Responding to a Weak Two Opener

Today, we’ll look at responding to a weak two opener and rebids by the opener. First, let’s start by reviewing the requirements for opening with a weak two.

Opening with a Weak Two

The general requirements for a weak two are:

·       A strong six-card suit

·       5-11 HCP

In first or second seat, you should be disciplined with your weak two openers. Your partner hasn’t bid, and you don’t want to put him in a difficult position if he has a strong hand. Therefore, you should be on the upper end of the 5-11 HCP range and your suit should be topped by either 2 of the top 3 honors or 3 of the top 5. The following hand is a good example of a weak two opener in first or second seat.

♠ A2
♥ KQT842
♦ J3
♣ 962

Note that we are only counting high-card points. There are some hands that could be opened with 1 of a suit or as a weak 2. For example

♠ AKQ732
♥ JT84
♦ 3
♣ 62

This hand has 10 HCP and a strong 6-card spade suit. That fits the requirements for a weak two opener. You could also count 3 points in distribution. That gets you to 13 points total. That’s good enough to open 1 spade. Either bid might work, but with a 4-card heart suit, I would favor the 1 spade bid. It will be easier to find a 4-4 heart fit if you have one. It is difficult to find a fit in a second suit after a weak 2 opening.

On the other hand, if we were to swap the hearts and diamonds, I would favor the weak 2 spade opener. Missing a 4-4 fit in a minor suit isn’t much to give up.

In 3^rd or 4^th seat, you can be less disciplined about your weak 2 opener. You already know that your partner doesn’t have an opening hand, so you aren’t worried about preempting his strong hand. You could open a weak two with something as crummy as this:

♠ QJT864
♥ JT
♦ Q2
♣ 843

The opponents probably have the balance of the strength, and you want to make it difficult for them to enter the auction. You might go set, but that might end up being a better score than letting them make a game.

Responding to a Weak Two Opener

When your partner opens with a weak two, remember RONF. That easily remembered 😕 mnemonic stands for “Raise Only Not Forcing.” It means that any bid you make other than a raise of your partner’s suit is forcing for one round. Conversely, raising your partner’s suit is NOT and invitation for her to bid game. She is required to pass any time that you bid her opening suit. A single raise of her suit at this point is a continuation of the preempt. Opposite a 2 heart opener, you might respond 3 hearts with something like:

♠ 73
♥ Q985
♦ Q75
♣ QT75

It looks like the opponents have a game in spades, and you want to make it hard for them to find it.

With a hand that you would have opened, you would like to explore the possibility of game. The most common game try is to bid 2NT. The 2NT bid asks for a “feature.” A feature is an A or K in a side suit. Your partner will bid that suit if she is on the strong side of her opening bid. With a strong hand, but no feature, she will rebid 3NT. With a hand on the weak end of her opening weak two, partner will rebid her suit. Note that this bid does not promise extra length in the suit as it would in a sequence that started with 1 of a suit. She is forced to bid something, and returning to her suit simply means that she doesn’t have anything to get excited about.

Responder could also bid a good 5-card suit. This bid is forcing (remember RONF).  The opener can raise that suit with 3-card support and the upper end of her HCP range. Without support, but with a “strong weak two” 😕 she can bid NT or a second suit. With a weak hand, she will return to her suit.

Rebids by the Opener

We’ve covered the rebids when we described the responder’s bids, but let’s reiterate them and look at some examples.

Let’s start with the easy one. Any time the responder returns to the opener’s suit, the opener must pass. For example,

Sally: “2 Spades”

Norm: “3 Spades”

Sally: “Pass” without even thinking about bidding 4.

Next, remember that the 2NT response is asking for a feature. With a weak featureless hand, the opener returns to her suit. If she is on the strong side, she bids a side suit that has and A or K

Examples

Sally
♠ A2
♥ KQT842
♦ J3
♣ 962

This is the same hand as in the first section. It is a sound weak two opener. Sally bids 2 hearts. Her partner Norm holds

Norm
♠ Q65
♥ 65
♦ AQT2
♣ KQJ5

Norm would have opened the bidding if he was first to speak. Now, with 14 HCP, he wonders if his side has enough strength for game. He has adequate trump support opposite his partner’s 6-card suit. The hand might play well at 3NT if his partner has something to show in spades. He chooses to bid 2NT to ask for a feature. His plan is

·       Pass if Sally rebids hearts. That bid would indicate a weaker weak two, so the team probably doesn’t have enough strength for game.

·       Bid 3NT if Sally shows the A or K of spades and a stronger weak two by bidding 3S.

·       Bid 4H if Sally says anything else.

With the hand shown above, Sally would rebid 3S. She has 10 HCP which is a strong weak two, and her only feature is the spade ace.

Now, let’s have Sally hold the same hand, but Norm holds

Norm
♠ 65
♥ 42
♦ AKQJ72
♣ 762

That’s a nice looking diamond suit, and Norm might be tempted to bid it. However, he would have to bid it at the 3 level, and he has only 10 HCP and maybe 2 points in distribution. His bid would be forcing, and the team could easily end up in a shaky game contract. Norm should pass.

How about this hand?

Norm
♠ 54
♥ 9762
♦ QJ72
♣ 762

With the extra trump support and weakness in spades, Norm should continue the preempt and bid 3H. Sally will be forced to pass. Sally is likely to have a little bit of outside strength, and the opponents look like they might have a game in spades. You expect to take 5 or 6 trump tricks with Sally’s holding, and hope to get a trick or two elsewhere. Going down 2 is better than the opponents making a game—especially if vulnerability is favorable.

One more. Norm holds

Norm
♠ KQJ54
♥ 6
♦ AQJ7
♣ 762

Norm holds 13 HCP and isn’t too fond of staying in hearts. He can bid a strong 5-card suit hoping to find 3 card support from partner. His bid is forcing. Norm bids 2S with this plan:

·       Bid 4S if Sally raises spades showing 3-card support and a stronger weak two

·       Pass if Sally returns to hearts, showing a weaker weak two

·       Bid 3NT if Sally bids any other suit (even diamonds) or NT

Let’s take another look at Sally’s hand.

Sally
♠ A2
♥ KQT842
♦ J3
♣ 962

She has a stronger weak two, so she wants to bid something other than hearts. With the weak holdings in the minors, she doesn’t like NT. Instead, she decides to stretch her spade support because of the ace. She bids 3S. Norm continues with his plan and bids 4S. It’s got a shot.

That’s all for now. The opening weak two bid can make the subsequent bidding difficult. That’s good if it makes the bidding difficult for the opponents. It’s not so good when it causes difficulty for your partner, but he has some resources available.