When opening a Weak Two you need to keep certain things in mind. The bid is preemptive and is meant to make it harder for the opponents to reach the right contract. When you first start using this convention it is probably best to have a good suit with 2 of the top 3 honors or 3 of the top 5 especially in the first or second seat. Also, you should not have an outside 4 card major. Your point range should be between 5-11 points and your hand does not meet the rule of 20.
After you have played for awhile and have gained some experience it is fine to modify your promised structure when you are playing with a regular partner. You will learn ways to ask your partner about his hand that carry more meaning then a standard 2nt asking bid. In the third seat your structure can be compromised since your partner is a "passed" hand. I play RONF (Raise Only Non Force). If partner bids a new suit that is forcing for one round.
If partner bids 2nt he is asking me for a feature -- an outside Ace or King which can serve as an entry into my hand. Without an entry I would rebid my suit. However, if my suit is headed by the AKQ I would bid 3nt. Partner should have 2 cards in my suit to be investigating a possible Notrump Contract.
Some partnerships play a convention called Ogust. A 2nt response asks the opener about the strength and quality of his hand. These are the specific responses to this query that I use. Some partnerships reverse the meaning of the 3D and 3H bid.
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3C --Bad Hand, Bad Suit |
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3D --Bad Hand, Good Suit |
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3H --Good Hand, Bad Suit |
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3S --Good Hand, Good Suit |
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3N -- Solid trump suit = A K Q x x x |
A Bad Hand is 5-7/8 points and a Good Hand is 8-11HCP
| Hand 1 |
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Your partner opens 2S (weak). You have a decent hand so you bid 2nt asking for a feature (an outside A or K). Notrump is very possible and 4S isn't out the the question. North rebids spades denying a feature and you decide to conservatively sign off in 3S. This partnership plays structured preempts that require 2 of the top 3 honors or 3 of the top 5 honors when opening a weak 2 in the 1st or 2nd chair. |
AK9865
75
98
J54
| Hand 2 |
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| Hand 3 |
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Your partner opens 2S (weak). Your partnership does not guarantee structured preempts because you like the effectiveness of preemptive bids. However, you use Ogust to ask about your partner's hand when you have interest in Game. The 3C* response is Ogust showing a bad hand and a bad suit. Partner will usually settle for a partscore when he hears your bid. |
Quiz: Weak Two Quiz
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