Advances to Overcalls (Part 3)

Parts 1 and 2 on advances to overcalls gave you the basics to make a simple raise, to make a preemptive raise, to make a limit raise or to show hands of opening strength in support of partner’s overcall. For those who want to add a little fine tuning to their bidding, there are various conventions to use when you are bidding in competition and wish to furnish overcaller with specific information about your holding in his overcalled suit.

Rosenkranz et. al.
One such convention is called the Rosenkranz Redouble named for George Rosenkranz, a renowned steroid chemist and bridge player from Mexico. When partner makes an overcall and responder makes a negative double, a redouble by advancer shows three card support for the overcall including at least one of the top three honors in the suit. A simple raise also shows 3 card support but denies holding one of the top three honors. Let’s face it, when they open the bidding, most likely we are going to be defenders and we want to get off to a good start. If partner holds AQJxx in the overcalled suit, he wants to know if it is safe to lead the suit. In this case the redouble says I hold one of the top honors in your suit so lead accordingly. Some use Reverse Rosenkranz where the meanings of Redouble and the simple raise are reversed. Choosing between the two formats is a matter of whether you would like to raise the bidding to the 2 level with 3 small cards or 3 to a top honor.

Some also play Rosenkranz Doubles so that the sequence 1c/1h/1s/x shows 3 card support with a high honor and a raise shows 3 card support without the honor. If the sequence is 1c/1h/2c/x, this double would normally be a responsive double showing spades and diamonds. If you want to make this a Rosenkranz Double showing support for hearts, then it cannot be a responsive double. I have played Rosenkranz Doubles and Redoubles in combination and feel that they gain more than they lose. It is something you have to talk through with your partner.

Munson Redouble
This convention was developed by World Champion Kitty Munson Cooper who was introduced in an earlier post. The Munson Redouble shows either Ax or Kx in partner’s suit, or singleton A or K. Any bid other than redouble denies the Ace or King doubleton or singleton. In Munson Redoubles overcaller leads a spot card to advancer which is suit preference. If it is apparent that advancer can get a third round ruff in the suit (overcaller under-leads the Ace or King) then he returns the overcalled suit. Note that a third round ruff would require a 3-3 break which is against the odds, but a ruff even with an over-ruff may still set up a trump promotion for partner. If advancer has a singleton or a natural trump trick, he would take the suit preference signal.

Getting Started
My recommendation is to start with Rosenkranz Redoubles and fine tune your personal preference from there. It is easy to recognize, what else would you be doing by dropping a redouble on top of opponents negative double? Partner will be happy to know that you have 3 card support, and even happier if you have one of the top three honors.