A bid of 2 clubs often has an artificial meaning. It's important to know when 2 clubs means that you have a club suit and when it means something completely different. If you mix these things up when either you or your partner bids 2 clubs, expect disaster.
Opening the bidding with 2 clubs
Let's start with the 2 club opening bid. Remember that when I say "opening bid" I mean no one has said anything other than pass before your bid. This opening 2 club bid means that you have a very strong hand, practically enough for game with no help from your partner. It says nothing about clubs.
You might also open 2 clubs if you have a no trump hand that is too strong to open 2 NT (20-21 HCP), but not strong enough to open 3NT (25-27 HCP). When you have a no trump hand with 22-24 HCP, you open 2 clubs intending to bid no trump at your next turn.
What if you have a hand that looks like a weak 2 opener with a long club suit? Well, you certainly can't open with a weak two clubs. You partner will expect that you have a strong hand. So, what do you do? If you can count enough distribution points to get to 13, you can open 1 club. If your outside suits are particularly weak, you might open 3 clubs. Your partner will expect you to have a 7-card club suit. You almost do. Passing is often the best choice.
Responding to an opening bid with 2 clubs
If your partner opens the bidding with 1 in a suit, a 2 club response is natural. It shows a legitimate club suit.
If your partner opened 1 NT, your 2 club response is the Stayman convention. You are asking your partner to bid a 4-card major if she has one. It says nothing about clubs. I was supposed to post a discussion about Stayman, wasn't I? It looks like I never got around to it. Watch for it next week.
What if you have a long club suit and your partner opened 1NT? Well, you certainly can't bid 2 clubs. That is the Stayman convention. Instead, you use Jacoby transfers and bid 2 spades. Your partner will automatically bid 3 clubs.
Overcalling with 2 clubs
An overcall of 2 clubs is natural, showing a strong 5-card suit. Remember the terminology. If your opponents opened the bidding and you decide to make the first bid for your side, this is not an opening bid. It is an overcall. For example, if your right-hand opponent (RHO) opens 1 heart and you say 2 clubs, that is not a 2 club opener. It is a 2 club overcall. You are showing a good club suit and probably close to opening strength.
What if you have a really strong hand that you would have opened 2 clubs with, but your RHO opened the bidding? First of all, don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen. Your RHO has 13 points, and there are only 40 high card points in the deck. It's hard for you to come up with the 23 points or so that would warrant a 2 club opener. It happens sometimes, though. Your best bet is to make a takeout double, even if you do not have support for any suit that your partner might bid. You will correct to your suit at your next turn, and partner will recognize that you must have had a hand that was too strong to make a simple overcall.
Summary
OK, there you have it. Two clubs often has a special meaning, so watch out for it.
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