Strong Two Clubs Opening

PREMPTIVE BIDDING

Weak Two Openings

Weak Jump Overcalls (WJO)

Two-level preemptive opening bids, common in modern bridge, are called "Weak Twos". This is because opening bids of two of a suit in traditional bridge were always “strong” - - 22+ HCP or 9½ tricks. Rarely will you find anyone playing Strong Twos anymore. The strong and artificial 2opening has supersededstrong twos, as it is sufficient for all strong suit-oriented openings.

This frees up 2, 2 and 2 openings to use for special hand patterns, like Weak Twos, which typically are 6 cards long in a hand of about 6to 10 HCP. We recommend only 2, as there areother uses for 2 (Flannery) and 2 (Mini-Roman).

Weak Jump Overcalls (WJOs) are very effective and are made with the same hand that would open with a Weak Two, except in an overcall position.

Example East 2hand:

A weak two bid is made with 6 cards in a suit and strength from 6 to 10 HCP, with no outside 3+card major and, optionally, no outside Ace or King.
They are effective in a competitive auction, as they consume opponents’ bidding space and tell your partner the exact composition of your hand, allin one bid. By not opening a weak two with an outside entry (A or K), partner will not be confused as to how strong your hand is, and she shouldonly pass or advance your preempt. [2 - P - 3 …] A partnership agreement.

Some play that a weak two handcan have an outside Ace or King. If this is your style, partner can make a 2NT* response to ask for an outside entry. Usually, responder is trying to get to 3NT if she can visualize 5 or 6 tricks in the opener’s suit and be able to get there to take them. If an outside entry exists, opener bids it
[2 – P – 2NT* – P 3. . .] showing theAce or King. If there is no outside entry, opener rebids her suit: [2 – P – 2NT* – P 3 . . .].

Because of the possibility of no outside entry, responder must be prepared to play at 3of opener’s suit before bidding 2NT*. Another reason NOT to play this way is that you also tell the opponents that the opener has no outside entry, and are now a level higher. If there is an entry, smart opponents will lead it right away, trying to kill it before the long suit can be established.

Weak Jump Overcall. The hand that would open a weak two is the same hand that can make a weak jump overcall. [1 - 2 …] Of course, vulnerability is an important consideration as regards the quality of the bid suit.

♠ AQJ9xx A weak 2 bid, vulnerable or not; as an opening or an overcall
♥ x
♦Qxx
♣ xxx

Defense to Weak Two's

Weak two openers and overcalls are the most common preemptive openers or overcalls because they come up far more often than 3-level or higher openings.

To defend against a weak two opening or overcall, bid a good suit at the two or three level, or double with a normal strength takeout double, assuming you have the proper distribution –unbid major suits. Use the Lebensohl 2NT Conventionas a way to bail out if 4th hand is weak after 2nd hand doubles a weak two opening.

Some play that an overcall of a preempt promises an opening hand. But, we must be able to bid our suits when opponents preempt, or we’ll be preempted to death. With the Lebensohl 2NT convention available as a way to show a weak 4th seat hand, we can overcall competitively with somewhat less than an opener, because our partner won’t expect more if we simply overcall.
[2 – 3 – P. . .] 4th seat knows 2nd seat has a 5+ card Heart suit and wants to compete. 4th seat can pass, raise, bid 4NT - - whatever --and she can assume the overcaller has a decent suit but may be somewhat below opening-hand strength.

When overcalling preemptive bids, be aware of vulnerability, and expect to get a poor score sometimes. Like all preempts, weak twos do their job well.

N ES W
-PP 2♥West has 6 Hearts and less than 11 HCP.
2 . . .North simply overcalls the weak 2 call.
South knows North has a decent 5+ card Spade suit, but probably less than a takeout double in strength, and can bid accordingly.

To help decide whether or not to overcall a preempt, use Mike Lawrence’s Rule of Seven: Visualize your partner has an average 7 HCP hand, and then decide if that is enough to make the bid you are about to make. Note that it can’t be any 7 HCP of your choice, i.e., not a perfect 7, but just a scattered 7 HCP or better.

