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WHAT IS A WEAK TWO BID?
It can be compared to an opening three bid, the difference is that a three bid normally shows a seven-card suit. The distribution of the bidder’s Weak Two hand rates to be
Suit Strength Suit strength can vary with the vulnerability and seat. Ideally three or four of the top five honors will head the suit. Practically, two of the top five honors along with the 98 or 97 attached will do just fine, thank you. Suits that look like: AK10765, AK9732, KQ9732, AJ9843, QJ10432, KJ9765 are fine. In addition, at favorable vulnerability liberties are allowed, particularly in 3rd seat. Third seat weak twos (after partner has passed) are often made with a strong 5-card suit as a lead director. Partner is supposed to have four card support plus a side suit singleton or two side suit doubletons to raise a third seat weak two. Discipline! Opening the following hand-type with 2S in THIRD seat eliminates the necessity for many light third hand openings: S. KQJ105
Advantages The advantages of opening a weak two are: (1) limiting the hand immediately; (2) directing the opening lead; (3) taking away bidding space from the opponents. Assume you deal and hold: S. 98
Not playing weak twos, you pass and hope to bid hearts later. However "later" may not happen! East (you)
South
West
North
You can hardly expect your partner to lead a heart unless you beat on your chest. How much easier (and safer) to open 2H, limit the hand, and get the lead you want. RESPONDING TO A WEAK TWO BID Before considering your response, keep in mind that your partner has about 7/8 HCP along with a reasonable six card suit. Your response depends to a large extent on how well you fit your partner's suit (unless you are blessed with an independent suit that can play opposite a singleton without trauma).
EXAMPLES Assume for the moment that your partner opens 2H and your right hand opponent passes.
(1) Pass:
(2) Bidding a new suit:
(3) Raising to 3H:
(4) Raising to 4H
(a two-edged sword).
(5) Responding 2
NT:
(6) Responding 3NT:
S. K4 H. 2 D. AKQJ876 C. K76 (7) Responding 4NT:
(8) Responding 4C:
DEFENSE TO THE WEAK TWO BID When your opponents open with a weak two, you should have some simple defense to counteract the preemptive effect of the bid. Assume East's opening bid is 2H, and you are South. Here are suggested defenses: Double — Takeout: same strength as needed to double a 1H opening bid. 2NT — 15-18 balanced. Same as a 1NT overcall of a 1H opening bid. With 15 HCP, a double stopper or a five or six card trick taking side suit is suggested. 3H — The cue bid shows some solid suit (usually a minor) and asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in the opener's suit. 4C or 4D — Leaping Michaels. A poweful two-suiter with the minor you are bidding plus the unbid major. The distribution should be 5-5 or 5-6. (The six card suit the minor). The jump is not forcing, but partner needs next to nothing to bid game. Assume your right hand opponent opens 2H. What would you bid with each of the following hands? (1) S. AJ54 H. 65 D. KJ87 C. AJ3 (2) S. K87 H. 32 D. KQ987 C. KJ8 (3) S. 54 H. AJ108 D. AK87 C. 654 (4) S. KQ987 H. 2 D. AKJ983 C. 3 (5) S. 2 H. 43 D. KQ987 C. AQJ98 (6) S. A7 H. 87 D. A7 C. AKQJ976 (7) S. 987 H. AJ9 D. AKJ8 C. K98 (8) S. 8 H. AJ87 D. KQ87 C. KJ65 Solutions (1) Double — You would have doubled a 1H opening wouldn't you?, so double a 2H opening. (2) Pass — You should have a 6-card suit to overcall at the three level, particularly a three level minor suit overcall. (3) Pass — And hope partner reopens with a double. (4) 4D — Leaping Michaels. A powerful diamond/spade two suiter. (5) 3D — The cue bid asks for a stopper. Partner will expect 6 diamonds, but if you bid clubs later, partner will play you for 5-5. (6) 3H — Shows a solid suit and asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in their suit. (7) 2NT — Shows 15-18 balanced with at least one stopper in their suit. (8) Pass — There is no sane bid at this point to describe this hand. THE 2C OPENING BID When you play Weak Twos, your only forcing opening bid is an artificial 2C bid. You show your "real" suit or your strong notrump hand (22-24 HCP) (27-28) at your next opportunity. A positive suit response to a 2C opening shows at least five cards in the suit, typically, but not necessarily, headed by three of the top five honors or two of the top four honors with 7+ HCP. A positive response should show at least one ace or two kings. Some play that a suit response promises two of the top three honors. I am not in this camp. These hands qualify for a positive response of 2H if partner opens 2C (unless you play that the response absolutely promises 2 of the top 3 honors). (1) S. A3 H. QJ1054 D. J98 C. 987 (2) S. 2 H. KJ873 D. KJ932 C. 97 (3) S. K4 H. A97643 D. 32 C. 874 One popular method for responding
to 2C is to use 2D as a waiting response, which means next to nothing.
