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STRONG
2 OPEN -
2/1
system reserve 2 opening for strong hands that obey the follow conditions:
- need 21+
hcp (high
cards points);
- limited in 3 losers when the minor is a long suit;
- limited in 4 losers when the major is a long suits.
There many handst hat are
not qualified or recommended to be an opening in 2, like:
 AKQJxxxxxx  x  x x (3 losers)
or
AKQ7 AKQ7 K763 9
(21 hcp)
or
AKQ AKQ Q63 Q932
(22 hcp)
or
7 J7 AKQJ3 AKQJ9
(21 hcp).
- 2 opening is not necessarily a GF if
Responder bids 2, because
this is
an artificial response that
denies ace, king and 2 Queens and shows less than 5 hcp. Thus,
after 2 maximum negative, the bidding can
be stop at 2nt or in a suit at
level 3, in situations where
Responder's hand are very poor like: 954 7x J742 9743 and
Opener's hand are:
AKQ AKx AK J43
/
AK AQJ63 KQ2 A43
/ K3 AQ6 K3 AKQJ10
Note1: there are unbalanced hands with 21-22 hcp that are no eligible for 2 opening because they have more than 4 losers and are
not semi-balanced hands qualified, exceptionally, to be opened in 2nt.
For analyze 2 convention lets separate two
types of hands:
1- balanced hands distribution: 4333 or 4432 or 5332 with 22-29 hcp and
2- unbalanced hands with 21+ hcp having singleton or void, including some
semi balanced hands having 5422 or 6322 distribution.
1) Balanced hands - Opener's second bid
After a bidding with no interference
Opener
Responder
2
2(waiting) or 2 (max
negative)
? => Opener's second bid
shows the ranges:
2nt => 22-23
hcp,
3nt => 24-25
hcp,
3 => 26-27
hcp -
artificial bid - nothing with
3 => 28-29
hcp -
artificial bid - nothing with
Note2: The balanced hands with 26-27 hcp or
28-29 hcp after
2 response
should be bided as 3nt 24-25 hcp.
After Opener bids a balanced suit hand the captain
(the player that defines the final contract) is the Responder. In unbalanced
hands generally is the strong hand that defines the final contract, but a
collaboration bidding is necessary as maximum possible, so when a player self consider well known to take the final decision he
should
finish the bidding.
2) Unbalanced hands - Opener's second bid
Opener Responder
2
2(waiting) or 2 (max
negative)
? => opener bids
unbalanced hands:
2 => after undefined 2
can be 4 cards in 4441
2 =>
also can be
4 cards in
4441 singleton .
3 => 6+ cards
mostly
3 => 6+ cards
mostly
Opener's second bid after 2 response allow Responder to pass in
2, 2nt,
3 or 3 or 3.
Thus, after a 2 response Opener having 9
tricks in nt, or 10 tricks in
a major suit, or 11 tricks in a minor suit, must jump directly to game, to
avoid a possible pass from Responder that has nothing to bid
with 4333 or 4432 distribution hand and up to 2 hcp.
Important: after a 2
undefined response or 2
maximum negative response,
Responder priority is to support Opener suit or bid a suit only
with 5+ cards, otherwize
Responder must bid nt up the line to show 4432.
Opener having
two long suits (6-5 hands) should open in level 1 avoiding a
big problem to show both suits after opening in 2 with a response in 2 (that
permits Responder to pass in a partial score level) or if
opponents interfere in level 3 or even in level 4 with a preemptive bid and
Responder double to show negative hand.
Opener Responder
2 2 <= the waiting bid is a undefined hand that
must have 5+ HCP or unless a King or an Ace. So with xxx Kxx
xxxx xxx or Axx xxx xxx xxxx, both hands with less
than 5 HCP, are eligible to be bid as 2.
In fact the 2 response
bid exclude a possible 5+
cards major suit with 2 top
honors or a 6+ cards minor suit with 2 top honors or a weak hand with 6/7
cards and only an ace or king.
Note3: Is well know in bridge that a King is 1
control and a Ace is 2 controls, so we say
that a hand without any control is candidate to be a response in 2 after 2.