Weak Jump Shift (WJS)

The same hand that might open a weak two or make a weak jump overcall may be the hand whosepartner opened one-of-a-suit. If the weak hand is worthless in any strain except the 6+ card suit, you can bid a weak jump shift. [1 – P – 2 …] It’s very preemptive to opponents, it tells your partner exactly what you have and don’t have - - all good reasons for any preemptive bid.

There is a critical difference however. Your side may have the balance of power, as partner/opener is an unlimited hand - - why can’t she have a blockbuster hand? So, when contemplating a WJS, be sure you are very weak and have no controls outside your suit, especially if 2nd hand didn’t bid. After all, it only takes 6 points to simply respond one of your suit, so you should consider that option first.
[1 – P – 1 …] 6+ HCP

If 2nd hand bids or doubles, your WJS makes it harder for opponents to compete, and easier for your partner, knowing just what you have, even though it’s distributional and weak in HCP. [1 – Dbl – 2 …] Now 4th hand has to bid at the 3-level with her 4 little Hearts or whatever. You have an extra advantage in that partner has opened and has some HCP -- an advantage you don’t have making a weak jump overcall or a weak two opening.

Aweak jump shift should be really weak and not an independent source of tricks in any other strain. Certainly no outside Ace or King, and a maximum of about
5 HCP’s, less if not vulnerable. It’s weaker than a maximum WJO or weak two opener, because you are preempting your partner as well as your opponents.

Other Preemptive Openings

Other preemptive bids include traditional 3, 4 and even 5 level openings and overcalls.

Preemptive Tactics

Never, Never, Never. Having once made a preemptive bid or overcall, you must NOT make another bid during that hand, unless forced to by your partner –you cannot be forced by your opponents. You may not bid "just one higher" if opponents overcall your preempt or your partner has the right to inflict any punishment she wants upon you. If you want to bid "just one higher", bid it confidently the first time.

Reason:Your partner may have a trump stack against the opponents, waiting for a 500 point set and a top board after your opening 3♦. To hear you later say "5♦" over the opponent's 4♥, thereby guaranteeing a 500-point minus for your side, is grounds for partnership mayhem. Bid 5♦ on your first bid if you are ever going to bid it.

What's the bid? Especially important in a decision to preempt is the prior bidding. If your partner has passed, bid like crazy! If she hasn’t yet bid, be careful about preempting -- wait until your next turn and then preempt if appropriate.

Who has the majors?Another important factor is the major suit situation. If you are considering preempting in Hearts with a singleton or void in Spades, you can be sure the opponents will be bidding Spades –so get your preempt in early and high. If you have Spades, you can overcall an opposing preempt in Hearts at the same level, so don't preempt your partner unnecessarily if you hold lots of Spades.

Length is strength. With 7 or more cards in a suit, be very aggressive, especially if you are weak in HCP. This 9 “point” hand could easily take 6 or 7 tricks by itself: ♦AKQxxxx

Three-level openings or overcalls

Three-level openings or overcalls are bid with fewer than 10 HCP, no outside3+ card major and no chance of game outside the bid suit. Not vulnerable; the weaker, the better. Vulnerable, the bid suit shouldhave some honors and texture.

N E S W

P P???

This hand is too A little weak for 3if vulnerable.
strong to preempt. Non-vul – open or overcall 3.
Open 1♠, then bid 2♠.

Major vs. minor suit preempts. With a 7-card minor suit (not a solid suit, which could be a Gambling 3NT opener), open 3or 3. However, with a 7-card major suit, some HCP and a decent suit or better (AKT8653), consider opening 4or 4. This is game, and opponents have to start competing at the 4or 5-level.

If partner is really weak, you have made a very successful preempt. If partner has any kind of a side suit, youmay be able to squeak out 10 tricks. If you go down one or two, the chances are you won’t have been doubled, as it is dangerous to double a hand that is known to have 7 trumpsand therefore shortages.

Responses to Preempts

Good for her. If your partner made a weak preemptive bid, good for her. She has shown you exactly what she has and she won't bid again -- count on it.

All at once. Respond as high as you're willing to go at your first and only bid if there's competition; for example, if the intervening hand doubles. Don't wait until they've found their fit before sacrificing - bid 5before they find their major suit fit. Sometimes you'll get away with it.Sometimes they'll end up in the wrong contract. Sometimes you won't get doubled. Sometimes they'll take the push and go off one. But if you wait until they know what they have, you've just lowered your odds a lot. They'll always figure it out.

