Advanced Convention. Weak 2 defence

Advanced Convention. Weak 2 defence

Bridge Venue

4. Other options when enemy open a weak 2

Bridge Venue

Opening Lead:

The play

4. Other options when enemy open a weak 2

Quick summary

3. Balanced-ish and strong ? Obvious! 2NT Overcall

Examples

Overcalling after a Weak 2 has been raised to 3

In the Fourth Seat ? Be aggressive

Examples

Now try the quiz

Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Tuesday

Quick summary

3. Balanced-ish and strong ? Obvious! 2NT Overcall

Examples

Overcalling after a Weak 2 has been raised to 3

In the Fourth Seat ? Be aggressive

Examples

Now try the quiz

Main
Menu ▼
Beginners Bidding Opening Lead Playing Deals
Quiz: Barrier-Reversing

Quiz: Deal # Tuesday
Free Downloads Cribsheets Conventions Quick Book Glossary Books to read Deal a hand Other stuff
Basic
strategy
0000). How to use 0001). Bidding Objectives = "8 and 25" 0002). 28 for minor 0003). 33 for NT slam 0004). Suit slam 0005). Importance of length 0006). Convention card 0007). ACOL and American Standard, differences 0008). A-Z Glossary 0690). A-Z Glossary
Hand
evaluation
0010). Balanced-Unbalanced 0011). How strong is your hand, HCP 0012). Distribution points 0013). Losing trick count 0014). Barrier-Reversing 0015). Selection of opening suit 0016). Showing shape 0017). 4441 distribution 0018). The skip over principle 0019). Rule of 20 Opening 1 of a suit 0019a). Rule of 25 Opening 2 of a suit 0019b). Rule of 500 Max penalty risk on preempt if doubled 0019c). Law of total tricks 0019d). Rule of Protective bidding
Opening
bids
0020). Plan of attack 0021). Bal, 12 to 19 HCPs, weak NT 0022). Bal, 20+ points 0023). Bal, 15 to 17 HCPs, strong NT 0025). Unbal, 12 to 19 HCPs, 1 suit 0026). Unbal, Strong 2s 0027). Unbal, Pre-emptive 0028). Unbal, Gambling 3NT 0029). Benji Strong 2s
Responder
1st bids
0030). After 1NT, General principles 0031). After 1NT, Weak 0032). After 1NT, Getting out of trouble 0033). After 1NT, 11+ balanced 0034). After 1NT, 11+ 4-card major 0035). After 1NT, 11+ unbalanced 0036). After 1NT, 19+ 0037). After 2NT 0038). After 1NT, and Enemy has interfered 0039). 1 NT responses 0040). After 1 Suit, With fit 0041). After 1 Suit, No fit, but alternative suit 0042). After 1 Suit, No fit, no new suit, probably balanced 0043). After 1 Suit, 6 points, nothing to bid 0044). After 1 Suit, Very strong 0045). After 1 Suit, Weak freak 0047). After 2 Suit, Strong 2s 0048). After 2 Suit, Weak 2s 0049). After 3 Suit, Responding to preempt
Openers
rebid
0050). Unbalanced, The general idea 0051). Unbalanced, You are weak 0052). Unbalanced, You are strong 0053). Unbalanced, Partner replied with 1NT 0054). Unbalanced, Delayed support 0055). Balanced
Responder
rebids
0060). Responder rebids, The general idea 0061). Choice of two suits 0062). Responders reverse 0063). After 1NT rebid
Basic
Convention
0080). Stayman 0081). Transfer 0082). Transfer after 2NT 0161). Minor suit transfer
Slam
bidding
0090). Slam, Spotting the chance 0091). Blackwood 0092). No-trump slam 0093). Gerber 0094). Extra slam techniques
Interfering
bids
0100). Overcalls, the basic idea 0101). Overcalls, in a suit, over a suit 0102). Overcalls, in a suit, over 1NT 0103). Overcalls, in NT, over a suit 0104). Overcalls, Jump overcall 0105). Overcalls, Double then bid a suit 0106). Overcalls, Bidding opponents suit 0107). Overcalls, Balancing (protective) 0108). Overcalls, Overcall a preempt 0109). Overcalls, Preemptive double jump 0110). Overcalls, To overcall, or to double 0111). Overcalls, Response to 1NT after suit overcall (Lebensohl) 0115). Defence after 1NT 0116). Competitive bidding 0117). Be cautious sometimes 0118). Sacrificing Be bold when non-vulnerable 0119). Sacrificing 0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0126). Doubles, Protective double
Doubles