Opener's
second bid with balanced hands
Opener Responder
2
2
?
a) 2ST = 22-23 HCP, in this case
Responder need use the same convention of the partnership when the Opening is
in
2nt. Normally:
3 asking for major (Stayman
/ Puppet / ... read here);
3 transfer to 3;
3 transfer to 3;
3 Stayman for minor and Opener should bid 3nt without
a minor suit;
4 Gerber (asking for aces: 4=4, 4=1,4=2,4nt=3) is a reserve bid for special cases when responder has zero aces but good sequences in a minor
suit like: x x KJxx KJ87xxx
or Kx x Qxx K1098xxx and that need 3 aces in Opener's hand to try
slam - after the Opener's response 4nt, 5 or 5 are sign-off - in fact all bids from Responder are
sing-off after Gerber;
4 transfer to 4 showing a
very weak hand 5/6 cards no good to Slam;
4 transfer to 4 showing a
very weak hand 5/6 cards no good to Slam;
4 transfer to 5 showing a
weak hand - only one Ace or King possible;
5 transfer to 5 showing a
weak hand - only one Ace or King possible.
b) 3ST = 24-25 HCP, Responder bids: pass, 4 Stayman and if Opener denies major then 4nt is sign-off, 4/4 transfers to majors, 4 transfer to 5, 4nt Blackwood for Aces, 5 transfer to
5;
c) 3 = 26-27 HCP, Responder bids: 3 relay to 3nt, 4 Stayman, 4/4 are transfers to majors, 4 transfer to 5, 4nt
Blackwood for
Aces, 5 transfer to 5;
d) 3 = 28-29 HCP, Responder bids: 3nt to play, 4 Stayman, 4/4 transfers to majors, 4 transfer to 5, 4nt
Blackwood for
Aces, 5 transfer to 5;
Note4: When Responder is asking for a major in 4 (Stayman), it is possible that Responder has both majors or a 5431 distributional hand and he is trying a better contract in suit avoiding to play in nt with a singleton.
So, if Opener bids 4 = no major,
then 4nt by Responder is a sign-off:
but if Opener bids 4 and Responder's major suit is Spades, then
he must bid 4 and Opener with both majors pass or with no fit
in Spades Opener bids 4nt. Example:
Opener
Responder
2 2
3ST <= 25-26 HCP 4 <= asking for major (5431)
?.......................... ?
4 <= no major 4ST
<= sign-off
4 <= 4
cards
pass <= also have 4 cards
4 <= 4
cards 4 <= I have
4 cards
pass or 4nt pass or 5/5 sign-off
Note5: After 2 response 2, when
Opener's second bid is 3nt (24-25 hcp), if Responder's hand is to play in
Clubs
(or in
Diamonds) and not in no trump (no entry), a transfer bid is necessary by 4, because the 5 bid directly is a transfer to 5!
example:
.....Opener: AK AJ8 AQ75 AK9
Responder: 98 5 8432 1076543
Opener Responder
2 2 <= max negative
3nt 4 <= transfer to 5
5 pass
POSITIVE RESPONSES - Responder's first bid
After strong 2 open, a positive response traditionally shows 3+
controls (A and K or 3K), but in modern bidding it is more important
systematize a positive response with a good suit having 2 top honors (AK/AQ/KQ) and
5+ cards for a major suit or 6+ cards for a minor suit, examples:
Opener Responder
2 ?
2 =>KQJ1087JxQ10xxx or AQ1087JxK9xxxx
2nt=>
Q7 AQJxxx xxxxx or 87KQJxxxQxxxx
3 =>KQ7JxxxAQ109xx or 7Q10xxxKQ10xxxx
3 => 87QxAKxxx xx or 1087JxKQJ9xxxx
Note6: After 2 open the positive response
for Hearts is made in 2nt, and it allows the transfer for the strong hand when
Opener has 3+
cards.
Special Weak Responses After 2 Open - Responder's first bid
A weak long up to 5 hcp and 6/7
cards, could be clarified in the bidding with a jump response. So for a
major suit with 6 cards the jump is to level 3 and with 7 cards is to level
4, but the requirement is the suit must have a top K or A, never both together and
cannot include the Queen, and nothing more. For a minor suit the jump is only
at level 4 with 7 cards. Examples:
Opener Responder
2 ?
