THE TWO CLUB OPENER Jim Berglunds Bridge Lesson

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 8765432 ♥ 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. ♠AK 8765 ♥void ♦ 3 ♣AQ 5432 Here, you’ll still give partner a choice of games (bid 3♣-3♠-4♠ over partner’s responses, ) even if partner bids 2♥ 3. ♠AQ 432 ♥AQ 2 ♦AQ 2 ♣K 2 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 ª With a similar holding in hearts, bid 2 NT 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 3 NT 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 4 NT 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 3 NT 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 3 NT © 4♣ is Gerber © Pass, unless you have ‘extras’ © Rebid your major suit with 6 or more 4. Partner bids 4 NT ©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)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. IF YOU BID 2♦, SHOWING A KING OR BETTER Partner bids 2 NT © This shows 22 -24 HCP and a balanced hand. Bid 3 NT or look for slam, (4♣ is Gerber) if appropriate; 4 NT is quantitative Partner bids 3 NT © This shows 25 -27 HCP and a balanced hand. Pass or look for slam, (4♣ is Gerber) if appropriate; 4 NT is quantitative Partner bids 4 NT © This shows 28 -30 HCP and a balanced hand. Pass with just a King or try for slam if you hold Ace or King and ‘something else’ 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 3 NT if you are balanced and have just a second Ace or King or QJx 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 3 NT) ©Bid 3 NT 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 2 NT © This shows 22 -23 HCP and a balanced hand. Pass, bid 3♣ (Stayman), 3♦/♥/♠ 2. 3. 4. (Transfers), or Bid 3 NT, and proceed naturally Partner bids 3 NT © This shows 24 -25 HCP and a balanced hand. Pass, bid 4♣ Gerber, 4♦/♥/♠ (Transfers), 4 NT (quantitative, ) and proceed naturally Partner bids 4 NT © This shows 26 -27 HCP and a balanced hand. Pass, bid 5♣ Gerber, 5♦/♥/♠ (Transfers), 5 NT (4 -5 HCP quantitative, bid 6 of a minor with 6 cards to the King and little else. Partner bids a suit ©Bid 2 NT with less than 4 HCP 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 3 NT 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 © 2/3 NT (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 3 NT with 5. 6. a similar value (Qx or better) ©A bid over 3 NT changes the meaning of the bid, and shows a singleton or void in the overcaller’s suit. A new suit should be treated as if the overcall had never happened (ie showing 5 cards and 2 of the top three honors. ) 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 Equal Vulnerability 1. You hold ♠AK 8765432 ♥ 32 ♦ 3 ♣ 2 ©Whatever happens, bid 4♠ or more (in this case, bid 5♠) 2. ♠AK 8765 ♥void ♦ 3 ♣AQ 5432 ©Bid 5♣ Partner has at most one spade and you should be able to set 3. 4. them up with a ruff. ©If partner had bid 2♦ or 2♥ , bid 2♠; if 2 NT (showing hearts) bid 3♠; if there is no raise, and if you can, show your clubs. ♠AQ 432 ♥AQ 2 ♦AQ 2 ♣KJ ©Bid 3 NT ©Over 2♥, bid 2♠ and try to stop at 3♠; if partner bids 2♦, bid 2♠ and try to play 3 NT or 4♠ (unless partner pushes on ©If partner shows a good suit, raise it. She’ll bid on if she should ♠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 3 NT ©If no RDBL and partner had bid 3♣, bid 4 NT (asking for key cards) ¨If she shows 2, bid 7 NT; if only one, bid 6 NT W N E S 2♣ 2 NT DBL* 4♦ ? W N E S 2♣ P 3♥ P 3♠ P 4♥ P ? W N E S 2♣ P 2♦ P 2♠ P 3♦ P ? W N E S 2♣ DBL RDBL * P ? *Showing no aces or kings

TEST QUESTIONS 1. You hold ♠ 8765432 ♥ 322♦ 3 ♣ 2 Equal Vulnerability ©Bid 3♠. Partner should raise to 4 with 2 to the A or K 2. ♠AK 876 ♥void ♦ 342 ♣Q 5432 ©Bid 2♠. Over a 3 NT response, bid 6♣ He’ll bid 6 NT, 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 2 NT (showing hearts) bid 3♠; if there is no raise, and if you can, show your clubs. 3. ♠ 5432 ♥ 5432 ♦ 432 ♣K 2 ©Bid 3♣ (Stayman) Partner may have a 4 or 5 -card major. ©Over 3♦, bid 3♥ (garbage Stayman) Partner should W N E S 2♣ P ? N E S 2♣ P 2♠ P 3 NT P ? W N E S 2♣ P 2♦ P 2 NT P ? W N E S 2♣ P 2♦ 2 NT P ? W P proceed with great caution 4. ♠ 32 ♥AT 98 ♦JT 987 ♣KJ ©Bid 6 NT – you can count to 32 or 33 HCP *Showing no aces or kings