How light can a weak 2 be?

[661_Pete]

Holding the following at Pairs MPs, I chose to open:

[hv=pc=n&e=saht87642d85cq985&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=2h]133|200[/hv]

Would you have rather passed, on this rubbish?

 

My excuses are: favourable vulnerability, not-very-strong opponents, and this was the last hand of the session and we were somewhat pressed for time. I knew that if we over-ran our time slot we'd be averaged, I was hoping for something a bit better!

 

This was the full deal:

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj5ha53dajt762ca&w=s976432hq9dk3cj76&n=skt8hkjdq94ckt432&e=saht87642d85cq985]399|300[/hv]

South should have either doubled or bid something over my 2♥ - they have 3NT cold - but she passed, and my 2♥ was passed out. The ♠ lead went to my A and I finessed 9♥, losing to the J. A spade ruff then a heart to Q. Can you blame S for going up with the A? So I end up with four heart tricks, a spade, a diamond and even a club once AK have been driven out. Seven tricks.

 

-50 should have given us a clear top - all but one of the other tables were in 3NT by NS - made easily. Alas! the remaining table somehow opted for 5♦ which went down on a ♠ lead and presumably a subsequent ruff. So we had to settle for second-best.

 

Even so, I think I got away with murder... :huh:

[TylerE]

This has nothing to do with whether you open 2♥ (or not) and everything to do with south being, apparently, clinically dead.

[pescetom]

No, I wouldn't have opened that and particularly not against inexperienced opponents (if that is why they passed). But ultimately it depends on what your partner expects and if you disclose that honestly then no problem.

[FelicityR]

I remember Andrew Robson opening a weak two or Multi on a similarly rubbish suit and, if I remember correctly, just an ace outside in the Bermuda Bowl World Championships in first position. You are in good company :)

 

Edit. Found it. Board 19

 

https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&linurl=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/vugraph_linfetch.php?id=65853

[Stephen Tu]

It depends on partnership expectations. Partner should know that you can have a rubbish suit at these colors. You also have to accept with equanimity that you are going to occasionally generate disasters along with the good boards, from partner making bad lead/overbidding/going for a number etc., that you are hoping for net gain over many instances, any one board can be really bad.

 

I prefer to open at this seat and vulnerability.

As noted though this particular triumph required a South opponent to be asleep at the wheel.

 

[Cyberyeti]

We won a silver plate (the consolation event for losing in the early stages of the main national KO) off 2 boards where the same team played in the same denomination at both tables, one was a 3♣x at both tables with the clubs 4630 round the table so we collected matching +800s. The other, I opened 2♠ off Jxxxx and pretty much out green v red, and the last hand had about 14 points and ♠AQxxxx with poor intermediates. He passed it out and I scrambled 3 tricks for -250. The same 3 tricks taken off 4♠ at the other table for +620.

 

The other funny was the first time we played our pretty much unique style of weak 2s, I opened 2♠ in first seat with Jxxx, xxx, xx, Jxxx, LHO bid 3♦ and partner doubled. It was somewhat ironic that the first 4 figure number this style generated was in the plus column, partner had a 2N opener with 4 trump tricks.

[pescetom]

The other funny was the first time we played our pretty much unique style of weak 2s, I opened 2♠ in first seat with Jxxx, xxx, xx, Jxxx

I don't pretend to know EBU regulations, but can you get away with that? It's no longer a psyche if it is "our style", and it wouldn't meet the regulations here.

[Cyberyeti]

I don't pretend to know EBU regulations, but can you get away with that? It's no longer a psyche if it is "our style", and it wouldn't meet the regulations here.

 

A natural bid of a suit is a suit of 4+ cards, and it's natural so anything goes, we do have to alert it rather than announce it though as it's unexpected.

[661_Pete]

The only agreement I have with partner is that weak 2's means 6-9 and a 6-card suit. My hand fulfilled that - just!

 

South wasn't "asleep at the wheel" but is one of the weakest players in the club, which I knew. I'm afraid that - under time pressure - I did I suppose take advantage of that. Makes me feel uneasy and a bit mean - though I don't think I broke any rules. In another timeline, I'd have passed and N-S would have made their 3nT.

[helene_t]

Opps being not very good should IMHO being a reason for being more disciplined, as you expect to get a good board anyway so no need to randomize the board with crazy bids.

 

Bad opps can make a mess of their auction even without your preempt. Good opponents need some help to mess it up.

 

That said, I would open 2♥ in most partnerships. Could go wrong if partner has a void in hearts and we go -150 on a board where opps can't make game. And if we have slam in clubs it will be difficult to find.

 

But mostly, 2♥ works ok. And if I first pass and then bid 2♥ in next round, it doesn't show this hand - it would show a suit which I want partner to lead.

[rmnka447]

In first seat, there's not a chance that I would open the hand 2 ♥.