3=>KJxxxx or A109xxx just A or K and 6 cards:
xx KJ10xxx xxx Jx or xx A109xxx xx xxx
3=>KJxxxx or A9xxxx just A or K and
6 cards:
KJ10xxx xxx Jx or A109xxx xxx xx xx
4=>KJxxxxx or A98xxxx just A or K and
7 cards:
xx KJ9xxxx xx Jx or xx A10xxxxx x xxx
4=>KJ9xxxx or A1098xxx
just A or K and
7 cards:
AJ10xxxx xx xx Jx or K109xxxx xxx x Jx
4=>KJ98xxx or A109xxxx just A or K and 7 cards:
xx x xx KJxxxxx or xx xxx x A109xxxx
4=>KJxxxxx or A1098xxx just A or K and 7 cards:
x xx xAJ87xxx Jxx or xx xxx KJ10xxxx Jx
Rules During The Development of The Bidding
After Response 2/2
Rule#1– When Opener's second bid is a unbalanced 2/2/3/3,
If Responder first bid was 2 then Responder's second bid raise is more strong than a jump support, but if Responder first bid
was 2 then it is the opposite, because the GF is dubious, and
the jump shows the maximum of the negative 2 with good
distributional hand to game.
Rule#2 -After Opener second bid in 2 or 2
Responder should bid other suit only with
5+ cards. So with a 4432 hand he
should bid 2nt having up to 7 hcp and 3nt with 8-10 hcp and may have
singleton in the Opener suit.
Rule#3 - When the strong 2 Opener hand is 6-4-?-? with a 6 cards minor and a 4
cards major, Opener bid first his 6 cards minor in level 3 and after he bids
his 4 cards major 4 cards at level 4. Example:
.....Opener = AxxAKJ9AKQxxx-
Responder = Q107xxxxxxA109x
Opener Responder
2 2
3 3nt <=
no 5 cards major
4 5 < prefer 8 cards fit
pass <= Opener knows Responder has only 2.
Rule#4 - After 2 opening the positive response in a suit are 2, 2nt (means suit) , 3 and 3. A major
suit can be bid positive with 5+ cards and a minor suit need 6+ cards (or very
good 5 cards), and
all need 2 top honors (AK/AQ/KQ), this is fundamental.
Opener Responder
2
3 => xx xx xx AKQJx;
2
2 => AKQ10 xx 10xx J9xx
2
3 => xx x
KQ987xxx xx
2 2nt =>
xx
AK10732
K87
xx
Rule#5 - After 2 opening the waiting response bid in 2 is a undefined hand that promises 5+ hcp or a K or a A but denies many types of hands like positive 2 top
honors in a suit, weak 6/7 cards ahead by A or K and the maximum
negative hand. So
Opener with those information add to others information bring by the bidding
where we postulate that a Responder's bids a suit only having 5+ cards allow
Opener had a good picture of Responder's hand to take decision for final
contract.
Rule#6 - After interference in 2, at any level
by opponents then:
1- Double by Responder shows
a negative hand: no Ace no King;
2- Responder
bidding any suit shows a positive hand with 2 tops honors;
3- Responder passing means a waiting bidding;
4- Responder cuebid in opponent suit shows singleton positive 4441
5- Responder bidding 2nt or 3nt means a balanced positive hand 8-10 hcp.
Opener Opponent Responder
2 2 double => xx xxx xxx Q9xx;
2 4 double => xxx xx Kxx J9xx;
2 3
pass => Kxxx x Kxx J9xx;
2 3
pass => Axxx x Kxx QJ9xx;
2 3
4 => Qxx x KQ108xx J9x;
2 3
4 => Kxxx x Kxxx QJ9x;
2 3 3nt =>
Jxx
K1084
Kx
QJ9x;
2 2
2nt => AQx
xx
Jxxx
Q9xx;
Sequences after second bid of Opener in 2:
Opener Responder
2 2
2 ?
Responder bids:
2 - 5+ cards and denies
support in Opener suit;
2ST – balanced hand and denies 3 cards;
3 - 5+ cards and denies
support in Opener's suit;
3 - 5+ cards and denies
support in Opener's suit;
3 - 3+ cards and is more
strong than a 4 bid;
3/4/4 are splinters showing singleton or void in the suit
bided and support of 4 cards in Opener's suit;
3nt - singleton in Opener suit and stoppers in all others suit 7-10 hcp;
4 - weak and with 4 cards (denies
singleton or void).
4nt- Asking for aces considering the suit for RKC.
Sequences after second bid of Opener in 2:
Opener Responder
2 2
2 ?
