responses to weak twos

[Apollo81]

Please share your methods after partner opens a weak 2-Major. You can assume that by "weak 2-Major" I mean a natural bid of 2M (i.e. not multi) showing less than opening strength and not clarifying whether a side suit is present. It would help if you prefaced your post with your preempting style. Picking one from this list [loose, normal, tight] would be descriptive enough.

[Finch]

Between normal and tight (we open random weak twos via a multi), but with a constraint that in 1st & 2nd seat it has a decent suit.

 

Our responses to weak twos are based on the principle of responder asking a particular question, and opener answering in that context. We don't think "max or min" is very useful.

 

Opposite a 1st/2nd/4th seat weak 2M after the next hand passes:

 

1. 2S natural and forcing in response to 2H.

2. 2NT transfer to clubs. Opener is forced to complete (unless he has some wildly unusual hand e.g. with 5-card club support). Responder than passes, bids 3M to show an invite with a focus on clubs, bids a new suit with a 2-suiter of his own, bids 3NT to offer a 3-way choice of games.

3. 3C transfer to diamonds. As above.

4. If 2S was opened, 3D transfer to hearts. As above.

5. 3H over 2S, and 3D over 2H are balanced(ish) invites effectively saying "bid game with a maximum, sign off with a minimum, bid 3NT if the suit is likely to run opposite one honour"

6. Raise of partner's suit is pre-emptive

7. 3NT is to play

8. A non-game jump in a side suit is fit, anticipating competition from 4th hand

9. Jumps to game in another suit are to play.

10. 4NT is RKCB in partner's major.

 

Opposite a 3rd seat weak 2M all suit responses are natural NF.

 

If 2nd hand doubles:

1. 2NT is lebensohl, running to responder's own suit

2. Suit bids are forcing, usually having support for partner's major (though not 100% compulsory)

3. Jumps are fit

4. Redouble is strong, sets up forcing pass below 3 of opener's major

 

If 2nd hand overcalls:

1. Double is penalties

2. Suits are fit

3. Cue bid is a forcing raise.

[cherdano]

Style: depends on your scale, probably average by modern standards

 

New suits forcing, Ogust, 4♣=01122 rkcb, single jumps are control asks for the bid suit (none/2nd/1st). 4N = wtf?

 

Sorry, boring answer :) (Probably all this is in "Preempts from A-Z", which I have never read.)

[helene_t]

We show singletons naturally, except that

2♥-2♠(relay)

2N (stiff spades)

 

RONF (2♥-2N shows 5+ spades) but I'm not sure if we discussed how to proceed after a new suit by responder.

 

After 2♦, 2♥, 2♠ and 3♣ asks for values in the suit bid. This can be checking for vasted/cooperating values towards a diamond slam or for a guard towards 3N but most of the times it's looking for support.

 

We almost never preempt on a 5-card, but it may be a very lousy 7-card or, by favorable vulnerability in first seat, a suit as bad as Qxxxxx. But generally, vulnerability and seat (1st vs 2nd) doesn't play a major role. We never have a 4-card major side suit or a 5-card minor side suit.

[1eyedjack]

I also am in favour of the next step relay asking for shortage.

There is a high likelihood of opener having a shortage, and if responder cannot place the final contract immediately opposite the weak 2 there is a high likelihood that the location of the shortage will be relevant to responder.

It may be useful for slam evaluation, or for determining whether 3NT is at risk (and there is a high likelihood of that suit being led v 3NT even if you do not expose it), or even preferred, depending on wastage, and I have even on occasion found it useful to guide the partnership into playing in a suit that is neither the suit opened nor the shortage.

 

You haven't room to ask for shortage AND suit quality AND max v min, unless you also use other responses as an enquiry bid instead of a descriptive bid. I tend to give up on the question re suit quality and require a reasonable suit at the outset.

 

Other responses are double-step transfers (ie 2H-2N = D, 2H-3D = Spades, leaving 2H-3C = Clubs. 2S-3C = Hearts, 2S-3D = Diamonds, 2S-3H = Clubs). There is always a minor suit which you cannot transfer into but I find that having the extra step to cater for invitational responders on the other suited hands is a price worth paying. Only just worth it, mind.

[Walddk]

Between normal and tight (we open random weak twos via a multi), but with a constraint that in 1st & 2nd seat it has a decent suit.