 

South has a clear 3 ♦ bid. North should bid 3 NT with a ♥ stopper.

 

Without the 2 ♥ bid, I'd see South opening 1 ♦ and North bidding 2 NT or 3 NT depending on how they evaluated the hand. Over 2 NT, South would carry on to 3 NT.

 

 

This time the weak 2 worked, but don't be surprised if you go for some numbers if you continue to open similar weak 2s.

[KingCovert]

Your mistake was not opening 3♥! 😂

[aawk]

You are allowed to bid anything you like good or bad and if you make a good score well done.

 

But if your HCP range regular depends on the strength of your opponents your partner should alert your weak openings bid and tell this (great way to make friends at your club).

 

Does it work on the long run I don't think so but you are welcome to try.

[pes_6]

Some of general range is 5-11 and exact six cards (with seven cards 3 in suit is preferably) in open suit. As regards honor someone play with minimum one honor card, someone opens and without any honor. In the narrowest sense weak two is exact six cards in open suit with 8-10 Hps and minimum two (any) honors.

[Vampyr]

I think that 6 points as the minimum for a weak 2 at favourable vulnerability is a little high, but anyway I believe in disciplined preemptions, so I wouldn’t open this in first or second unless one or both of my honours were in hearts. When in doubt I have a rule of thumb that I will open a weak 2 if at least half of my points are in my suit. Of course there are exceptions, and in third seat anything goes.

[miamijd]

Strictly a matter of style. I wouldn't open that hand, but first-seat white vs red, Marty Bergen would open 2H and say WTP?

[onxx]

If your CC says 6 cards, 6-11, I see no problem here. At least not missing a spade fit :)

[cleveritis]

It is nothing to do with points, it is to do with off/ def ratio... if the A of spades were ace of hearts - this is solid non min... the problem with side cards is that if we go for 500 in 2 or 3H - those defensive cards make it more likely they don't make anything. Singleton honors suck. I might open that trash but it isn't sound poker.

[PhilG007]

Sayc requirements state for a weak two 6+ suit 5-10 hcp nv the same pointage when vul but a stronger suit is required.

This would be a perfect 2♥ opener ♠xx ♥KJ109xx ♦A x ♣Qxx

[miamijd]

Sayc requirements state for a weak two 6+ suit 5-10 hcp nv the same pointage when vul but a stronger suit is required.

This would be a perfect 2♥ opener ♠xx ♥KJ109xx ♦A x ♣Qxx

 

A lot of folks nowadays would open that one 1H.

[pescetom]

A lot of folks nowadays would open that one 1H.

 

And a lot of those who would not would still not consider it an ideal 2H because too close to 1H.

[PhilG007]

A lot of folks nowadays would open that one 1H.

 

2♥ on that hand would be OK in 3rd or 4th seat. As dealer or in 2nd to speak its a shade too weak.

Exchange the Q♣ for the K♣ and I would open 2♥ as dealer or 2nd seat.

[brimstone]

Holding the following at Pairs MPs, I chose to open:

[hv=pc=n&e=saht87642d85cq985&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=2h]133|200[/hv]

Would you have rather passed, on this rubbish?

 

My excuses are: favourable vulnerability, not-very-strong opponents, and this was the last hand of the session and we were somewhat pressed for time. I knew that if we over-ran our time slot we'd be averaged, I was hoping for something a bit better!

 

This was the full deal:

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj5ha53dajt762ca&w=s976432hq9dk3cj76&n=skt8hkjdq94ckt432&e=saht87642d85cq985]399|300[/hv]

South should have either doubled or bid something over my 2♥ - they have 3NT cold - but she passed, and my 2♥ was passed out. The ♠ lead went to my A and I finessed 9♥, losing to the J. A spade ruff then a heart to Q. Can you blame S for going up with the A? So I end up with four heart tricks, a spade, a diamond and even a club once AK have been driven out. Seven tricks.

 

-50 should have given us a clear top - all but one of the other tables were in 3NT by NS - made easily. Alas! the remaining table somehow opted for 5♦ which went down on a ♠ lead and presumably a subsequent ruff. So we had to settle for second-best.

 

Even so, I think I got away with murder... :huh:

 

 

I would much rather NOT have the ♠Ace. The hand is much purer without this card and it becomes a routine 2♥ opener for many in the UK.

[maartenxq]

This has nothing to do with whether you open 2♥ (or not) and everything to do with south being, apparently, clinically dead.

Indeed, due to opponents mistake ( other expressions spring to mind, but let decency prevail) you have a great score and you see fit to boast about.

 

 

Maarten Baltussen

[Tramticket]

And a lot of those who would not would still not consider it an ideal 2H because too close to 1H.

 

Can a 2♥ bid be "too close" to 1♥?

 

Most would not have a gap between 1♥ and 2♥ in my experience. The range for a 2♥ opening would usually be immediately below the range for 1♥ on a six-card suit.