.  You are delighted to employ your own favorite method whenever your hand is suitable for taking action.  And that's the rub — maybe you have such a hand, and maybe you don't.

That's where this convention comes in.  It enables you — the dreaded opponents — to get in there at the slightest excuse, while minimizing the risk of punishment.  No longer is it necessary to wait for an ideal hand pattern.  The key is the "safe-haven" anchor of a 3+ major suit.

These methods are not designed solely for interference; Overcaller's hands can be differentiated as strong, intermediate, or competitive.

Advantages:

• ability to interfere with a 5-card (or even a 4-card) minor
• finds 4-4 and 5-3 major-suit fits
• accommodates 5-minor + 4-major hands

Disadvantages:

• gives up a strength-showing penalty double
• possible messy 4-3 fits at the 3-level (rare)

The accompanying charts assume that opener's partner has not made a bid.

Details