 

Our responses to weak twos are based on the principle of responder asking a particular question, and opener answering in that context. We don't think "max or min" is very useful.

 

Opposite a 1st/2nd/4th seat weak 2M after the next hand passes:

 

1. 2S natural and forcing in response to 2H.

2. 2NT transfer to clubs. Opener is forced to complete (unless he has some wildly unusual hand e.g. with 5-card club support). Responder than passes, bids 3M to show an invite with a focus on clubs, bids a new suit with a 2-suiter of his own, bids 3NT to offer a 3-way choice of games.

3. 3C transfer to diamonds. As above.

4. If 2S was opened, 3D transfer to hearts. As above.

5. 3H over 2S, and 3D over 2H are balanced(ish) invites effectively saying "bid game with a maximum, sign off with a minimum, bid 3NT if the suit is likely to run opposite one honour"

6. Raise of partner's suit is pre-emptive

7. 3NT is to play

8. A non-game jump in a side suit is fit, anticipating competition from 4th hand

9. Jumps to game in another suit are to play.

10. 4NT is RKCB in partner's major.

 

Opposite a 3rd seat weak 2M all suit responses are natural NF.

 

If 2nd hand doubles:

1. 2NT is lebensohl, running to responder's own suit

2. Suit bids are forcing, usually having support for partner's major (though not 100% compulsory)

3. Jumps are fit

4. Redouble is strong, sets up forcing pass below 3 of opener's major

 

If 2nd hand overcalls:

1. Double is penalties

2. Suits are fit

3. Cue bid is a forcing raise.

What she said, except that our weak twos are always constructive (8-11) in 1st, 2nd and 3rd, opening values in 4th. We use garbage Multi (5+ cards, 4-7).

 

Roland

[Guest Jlall]

I'm pretty simple, and generally play a style that has 6 95 % of the time but is not all that disciplined other than that (depending on vulnerability).

 

I just play ogust and new suits forcing.

 

Also play 4C=mod keycard.

[whereagles]

I like transfers, with 2NT still as relay.

[Free]

With 2 of my partners I play:

2NT asks for a tophonour in a side suit

3♣ asks for a shortness

3♦ is invite

 

You lose the natural 3m bids (how many times do they come up anyway?) but you're able to find key cards (not kc :) ) or key shortness for slams...

[Fluffy]

I play 2♠/3x = nat and forcing

 

any raise as stop

 

3♠/4x = splinter

 

2NT as strong relay wich answers are:

 

-3x = K or A, max

-3 to the suit = negative

-3NT= AKJ10 or AKQ.

-4x= splinter

[Gerben42]

Style: Heavily vuln-dependent, reasonably disciplined.

 

2♥ - ?

 

* 2♠: Asks for shortness

* 2NT: 5+♠

* 3♣: Ogust

* Higher: CAB in bid suit

 

2♠ - ?

* 2NT: Asks for shortness

* 3♣: Ogust

* 3♦: 5+♥

* Higher: CAB in bid suit

[pclayton]

I'm pretty simple, and generally play a style that has 6 95 % of the time but is not all that disciplined other than that (depending on vulnerability).

 

I just play ogust and new suits forcing.

 

Also play 4C=mod keycard.

This is what I play, but we respond to any 2 over 2 (say 2♦ - 2♥) in this fashion:

 

2N = minimum, but stops in the unbids

3C = minimum, no fit

3D = minimum, fit (Hx or better)

3H = max, no fit

3S = max with a fit

3N = max, outside stoppers

4 unbid = splinters

4 weak 2 = great suit and 3 card support (xx, xxx, AKJTxxx, xx)

4 pard's suit = picture jump (xx, Kxx, AQJxxx, xx)

 

In one partnership, our style is the Rule of 2/3/4. In the other, weak 2's look more 'traditional', but at green as dealer its a 5 card suit probably 40% of the time.

[Apollo81]

what about:

 

- new suits NF

- 2NT: one of

----signoff in 3♣

----forcing with a new suit

----inv or cog with 2 or fewer support

- 3♣: 3+ support, inv+, responses:

----3♦: bad hand

----3♥: medium; usually a min with distribution

----3♠: good hand

----3NT: AKQ

----following up with 3NT is to play opposite a good suit

- 3♠: 6+GF if a jump

 

after a JO you could play this system too - make the cuebid a forcing bid in clubs