THE TWO CLUB OPENER Jim Berglund’s Bridge – Lesson 41

WHAT KIND OF HAND OPENS 2♣? 1. Hands with 22+ HCP – any distribution, and/or 2. Hands with no more than 4 ½ losing cards Examples: 1. ♠AK ♥32 ♦3 ♣2 This is ‘frowned on’ by most players, but it meets rule 2. It will be possible to stop at 3♠ if partner bids 2♥ 2. ♠AK8765 ♥void ♦3 ♣AQ5432 Here, you’ll still give partner a choice of games (bid 3♣-3♠-4♠ over partner’s responses,) even if partner bids 2♥ 3. ♠AQ432 ♥AQ2 ♦AQ2 ♣K2 Terrible hand, but you have to bid 2♣ 4. ♠AKQ ♥AKQ ♦AK ♣65432

RESPONSES 1. If you have a ‘playable suit’ - 5 or more cards in clubs, diamonds or spades with 2 of the top 3 honors, bid the suit  With a similar holding in hearts, bid 2NT 2. With at least an Ace or a King, bid 2♦ 3. Without an Ace or a King, you will almost always bid 2♥ 4. Exceptions to bidding 2♥: 1. With three queens or better, and a balanced hand, bid 3NT 2. With a 6-card major suit headed by the Q, bid it at the 3-level 3. With any other 7-card major suit, bid it at the 3-level 4. With a 7-card minor suit headed by the Q, bid it at the 4 level 5. With an 8-card suit, jump to game in the suit

IF YOU BID A ‘PLAYABLE SUIT’ 1. Partner raises to game. Pass or Bid 4NT with at least an extra Ace or a King, outside 2. Partner bids a different suit Raise to game with 3 cards in the suit and no other controls Bid another 4-card suit if you have one (Forcing) Bid 3NT if you have an outside Ace or King (Forcing – slam invitational)  4♣ by partner is Gerber, asking how many aces you have 3. Partner bids 3NT 4♣ is Gerber Pass, unless you have ‘extras’ Rebid your major suit with 6 or more 4. Partner bids 4NT This is RKC (1430 for Majors; 0314 for minors) 5. Partner jumps to the 5-level over your major This is Exclusion Blackwood, asking for key cards in your suit (1430)

IF YOU BID 2♦, SHOWING A KING OR BETTER 1. Partner bids 2NT This shows HCP and a balanced hand. Bid 3NT or look for slam, (4♣ is Gerber) if appropriate; 4NT is quantitative 2. Partner bids 3NT This shows HCP and a balanced hand. Pass or look for slam, (4♣ is Gerber) if appropriate; 4NT is quantitative 3. Partner bids 4NT This shows HCP and a balanced hand. Pass with just a King or try for slam if you hold Ace or King and ‘something else’ 4. Partner bids a Major suit at the 2-level Make a simple raise with 3+ cards in the suit and ‘extras’ Raise to game with 3+ cards in the suit and no other controls Bid a new suit (Forcing – partner will think this is where your value is. Your subsequent bids will let him know if this is a long suit) Bid 3NT if you are balanced and have just a second Ace or King or QJx 5. Partner bids a minor at the 3-level. Raise to 4 with an honor in the suit and no outside values (Partner can pass) Bid a feature in a major suit if you have one (trying for 3NT) Bid 3NT with any 1 1/2 or two quick tricks and be looking for slam with more

IF YOU BID 2♥, SHOWING LESS THAN A KING 1. Partner bids 2NT This shows HCP and a balanced hand. Pass, bid 3♣ (Stayman), 3♦/♥/♠ (Transfers), or Bid 3NT, and proceed naturally 2. Partner bids 3NT This shows HCP and a balanced hand. Pass, bid 4♣ Gerber, 4♦/♥/♠ (Transfers), 4NT (quantitative,) and proceed naturally 3. Partner bids 4NT This shows HCP and a balanced hand. Pass, bid 5♣ Gerber, 5♦/♥/♠ (Transfers), 5NT (4-5 HCP quantitative, bid 6 of a minor with 6 cards to the King and little else. 4. Partner bids a suit Bid 2NT with less than 4HCP and a singleton in partner’s suit Raise to game with 3+ cards in the suit and at least 4 HCP Make a simple raise with 2 or 3 cards in the suit and less than 4 HCP Bidding a new suit shows 5+ cards and a reason to bid it Bid 3NT if you are balanced without 3-card support and have 4+ HCP