A 2D response denies a long, strong suit, but does not deny a strong
hand. Many others use a 2H response to show a bust hand. No, ace, no king, and not as much as two queens. Those that use this response respond 2NT to show a positive response in hearts. Here are a few common sequences that begin with 2C-2D. Assume you are the responder. Opener Responder (you)
Opener Responder
Opener knows that you do not have a strong heart suit or a particularly good hand. Had you a stronger hand, you would have responded 2H directly. In this sequence you show five or six hearts with 4-6 HCP. Opener Responder
Opener Responder
At this point you have to bid something. The 2 diamond response has not shown a weak hand and if you bid 3H, partner will play you for more than this! When you have been dealt a miserable hand (0-3 HCP), your first obligation after your obligatory 2D response is to let partner in on this terrible secret. You do this by by bidding “cheaper minor” called a 'double negative'. After partner rebids 2H or 2S, bid 3C. This 3C bid does not show clubs, in fact it shows nothing. It means you have a nothing hand. Had partner rebid 3C over your 2D response, 3D is your double negative. If partner rebids 3D over 2D, there is no double negative. Good luck. In the preceding example, you rebid 3C after the 2S bid and partner, knowing you have garbage signs off at 4S. Rebidding 3S after the 3C response would not be forcing. Those that respond 2H originally do not have the follow up problem of how to show a bust. They have already shown one! Incidentally, playing that 2H shows a double negative, 2NT substitues for a positive respond in hearts. A 2C opening is a game force unless the bidding proceeds: (a) Opener
Responder
Even though opener shows 22-24 HCP, responder is allowed to pass. You can imagine what kind of hand responder must have to pass 2NT.
Opener Responder
As mentioned, 3H is not forcing, but partner needs very little to carry on to 4H. An eensy-weensy breath of a trick is enough. If opener bids a new suit, responder cannot pass.
Notrump Rebids By The 2C Opener When playing weak twos, a 2C opening followed by a 2NT rebid shows 22-24 HCP. An opening bid of 2NT shows 20-21 HCP. Opener Responder
(you)
At this point, 3C by you is Stayman, and if you play transfers, they are “on’ as well. Basically, you respond the same way as you would to an opening bid of 2NT. The only difference is that your partner has 22-24 high card points as opposed to 20-21. When using Weak Twos, the 3 NT opening shows 25-26 HCP. A 2C opening following by 3NT shows 27-28 HCP. Don’t hold your breath. Most common responses to a 2C opening:
Dlr: South
West East
South
South West North East
Opening Lead: CQ Declarer wins the opening lead, plays the ace-king of spades leaving the queen at large, cashes a second club, and begins to run diamonds. If West trumps in, West must break hearts or give South a ruff and a sluff. Either way South loses two more tricks. If West stubbornly refuses to trump a diamond, South exits with a trump and West must either lead a heart or give South a ruff and sluff. Notice that South shuns the trump finesse, using the queen of spades as a throw-in card to force a heart play. LESSON HANDS (1) Both sides vulnerable Dealer South North
West East
South
Opening Lead: Spade Queen Bidding Analysis: North bids 4 hearts to play. When your partner only has 7-8 HCP, you need a pretty good hand to raise to game. Play Analysis: South must play to establish the clubs for the tenth trick, keeping the diamond finesse (leading up to the king) in reserve.Win the spade ace, cash the HJ and assuming both follow, play the ace-king and ruff a club high, enter dummy with a trump, ruff another club high, draw trumps ending in dummy and discard a losing spade on the fifth club. Now you can lead up to the DK for an overtrick. Sorry, not this time. (2) East-West vulnerable Dealer South North
West East
South
South West North East
Opening Lead: Spade King Bidding Analysis: This hand was included to illustrate that a weak jump overcall (West's 2S bid) is very similar to a Weak Two opening bid. Had West dealt, West would have opened 2S. South shows a powerful hand by doubling and then rebidding his suit. With a weaker hand, South would bid 3 diamonds without doubling. Play Analysis: South must use both dummy entries to take two heart finesses. South winds up losing one heart and one spade. (3) Neither side vulnerable Dealer West North
West East
South
West North East South
Bidding Analysis: North's double shows an opening bid or better, typically with heart shortness. South’s jump to 3NT is obvious. Play Analysis: South knows that West has a 6-card heart suit and should duck the H10 knowing that East has a doubleton heart. After East returns a heart, it is safe for South to take the club finesse. Even though it loses, South has 9 tricks without needing the spade finesse: 4 diamonds, 3 clubs and a trick in each of the majors. If South wins the first heart, East has a heart return upon getting in with the CK. Curtains! (4) Neither side vulnerable Dealer South North
West East
South
South West North East
Opening Lead: CK (Some lead the Q from the AKQ) Bidding Analysis: North passes to show a weak hand and later shows a 5 or 6-card spade suit over South's forcing 3D rebid. South closes the bidding with 5D, looking at what appears to be 11 sure tricks. Looks can be deceiving. Defensive Analysis: West plays three rounds of clubs and East cleverly trumps the third club with the D10. After South overtrumps, West’s DJ becomes the setting trick. East’s neat play is known as an "uppercut". Note: Some play that after interference to a 2C opening bid, 'double' shows a double negative hand (no ace or king, no two queens) and passing shows at least one king, likely more. |
The
Weak Two Bid