o·ver·call
To bid higher than one's opponent when one's partner has not bid in bridge.
What is an over call in bridge?
In contract bridge, an overcall is a bid made after an opening bid has been made by an opponent; the term refers only to the first such bid.
Can you overcall with 4 cards?
Overcalling a good 4-card suit can frequently be the best of bad choices. It an allow us to get into the auction and out of the auction early (we are not planning to bid again). This hopefully saves us from more difficult decisions later in the auction.