Responder bids:
2ST – balanced hand and denies 3 cards in Opener's suit;
3 - 5+ cards but not 2 top honors;
3 - 5+ cards but no 2 top honors;
3 - 5+ cards but not 2 top honors;
3nt - singleton in Opener suit and stoppers in all others suit 7-10 hcp;
4/4/4 are splinters and shows support of 4 cards;
4 - weak and 4 cards (denies singleton or
void).
4nt- Asking for aces considering the suit for
RKC.
Sequences after second bid of Opener in 3:
Opener Responder
2 2
3 ?
Responder bids:
3 - 5+ cards and denies 3 cards;
3 - 5+ cards
and may have
3 cards;
3 - 5+ cards and may
have
3 cards;
3nt - balanced hand and denies 3 cards;
4 - 3+ cards in Opener suit;
4/4/4 are splinter and support of 4 cards;
4nt- Asking for aces with for RKC.
Sequence after second bid of Opener in 3:
Opener Responder
2 2
3 ?
Responder bids:
3 - 5+ cards and may
have
3 cards;
3 - 5+ cards and may
have
3 cards;
3nt - balanced hand and denies 3 cards;
4 - 5+ cards and denies 3 cards;
4/4/5 are splinter and support of 4 cards;
4nt- Asking for aces with for RKC.
TEST YOUR OPENING BID AND OTHERS BIDS:
KQ2 AK63 AQ76 K7 => 2nt
AKQJ32 AK98 AK4 - => 2
After Responder's 2 Opener's second bid is 4
After Responder's 2 Opener's second bid is 2
...................................Opener's third bid is 3
A A98 AKQJ63 A54
=> 2
After Responder 2 Opener's second bid is 3nt
After Responder 2 Opener's second bid is 3
AKJ3 Q Q9753 AKQ
=> 1
strong hand 21 hcp but not for 2
If Responder bid 1 then reverse in 2
AKJ3 Q Q975 AKQJ => 1
strong hand 22 hcp but not for 2
If Responder bid 1 then reverse in 2
AK986 AK542 A75 - => 1
because if opponent bid 4 you have 4
After Responder 1nt then jump GF to 3
After Responder 2 you can bid only 2
waiting for
a possible 3 to bid 3
A6 - AK9875 KQJ97
=> 1
because if opponent bid 4 you have 5
After 1/1 then 5-5 / 6-5 jump GF to 3
A6 - AK987 KQJ975 =>
1
if opponent bid 4 you bid 4nt = 5/6
After 1/1 then bid reverse 2
and after other bid you show your 6/5 with 3
AK84 A2 AKQ53 K4
=> 2
After 2/2 bid 2ST
AK AK84 AKQ53 54
=> 2
After 2/2 bid 3
and if Responder bid 3nt then pass
AK 5 AKQ3 AK10842 => 2
After 2/2 bid 3
and if Responder bid 3nt bid 4
AK84 AK 54 AK753 => 2ST
AK AK84 Q4 AKQ53 => 2
After 2/2 bid 3nt
AK A4 AK84 AKQ53 => 2
After 2/2 bid 3 (=26-27
hcp)
A2 AK54 AKQ853 3
=> 2
After 2/2 bid 3
and if Responder bid 3nt bid 4
AQ 4 KQJ102 AKQJ3
=> 2
if interference is 4 bid 4nt showing both minors
If Responder bid 2 (denies A or K) bidding 4nt to show minors
After 2/2 second bid 3 and third
bid 4
AK10 AK 63 AKJ1065 => 2
After response 2/2 opener bid 3
AQ AK54 6 AKJ1065
=> 2
After response 2/2 Opener bid 3
In third bid 4
AQ AQ865 AK8764 - => 1
Second bid 4
A3 2 AKJ1063 AK76
=> 1
After response in a major bid 3
and third bid 4
AK75 AK4 AQJ KJ4 => 2
After 2/2 second bid 3ST
AK75 AK4 AQJ AK3 => 2
After 2/2 second bid 3 (= 28-29
hcp)
AKQx AK4 Ax AK4 => 2
After 2/2 second bid 3 (=26-27
hcp)
AKQ7654 K6 7 AKQJ => 2
After 2 bid 2 and third
bid 4
After 2 bid 4
KQJ106 K6 7 AKQ985 => 1
second bid 2 and third bid 3
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