Astro/Aspro defence to 1NT

Introduction

Most systems include some sort of weak overcall over an opponent's suit opener. There are all sorts of benefits from weak overcalls - you can disrupt the opposition's auction, maybe snatch a part score contract, locate a profitable sacrifice over your opponent's game or suggest a good opening lead.

Overcalling over 1NT can be a more risky business. 1NT defines opener's hand within fairly narrow limits so it's much easier for his partner to judge whether to continuing looking for a contract their way or to settle for a penalty double of your overcall. He also knows his partner's approximate point count and that he can count on his partner for at least two of your trumps. Traditional methods therefore demand a very good suit before you can call over 1NT.

In fourth seat, the disparity is even greater. After 1©-pass-pass, opener's partner can't have more than 5 points. After 1NT-pass-pass, RHO could have anything up to a poor 11 count.

Most conventional defences to 1NT are designed to allow you to compete with greater safety and perhaps slightly less inspiring suits. Aspro is a variant of Astro and everything in this note applies with equal force to both unless explicitly stated to the contrary. Both conventions are designed to help you find at least a seven card fit at the lowest possible level.

Think of Astro/Aspro as no-trump's answer to the weak overcall. They're not suitable for use on very strong hands because the bids aren't forcing. Generally, if your hand is strong enough to double 1NT then it's too strong for Astro/Aspro, so you should double instead.

Astro/Aspro overcalls over 1NT

Over an opponent's 1NT opener, 2§ and 2¨ are conventional overcalls each showing 5/4 or better in two suits, at least one of which must be a major. Here's the complete set of 2 level overcalls:

Overcall Astro Aspro

2§ Hearts and a minor Hearts and any another

2¨ Spades and any another Spades and a minor

2©/2ª Natural, single suited

2NT "unusual", showing at least 5/5 in the minors

The 2§/¨ overcalls show the same strength as a weak overcall at the 2 level, ie. no more than 8 losers. They deny sufficient strength to double the 1NT, so the upper limit is about 15 points. In each case, the major suit guaranteed by the overcall is called the anchor major.

Overcall	Astro	Aspro
2§	Hearts and a minor	Hearts and any another
2¨	Spades and any another	Spades and a minor
2©/2ª	Natural, single suited
2NT	"unusual", showing at least 5/5 in the minors

Notes:

The only difference between Astro and Aspro is the bid used to show both majors.
As you have conventional calls to show all two suited hands, if partner overcalls 2 major you know he is single suited and you can normally expect a better than average suit.
The "unusual" 2NT call is included in the above table. Although not an integral part of the system, it neatly covers the only suit combination not covered by 2§ or 2¨.
With a single suited § or ¨ hand you have to jump overcall at the three level. For this you need a better suit - probably at least 7 cards long.

Responding to partner's 2§ or 2¨ overcall.

As responder, your priority is to find a safe fit at the lowest possible level. This task is easiest when you have support (at least 3 cards) for partner's anchor major. However, just because partner is weak doesn't necessarily mean game is out of the question. With a 4+ card fit you can make a loser count raise based on partner's assumed 8 losers. Thus the scale of responses is:

With 3+ card support and weak, bid 2 of the anchor major.
With 4+ card support and 7 losers: Jump to 3 in the anchor major (invitational).
With 4+ card support and no more than 6 losers: Jump to 4 in the anchor major.

If you don't have an immediate fit for the anchor major, there are two artificial responses available to allow you to find out more about the partner's hand.

The next suit up (ie. 2¨ over conventional 2§, or 2© over conventional 2¨, asks partner to reveal his 5 card suit. This is called a relay bid. The relay bid is not forcing and if partner has five cards in the relay suit he should pass. You can therefore only use the relay bid if you are happy to play in the relay suit, at the two level, opposite five card support from partner.
If partner doesn't have five cards in the relay suit, he should bid his five card suit at the lowest available level.
2NT asks partner to name his second suit (remember: 2NT asks for 2nd suit).

With a long suit of your own (at least 6 cards) you can normally bid it naturally. If it happens to be the Astro/Aspro suit you can even pass (but remember, partner may have none). The only real problem is if your long suit just happens to be the next suit up, which we just reserved as a relay bid.

A long holding in the relay suit is the worst possible situation. Your best bet is probably to make the relay bid anyway (you've got 6+ and opener has 2+ so it is just possible, if the gods are really rooting for you, that partner could have 5 and pass!). Assuming partner doesn't pass and can't tolerate his "five bagger", then you rebid your suit at the 3 level and that should end the auction.

These responses assume that RHO passes partner's overcall. If partner's 2§/¨ is doubled, then all bids, including the relay suit, are natural. You should support the anchor major if at all possible. Passing the double implies a lack of fit for the anchor suit and strongly suggests to partner that he should rescue into his second suit. If partner's 2§/¨ is overcalled, the pressure is off. There is now no need to search for a fit with a weak hand. If the opposition bid on, any further bids from our side are natural and constructive.

After the auction

One of the benefits of overcalling is that it gives your partner some information about your hand should you end up defending. By bidding Astro or Aspro you have told partner about one of your suits but your second suit could be open to doubt. If you end up on lead after bidding Astro/Aspro then it is often a good idea, all other things being equal, to lead your second suit. Partner will then have a very good picture of your hand distribution, which should help him to plan your defence. Remember, though, that you are giving the same information to declarer.

Also, this advice should not be allowed to overrule reason. If there is an obviously better lead, or your second suit is clearly a bad lead, then choose something else but be aware that if you lead anything other than your anchor major, partner may conclude that it is your second suit.

Astro/Aspro over 2NT

Both conventions can also used over a 2NT opener, 3§ and 3¨ being the conventional calls. To come in over 2NT you must, of course, be much stronger. A good 7 loser hand is the absolute minimum.

The responses are the same but a level higher, including the relay bid to ask for partner's 5 card suit and 3NT to ask for his second suit (3NT is never required in its natural sense when one of your opponents has already shown 20+ points).

It is a matter for partnership understanding whether you play Astro/Aspro over both 1NT and 2NT or over 1NT only.

How to explain it.

A word of warning: should the opposition ask for an explanation of your partner's 2§ or 2¨ overcall means, experience has shown that you have to pick your words carefully. If you just say "he's 5-4 in hearts and a minor" you may inadvertently give the impression that hearts must be the five card suit.

The set of words I finally settled on is "he's 5-4 in two suits, one of which is hearts and the other a minor".

Astro or Aspro, which is better?

The only time the conventions differ is when the overcaller holds both majors. The Astro user will bid 2¨, guaranteeing the spades, whilst the Aspro user will bid is 2§, guaranteeing the hearts. In either case, if your best fit happens to lie in the other major and you have to go through 2NT to find it, then it will cost you a level of bidding compared with the other convention.

After in-depth analysis, I can only find one tangible difference and it just gives the edge to Aspro. Only Aspro allows you to investigate a game which requires overcaller to hold five hearts.

After 1NT-2§(Aspro), a 2¨ relay asks for partner's 5 card suit. If you get the response 2© (and have a suitable hand) you can now invite or bid game as appropriate. After 1NT-2¨(Astro), the relay bid is 2©. Now if partner has five hearts he must pass and the option of looking for game has gone.

Begrudgingly, therefore, after more years than I care to remember playing Astro, I have to concede that Aspro offers a very slight advantage. I'd like to bet that most Aspro players couldn't tell you exactly what that advantage is though!

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