0120). Doubles, Double a 1NT 0121). Doubles, Double for takeout 0122). Doubles, Doubling after opponent overcall 0123). Doubles, Negative double 0124). Doubles, Double a 1NT overcall 0125). Doubles, Double a suit over 1NT 0126). Doubles, Protective double 0127). Doubles, Responsive double 0128). Doubles, Double then bid a suit 0129). Doubles, Penalty 0130). Doubles, Support double 0131). Doubles, Lead directing double 0132). Doubles, Maximal double 0133). Doubles, Redoubling - coded meanings 0134). Doubles, Forcing Pass 0135). Doubles, Re-opening double 0139). Doubles, Index of doubles
Advanced
Convention
0150). Majors Jacoby 2NT 0151). Majors Splinters 0152). Majors Weak 2s 0153). Majors Weak 2 defence 0154). Trial bid 0160). NT and minors 4th suit forcing 0161). Minor suit transfer 0162). DONT Bidding When Opponents open 1NT 0163). Game tries 0166). Grand Slam Force 0167). Roman Keycard Blackwood 0168). Cue bidding for controls 0170). 2-suited Overcall Unusual 2NT 0171). 2-suited Overcall Michaels cue bid 0172). 2-suited Overcall Landy over 1NT 0173). Overcall Unassuming cue bid 0179). Very advanced

Quiz How much do you know about this page? Quiz

<= find/hide more deals exploiting this aspect

Your opponents are weak, and have tried to mess things up for you, 'cos they fear you will make a good contract. So overcall them if you can.
There are three options

Double for Take-out (opening points, short in enemy's suit)
Suit Overcall: 12 points at the 3 level (or 6 at the 2 level), & a 6-card suit (or v. good 5-card suit)
2NT Overcall: 16-19 points balanced-ish with a stop in enemy's suit.

Don't double for penalties if you are good in their suit! You'll confuse your partner & end up in trouble. Penalties can come later.

Stayman and Transfers: recommend you use after 2NT.

"Borrow a king" in the 4th passout seat (balancing).

Not so different from defending a weak 3 opening.

Print cribsheet

	West
	J 7 6 2
	A Q 9 2
	K Q 4
	9 7

+	North
	A Q 4
	6 5
	J 10 8 6
	Q J 10 3

	East
	K 10 5 3
	4
	A 7 3 2
	A 6 5 4

+	South
	9 8
	K J 10 8 7 3
	9 5
	K 8 2

Example Deal

Dealer: South
Vuln: All

Deal# 40041

Defence to a Weak Two opening
..
***

Click the + buttons to peep

+	< Click to show Bidding
West	North	East	South
-	-	-	2H
p	p	X	p
p	p	System: Acol

+	< Click for Explanation of bids
2H	Majors Weak 2s
X	Majors Weak 2 defence

Related
Overview

< Click the + for Opening Lead

Question 1

South opens 2 Hearts, a weak 2 opening. What should West bid, with opening points and good Hearts ?

Answer 1

South opens 2 Hearts, a weak 2 opening. What should West bid, with opening points and good Hearts ?

Answer

Pass. You don't have a long strong suit to bid.

Question 2

After North passes, what should East bid ?

Answer 2

After North passes, what should East bid ?

Answer

With a singleton in enemy's suit you can double for take out with 10 points. You've got 11

Question 3

Looks like two opening hands. So how should West, with his 12/13 point hand respond to the double for takeout ?

Answer 3

Looks like two opening hands. So how should West, with his 12/13 point hand respond to the double for takeout ?

Answer

This is a tricky one. Since you have the enemy suit, you can consider NT. But 3NT might be a bit of a stretch, considering that East might have as few as 10HCP. Partner might interpret 2NT as weak. And although you have 4 of them, your Spades are weak. You can "pass for penalties", converting the double in a penalty bid, wiht a good chance of getting them down.

Some subjects to follow up on
153 Majors Weak 2 defence

« 0153 »

continued. . ... (< back)

Over weak 2 opening bids(1) , a 2NT overcall is a natural bid, showing balanced or 'semi-balanced' hands, a stop in the enemy's suit and 16-19 HCPs. The 2NT overcall over a Weak Two shows a wider range of HCPs, because your bidding space has gone. 'Semi-balanced' ? You might have a 5-4-2-2 distribution, or even a 6-3-2-2, especially with length in

Responding to a 2NT overcall after a weak 2 opening.
Easy. Just use any convention that you normally use after a 1NT overcall such as Transfers and (especially) Stayman. Of course, you are promising a few more points than you would with a 1NT opening or overcall.