At IMPs (team games), preempt whenever the occasion arises, but, vulnerable, beverycareful, as an 800 point set could lose the whole match. Teammates hate that.

Don't even think about changing suits when partner preempts. The one time in ten your long weak suit is better than your partner’s long weak suit won't make up for the 8 bad results you'll get changing suits, and you'll lose good partners, too. However, if partner’s preempt is overcalled, she is out of the auction and you can then bid your suit to compete further: [3 - 3 - 3 …] Partner won’t raise you, as she can’t bid again after preempting.

Raising partner’s preemptive opening or overcall. A raise of a preempt short of game is not a game try. It’s simply advancing the preempt, making it harder for opponents to compete. Opener won’t bid again unless forced to, not invited to, and there is no forcing bid when partner preempts. [2 – Dbl – 3 …] 3is not a game try or an invitation - - it’s simply upping the preempt to make it harder for opponents.

Bidding game over partner’spreempt. Sometimes you'll have a good hand and want to try for game after your partner preempts. To bid game over partner’s preemptive opening, you need a trump or two plus 2 Aces and a Kingminimum. It’s not about HCP; it’s about Aces and Kings to cover her losers in side suits, not Queens and Jacks.

Defense to Opening Preempts or Overcalls

At any level of bridge up through world class play, preemptive bids are very effective. They burn up lots of bidding space; they allow partner to make brilliant sacrifices; they require opponents to bid at high levels, etc. The simple fact is, preempts work. You should almost always preempt when holding long suits with weakness. For one thing, they tell your partner your situation in one bid.

Don't be scared. The defense to preempts is psychological as well as tactical - - don't be preempted away from your bid. If you have bid a game, be sure to double the opponents if they sacrifice, especially at the five-level. You must not let them get away with going down 3 tricks for -150 when you can make a 620 game or a 500 point penalty. If opponents find you are scared off by preempts and won't double them, they'll preempt you constantly. Don’t let them bluff you - - double.

Trust opponents' weakness. Trust reliable opponents to have what they say when they preempt - - weakness and length in their suit. Therefore, your partner and you have the other suits and perhaps more than average strength. Bid what you see in your hand if you have a suit -- double without a suit but with strength, especially in unbid majors.

N E S W

3♠Dbl P4♥

West

♠xxPartner has an opener with Hearts, so bid your game.
♥KJxx Double them if they go on to 4. Don’t be pushed!
♦AQJx
♣ Qxx

The 5-Level Rule. “The 5-level Belongs to the Opponents” is a good motto. It means that we should try to push our opponents to the 5-level and we should try not to “take the push” to 5 when they are pushing us.

Competing to the 5-Level. Versus non-vulnerable sacrificing opponents, we oftenhave to take a chance at the 5-level in order to save our game bonus. There is a set of conventional bids to help partner determine whether or not to bidat the 5-level after opponentsminor sacrifice: example: [1 – P – 3 – 4 4– 5 – ???]

Consider the 3 possibilities and use these responses:
(1) You have 2 or more losers in opponent’s suit:Double
(2) You have 1 loser in opponent’s suit:Pass

(3) You have no losers in opponent’s suit:Bid 5.

In the above example, the 3responder, whose turn it is to bid, would double with 2 or more Club losers, pass with 1 Club loser and bid 5 Hearts with no Club losers.

Opener can then make an informed decision about leaving the double in, or would know that responder has exactly one or zero Club losers. Sometimes this “rule”can let you bid and make a slam that others won’t get to, because you know the loser situation exactly.

Know the Score

If opponent’s have a major suit vulnerable game, and you are contemplating sacrificing in your minor at the 5-level, not vulnerable, do you know right now how many tricks they have to taketo win the hand? They are going to make 620 for their game, so they have to set you more than that – 800 is the next score.

Figure it out: Book (1st 2 tricks), no penalty score, then
3rd trick 100

4th trick 300

5th trick 500

6th trick 800

They must take 6 tricks to win the hand; Anything less than that, you win it!

If you are even considering it for a second, do you think they might take 6 tricks? And that means you only take 7 tricks when thinking about taking 11 tricks?

1