IF THE OPPONENTS BID OVER 2♣ 1. Pass shows at least an Ace or a King or 3 Queens 2. Double is weak and 3. shows a hand where you would have bid 2♥ If partner bids a suit, raise if you can Pass shows no fit, less than 3 points, no 5-card suit Bid of a suit shows 3+ HCP and at least 5 cards (with values) in the suit 2/3NT (if possible) show intermediate hands – 3+ HCP or more 4. A Q bid is a ‘Western Q”, showing at least Jxx and asking partner to bid 3NT with a similar value (Qx or better) A bid over 3NT changes the meaning of the bid, and shows a singleton or void in the overcaller’s suit. 5. A new suit should be treated as if the overcall had never happened (ie showing 5 cards and 2 of the top three honors. ) 6. If opponents double (showing clubs), a redouble is weak and shows a hand where you would have bid 2♥ a pass shows at least an ace or a king and no better bid a suit bid shows 5+ cards in the suit, with two of the top three honors

TEST QUESTIONS 1 1. You hold ♠AK ♥32 ♦3 ♣2 Whatever happens, bid 4♠ or more (in this case, bid 5♠) 2. ♠AK8765 ♥void ♦3 ♣AQ5432 Bid 5♣ Partner has at most one spade and you should be able to set them up with a ruff. If partner had bid 2♦ or 2♥, bid 2♠; if 2NT (showing hearts) bid 3♠; if there is no raise, and if you can, show your clubs. 3. ♠AQ432 ♥AQ2 ♦AQ2 ♣KJ Bid 3NT Over 2♥, bid 2♠ and try to stop at 3♠; if partner bids 2♦, bid 2♠ and try to play 3NT or 4♠ (unless partner pushes on If partner shows a good suit, raise it. She’ll bid on if she should 4. ♠AKQ ♥AKQ ♦AK ♣65432 Bid 2♣ Bid 2♦ If partner raises, pass. If she bids a major, raise to game. If partner had bid 2♦ or 2♥ (both showing an ace or a king), bid 3NT If no RDBL and partner had bid 3♣, bid 4NT (asking for key cards)  If she shows 2, bid 7NT; if only one, bid 6NT WNES 2♣2NTDBL* 4♦4♦? WNES 2♣P3♥3♥ P3♠P4♥ P? WNES 2♣P2♦2♦ P2♠P3♦ P? WNES 2♣DBLRDBL* P? Equal Vulnerability *Showing no aces or kings

TEST QUESTIONS 2 1. You hold ♠ ♥32 ♦3 ♣2 Bid 3♠. Partner should raise to 4 with 2 to the A or K 2. ♠AK876 ♥void ♦342 ♣Q5432 Bid 2♠. Over a 3NT response, bid 6♣ He’ll bid 6NT, or 7♣ with the AKx and a doubleton spade. (4♣ is Gerber; 5♣ on this auction would be exclusion for ♠) If partner had bid 2♦ or 2♥, bid 2♠; if 2NT (showing hearts) bid 3♠; if there is no raise, and if you can, show your clubs. 3. ♠5432 ♥5432 ♦432 ♣K2 Bid 3♣ (Stayman) Partner may have a 4 or 5-card major. Over 3♦, bid 3♥ (garbage Stayman) Partner should proceed with great caution 4. ♠32 ♥AT98 ♦JT987 ♣KJ Bid 6NT – you can count to 32 or 33 HCP WNES 2♣P? WNES P2♠ P3NTP? WNES 2♣P2♦2♦ P2NTP? WNES 2♣P2♦2♦ P2NTP? Equal Vulnerability *Showing no aces or kings