| Weak Twos |
Loads of pairs play weak two’s and in an Acol base system it is often referred to as ‘playing Benjaminised Acol’. Albert Benjamin devised the structure of the two level openers so that the main features of Acol would not be lost, while allowing the system to incorporate the pre-emptive openings of 2H and 2S.
The structure at the two level is set out below:
2NT = 20-22pts balanced
2C = (a) 23-24pts balanced
(b) A one round force showing a powerful one-suited hand.
usually in the range 20-22pts but can be 19-20pts and a strong 6 card suit or
17-18pts with a strong 7 card suit (all showing 8½ - 9 playing tricks)
2D = A game forcing hand
(a) 25+ pts and balanced
(b) 23+ pts unbalanced
I will come back to these later.
The features of the opening bids of 2H and 2S are:
(a) A good suit
Your partnership can decide the minimum high card holding in the suit. I would recommend that Q10xxxx is the minimum. These bids are pre-empts and good suit and little defence outside is the norm. J10xxxx and an A and K outside makes for a defensive hand, AQJxxx and nothing outside is an offensive hand just as a pre-empt should be.
(b) 6 – 9 pts
This might include a good 5 up to a poor 10 (open at the one level with a good 10).
(c) Don’t have a second 5 card suit or 4 cards in the other major.
(d) A 6 card suit, not a 7 card suit. If you have a 7 card major that is suitable for a pre-empt then
open it with a three bid. Remember that while defending against a weak two is hard,
defending against a weak three is harder - so use them.
e.g.s
AQ10xxx xxx x KQxxxx AKQxxx Kx
xx KJ9xxx AKJxxx xx xx QJ10xxx
xxx Qxx xxxx Axx xx Qxx
xx x Jx xx xxx xx
A pre-empt at the two level has the bonus that you can find out more about opener’s hand if you wish. However most of the responses are the same as responding to a weak three.
1. Raise to the three level is pre-emptive.
2. Raise to the four level is competitive i.e. you may have every expectation that the contract will
make, or it might be an advance sacrifice against their game. Your partner will not know which it
is and will not care (he is expected to pass from now on) and the opponents will have to guess!
3. A new suit below game level is forcing, usually denying support.
4. Any game bid is to play (just because you have a void in the suit partner has bid is not a valid
reason for rebidding your suit).
5. The next response you cannot use over a weak three….
The use of 2NT as a forcing inquiry is universal but can be played in different ways. The
Ogust Convention is easy to remember, effective and fun. The responses are:
3C Weak and weak
3D Weak and strong
3H Strong and weak
3S Strong and strong
3NT Out of this world (AKQxxx)
All you have to remember is your P’s and Q’s.
Points before Quality.
Weak and weak = Minimum points (6-7) and suit has only one top honour
Weak and strong = Minimum points (6-7) and suit has two top honours
Strong and weak = Maximum points (8-9) and suit has only one top honour
Strong and strong = Maximum points (8-9) and suit has two top honours
Responder can sign off in the major after 3C or 3D response, but 3H and 3S answers are game forcing.
What do you need for a constructive response?
With zero or one card in opener’s major you need to be strong, usually 16+ points.
e.g.s of responding to a 2H opening
AQJx Axx KQJx
x void x
AQxxx AKQJxxx AQxxx
KQx Axx QJx
Ask with 2NT. Jump to 3NT. Pass.
Bid 3H over a Should scrape home! Hurts I know but getting a
minimum reply. plus will be good
4H over a maximum reply
With 2 or more cards in support you need 3½ or 4 tricks to invite game – with more bid game.
[tricks here are based on the quick trick scale that we have all forgotten: in combination AK =2; AQ =1½; Ax and KQ = 1; Kx = ½; additionally count any trump honour as a trick].
e.g.s of responding to a 2H opening
AQxx AQxx xxx
xx Qx Qxxx
AKxx AKxx Jxxxx
K10x K10x x
Ask with 2NT. Jump to game. Opponents have
4QT’s so bid 4H You have 4QT a slam somewhere.
over a maximum. and the trump Q Try 3S, 3NT, 4C,
4NT etc
If the opponents interfere over partners weak two then you bid naturally, with doubles being for penalties.
Those are the basics of weak two bids.
The 2C opening is easier to deal with if opener can get across the nature of his hand as early as possible. This is why most players agree to relay with 2D so opener can bid his suit or 2NT to reveal all. I like the idea of only bidding beyond 2D if you have 8+ points and a suit of 5+ cards headed by at least two of the top three honours.
Over 2D opener rebids:
2H or 2S to show 8 or 8½ playing tricks and is not forcing.
2NT = 23-24 Responder bids as though opener had opened 2NT.
3C or 3D to show 8½ or 9 playing tricks and is not forcing.
3H or 3S to show 9 playing tricks. Responder will raise with anything that looks like a trick.
3NT to show a solid 7+ card minor with at least two other suits guarded.
With a marginal 2C opening (8 playing tricks in a suit) open at the one level – if partner can’t muster a response then you were not making game and you have stayed low.
The biggest problem with the method is, as always, those pesky opponents who do enjoy inflicting misery on us poor innocents. If they manage to jam up the auction you might find that to show your lovely suit you must first bid it at the four level (or even the five level!). They really are nasty beggars at times – but where would we be without them? This is the price we have to pay to inflict our weak twos on them. Fortunately the 2C opener is not too frequent and half the time the opponents will be vulnerable and so be well behaved.
The 2D opening is game forcing – even across from a Yarborough.
The negative response is 2H showing 0-7 points (but not A and K)
Everything else is 8+ and natural (a positive in hearts is shown by bidding 3H).
Over 2H, opener rebids:
2S, 3C, 3D, 3H natural 5+ card suits
2NT = 25-26] Responder uses the partnerships usual methods over these extra strong
3NT = 27-28] balanced hands. Stayman and Transfer for example.
4NT = 29-30]
It would be remiss of me not to mention that there are rules now to ensure the quality of Acol Twos (i.e. the 8 playing tricks or better hands).
a) subject to proper disclosure, a hand that contains as a minimum the normal high-card strength associated with a one-level opening and at least eight clear cut tricks, or
b) any hand meeting the Rule of 25 (add your high card points to the number of cards in your two longest suits) or
c) any hand of at least 16 HCPs
The EBU gives as examples:
♠ A K Q J x x x x ♥ x x ♦ x x ♣ x does count as 8 clear-cut tricks.
♠ A K Q x x x x x ♥ x x ♦ x x ♣ x does not.
Clear-cut tricks are clarified as tricks expected to make opposite a void in partner’s hand and the second best suit break.
You will note that the 8 trick example hand above is nowhere near the requirements that I set out earlier for a 2C opener. Both of the example hands are 4S openers in my book.
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