Adding Weak 2s to your game is a must!!!
by Kevin Hinds
GAME DEVELOPMENT
Establish with partner at beginning of play that you are playing Weak 2s!
(Just as you do when agreeing to play transfers – this avoids mistakes!)
. You will still pre-empt with a 7 card suit at the 3 level (5-9 pts) and with an 8 card suit at the 4 level.
lf you elect to play Weak 2s then you will need to change your strong hand opening bids (more on that next week).
So an opening bid of
2 hearts = 6-10 pts
6 card H suit
2 spades = 6-10 pts
6 card S suit
2 diamonds = 6-10 pts
6 card D suit
Just as with a pre-empt you are trying to use up bidding space with a weakish hand to make life more difficult for the opponents.
Responses to a Weak 2 opener by partner:
A bid of 3H/S/D in response to partner's 2 H/S/D opening bid is purely trying to shut the opposition out even more and should not be seen as encouraging (rather, it is a further interfering bid hoping to make life even more difficult for the opponents). It
will show a minimum of 2 card suit support (added to your 6 cards), few points and the Weak 2 opener should not bid again.
However, your partner may open a Weak 2 in a major and you may have a strongish hand (14+ points) and at least two cards in partner's suit.
You now need to have a mechanism to find out if you have game on, even if partner's hand is known to be weak.
Distribution makes it stronger now you have an 8-card fit, even if it is a 6 + 2 fit. Hence a bid of 2NT by you in response to partner's Weak 2 opening asks partner to describe his/her weak hand in more detail.
Responses
to a 2NT enquiry =
3 Clubs =Weak points, weak suit (6-7) (weak, weak)
3 Diamonds= weak points, good suit (6-7) (weak, strong)
3 Hearts =good points, weak suit (8-10) (strong. weak)
3 Spades=Good points, good suit (8-10) (strong, strong)
3NT =AKQ of suit and good points (8-10)
Give it a go !!!
Once you have added this we can move on to the next change to your system
Kevin
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