(914) 949-5853 [email protected] Preempt – Week 2 Opening Bid
A weak 2 opening bid shows a six card suit and a hand (5-10HCP) that is too weak to open at the one level (refer to the notes on the Rule of 20 for more details). You might have a little outside your long suit, but most of your points are in your suit. We don’t preempt with a 4-card major on the side.
Remember that in standard bidding, a 2♣ opening is not weak; it shows a strong hand. So if you have a six card suit in clubs open 3 ♣
1. 2. 3. You 6 card suit. 5-10 points You Your suit is really bad to You 6 or 7 card suit. 5-10 points 2H P bid on the 3 level 3C Preempt Level • 2-level preempt in anything but clubs (2♦ 2♥, 2♠) shows a 6-card suit (5-10HCP) • 3-level preempt shows a 7-card suit (5-9HCP) • 4-level preempt shows a 8-card suit(5-8HCP) • 5-level preempt shows a 9-card suit (usually a minor)
When you make a preemptive bid and partner raises your suit NEVER BID AGAIN. (All other bids are forcing accept the same suit)
1. 2. 3. You Opp1 Partner Opp2 You Opp1 Partner Opp2 You Opp1 Partner Opp2 2H P 2NT P 2H P 2S P 2H P 3H P Forcing for 1 round Forcing for 1 round Pass Reasons for Preempts:
A weak two-bid serves two important purposes. It can be constructive and it can be obstructive.
• By making a weak two-bid, you are describing your hand to help partner. This helps partner decide how high to bid and what suit to compete in. It can also help partner know what to lead if you defend.
• A second purpose of a weak two is to interfere with the opponents’ bidding. Most pairs can bid to a reasonable contract if left to their own devices. But what if you bid in front of them? What if you not only bid, but the bid is at the two level? This can present awkward problems, even for experts, which may leave your opponents guessing. Responding to Partner’s Preempt Many of you may be familiar with the Law of Total Tricks: “The Total Number of Tricks is Equal to the Total Number of Trumps.” This means that on a good day, you will get the best result available on a hand by contracting for the number of tricks equal to the number of trumps your side has (the 4-level if you have 10 trumps, etc.) Your advantage is that you know where your fit lies; the opponents have yet to find theirs. By raising partner’s suit, you make it that much harder for your opponents to uncover their fit. Avoid “slow rolling”. You must immediately raise partner’s preempts to the law of total trumps. It is a huge mistake to pass and later raise partner after the opponents have had a chance to bid. Take their bidding space away from them immediately. The more trumps, the higher you should raise opener’s weak 2 bid. • With 3 trump: bid 3, • With 4 trump: bid 4, • With 5 trump: bid at least 4, maybe 5 Bidding New Suit Experts virtually universally agree that new suits in response to partner’s preempt should be forcing and show good hands around 16+ points if we don’t have a fit with partner. • A new suit is usually a good five+ card suit, looking for the best game • With no support, a bad (or medium) hand and a suit of your own, just pass! Partner rarely has more help for your suit than you do for theirs, and bidding a new suit forces you to higher levels. If your hand is weak, your opponents will often rescue you by bidding Examples:
1. 2. 3. Partner Opp1 You Opp2 Partner Opp1 You Opp2 Partner Opp1 You Opp2 2S P Pass P 2S P 4S P 2S P 2NT P
Pass - in order to introduce a new Bid 4S - law of total trumps. Bid 2NT- ask partner how good is suit you must have 16 points. their hand. Ogust – 2NT Responding to a weak 2 bid. Ogust 2NT - Bridge Convention used by responder after his partner has made a week two opening bid; its purpose is to gauge the strength of the weak-two bidder's hand. Asks partner to describe their hand more generally:
5 - 7
5 - 7
8 - 10
8 - 10
! = this bid is alertable Examples
1. 2. 2. You Opp1 Partner Opp2 You Opp1 Partner Opp2 You Opp1 Partner Opp2 2H P 2NT P 2H P 2NT P 2H P 2NT P 3C 3D 3H
Bad suit, minimum hand 8 loser Good suit, minimum hand 8 loser Bad suit, maximum hand 7 loser hand hand hand Examples
4. 5. 5. You Opp1 Partner Opp2 You Opp1 Partner Opp2 You Opp1 Partner Opp2 2H P 2NT P 2H P 2NT p 1H P 3S 3NT
Good suit, maximum hand Solid suit AKQxxx Your hand was to strong to 7 loser hand open 2H Filling out Convention Card Week Jump Overcall
When the opponents open, a jump overcall by our side shows the same as it would if you were first to open: • 2-level = 6-card suit. • 3-level = 7-card suit (may be 6 if you cannot jump to the two level) • 4-level = 8-card minor or 8-card or longer major • 5-level = 9-card or long suit in a minor Bid One or Two
If you have a preemptive hand, don’t overcall on 1 level. You should bid at the two level because it is both more descriptive and it takes an extra level of bidding away from the opponents. It is more descriptive because rather than showing 5+ cards and 8-17 HCP, the jump overcall shows exactly 6 cards and less than an opening hand.
1. 2. Opp1 You Opp2 Partner Opp1 You Opp2 Partner 1D 2H 1S Pass
6 card suit 5-10HCP Can’t bid 2H unless we have an (you jumped a level) opening hand (only jumping shows a preemptive hand)