Weak Twos - Competition

Weak Two Openings – Competition

Here we cover both sides of the fence … what to do when we open a Weak Two, and they compete … and how to compete over the opponents’ Weak Two.

After They Overcall

Not too much to say here. One time-honored rule is that when we preempt and an opponent bids a suit, then Partner’s Double is very much a penalty Double … no need to look at our hand in these situations, we just pass.

How about these auctions?

Pard Opp You

2♥ 2♠ 2NT

Natural or some kind of Ogust bid? We like to play this as if there was no interference, in other words artificial and asking.

Pard Opp You

2♥ 2♠ 3♦

Uncharted territory! We don’t recall ever being in this situation. It’s hard to see how this can be a competitive bid, it surely should be forcing, probably more or less natural, looking for the best place to play.

After They Double (McCabe)

There is a convention to handle this situation! It rejoices in the name of McCabe, and it works as follows:

Pard Opp You

2♠ Dbl Rdbl

This is not part of McCabe, it’s just commonsense … that Redouble is not SOS, it’s an announcement of strength …those opponents may have just stepped into the wrong auction and we are inviting Partner’s cooperation in penalizing them. If we did not seek Partner’s cooperation we would just pass and then double later in the auction.

Pard Opp You

2♠ Dbl 3♦

This is McCabe … it says “I could have raised you to 3♠, but instead, along the way, I thought that you might like to know that a Diamond lead would be a good idea against their contract”

Pard Opp You

2♠ Dbl 4♦

More of the same … we have a raise to 4♠ and along the way we want to send the same “Lead a Diamond message”. How about 4♥ over the Double? Natural! You can make your heart lead-director with 3♥, if you like, but should keep 4♥ free as a natural bid.

Pard Opp You

2♠ Dbl 2NT

This says “Get me out of here!” Responder is afraid that the Double will get converted for penalty, and he wishes to retreat to the safety of 3 of another suit. Opener is expected to bid 3♣ and Responder will now pass or convert to his own long suit. Note that we are forced to escape via this 2NT mechanism, because the direct 3-level bids are lead-directing, as per the above.

Pard Opp You

2♥ Dbl 2♠

McCabe is for escaping at the 3-level … if we can beat a hasty retreat to our own suit at the two-level, we do so directly. So, here, 2♠ is just escaping to what is hopefully a better spot.

After They Open a Weak Two

For the most part, bidding over their Weak Two just involves natural, commonsense bidding, with a little gadget called Leaping Michaels thrown in to cover the 4-level bids (see next section).

RHO You

2♥ 2♠

A natural overcall, but no point in making it without a decent hand, so perhaps a good 10 or 11 is about as low as you should go, maybe ♠ AKJT7, ♥ 72, ♦ QJT6, ♣ 83 would qualify as a minimum. If our overcall suit took us to the 3-level, we would want to up the strength of the hand by a few more points.

RHO You

2♥ 3♠

Once they have preempted, our own jumps are not preempts … here, 3♠ is a value bid, showing a really good suit and looking for just a little help from Partner, perhaps ♠ KQJT65, ♥ 7, ♦ AQJ4, ♣ A6 … an Ace, or a minor suit King, should be enough of an excuse for Partner to take us to game.

RHO You

2♥ 2NT

Natural, with a good holding in Hearts and about 16-18. As a follow-up to 2NT, we suggest your usual follow-up to a 1NT overcall, which is usually the same as your 1NT system. If so, how would you play 3♦ (transferring into their suit) in this auction? Our suggestion is to play it as showing shortness in Hearts, with an eye on 5 (or 6) of a minor, depending on Partner’s minor suit holdings, and especially on the nature of his Heart stop.

RHO You

2♥ Dbl

Just a slightly sounder version of a one-level Double. There is a useful convention available to help us in the follow-up to a Weak Two doubled auction. It’s called Lebensohl.

RHO You

2♥ 3♥

Asking Partner to bid 3NT with a Heart stopper. A perfect hand for this bid might be ♠ A4, ♥ 54, ♦ AKQJ76, ♣ A7.

Leaping Michaels

After a Weak Two, Leaping Michaels uses the 4-level bids to show strong two-suited hands. Here are some examples:

RHO You

2♥ 4♣ This shows a hand with Spades and Clubs, typically 5-5, for

example, ♠ AK653, ♥5, ♦ K5, ♣ KQJ76. The bid shows a good hand, and it’s best to play it as forcing, even if you don’t necessarily quite have (as here) the values for game.

2♥ 4♦ Same thing, with Spades and Diamonds.

2♥ 4NT For the minors, perhaps this: ♠ A3, ♥ --, ♦ KQJ76, ♣ AJT654.

2♥ 4♥ A stronger version of the minors hand, maybe ♠ A3, ♥ --, ♦ KQJ76, ♣ AKJ654.

In other words, a hand that doesn’t need very much help from Partner to make slam.

2♠ 4♥ Natural, of course!

2♦ 4♣ Shows Clubs and a major. To find out which major we hold

Partner will bid 4♦. But see below.

2♦ 4♦ Both majors.

All of the two-suited bids discussed above should be at least 5-5, and in all cases they show a good hand, one that expects to make game given a little help from Partner.

Alternative Leaping Michaels Method

When they open 2♦ there's a better alternative to the above, in our opinion. Here it is:

2♦ 4♣ Shows Clubs and Hearts.

2♦ 4♦ Shows Clubs and Spades.

And when you have both majors, and at least 5-5? Bid just 3♦, and if Partner bids 3NT, then try 4♦, asking Partner to pick a major.

Weak Two Openings - Follow-Up

Weak Two Openings - Lebensohl