Obviously, as with a 1NT overcall, you'll need to adjust the HCP requirements because your partner is stronger than you would plan for a standard Stayman or Transfer situation. With 8+ points or a good 7-point hand, go for game. With 6 points pass: although your partner might have 19, you would find 3NT a struggle with a 19-6 split, and he's more than 4 times more likely to have 16, 17 or 18.

After a 2 opening bid from the enemy, what would you bid here, with such a nice suit ?

	Hand 6
	K Q 4		Although you have only one stop in opponents suit, bid 2NT. It's best because it's more descriptive than 3
	A 6 2
	K Q J 8 6
	Q 6

What about this one ? You're West. North has opened 2, and partner East overcalls 2NT What should you do ?

If you can find a 4-4 fit it'll be better to play in a Major suit. West should bid 3, Stayman, followed a 3 response from partner to identify an 8-card Major fit. West should then raise to game, 4.

Note how much better it is to be in Spades: 3NT will be defeated by a club lead, whereas 4 will make 11-12 tricks.

The opposition are weak, so be aggressive and try hard to make a bid as if your were defending a weak preemptive three opening bid.

Bid aggressively. When you are in the ‘fourth' seat, then try your hardest to bid if a 'pass' from you would otherwise bring the auction to an end. (The same considerations apply when making a protective bid in the 'fourth seat' after a standard opening).

The auction is ending because the opponents are not strong. They are giving up at less than 'game', so they have a maximum of 23 points, most probably many fewer. So your partner must have some strength. As a result, you can bid on slightly weaker hands (about 3 points fewer than necessary, sometimes known as ‘borrowing a king'). Your poor partner will have had a reason for not bidding first time, e.g.:

strong, but too balanced to overcall or double;
strong enough for a penalty double which he couldn't bid (it would be taken as a double for take-out).

What should you (South) bid ? You're the 4th person to bid, after West opened 2.

Deal 8		A Q J 2	Deal: West Vuln: none	You're South, with only nine points and probably don't feel able to bid after the enemy opening of 2. However, because you're in the 4th seat, the last caller, you should be aggressive. 'Put a king' in your hand and think again. With '12' points and a singleton you have the right shape and strength for a double for take out.
		J 7 6
		K Q 3
		10 4 3
8 3	N		9 7 6
K Q 10 9 4 2	W E		A 5 3
9 6	W E		10 8 7 2
Q 9 5	S		A K 8
		K 10 5 4
		8
		A J 5 4
		J 7 6 2

North, who couldn't bid first round despite his 13HCP, responds in to South's double, being careful not to overbid, knowing that his partner may have stretched in order to bid (‘borrowed a king'). Hence the jump invitation response of 3, no more.

Look how difficult it is to bid with balanced hands. Although North has 13 points, he has to pass after the opening bid from West because there is no bid to describe his hand. That's why South should try hard to make a bid in the fourth seat.

(Note 1: With perfect 4441 shape you can also add points for your singleton. So, in all, you are worth 15 points (9 + 3 borrowed + 3 for the singleton = 15). Note 2: By the way, a jump response to a take-out double normally shows around 9-11 HCP, just short of enough for game after the implied doubler's opening hand).

What if North's hand were slightly different, and South's hand were identical ? Again, West opens 2, and South doubles. What should North do here ?

Deal 9		A Q J 6	Deal: West Vuln: none	North has a hand that can defend against 2♥, because he holds very good trumps, so he passes his partner's double, converting it to a penalty double. North must not double on the first round, as that would have been interpreted as a take-out double, with potentially disastrous consequences.
		K J 7 6 3
		Q 6
		10 5
8 3	N		9 7 2
A Q 10 9 4 2	W E		5
9 3	W E		K 10 8 7 2
Q 9 4	S		A K 8 3
		K 10 5 4
		8
		A J 5 4
		J 7 6 2

(1) Footnote: Over normal strong opening bids at the one level, many players use the Unusual 2NT overcall, which is not at all natural, to show two 5-card suits. In the past, this bid was used to show that overcaller had 20-22HCP, balanced, but that arises so rarely and can be handled in another way.

Can you put all this into action ? Try the quiz for this subject by clicking on the link at the top left of the page, just below the main menu.
(You can try quizzes for any other subjects too while you're there. Look out for the thin red line).

About us Contact us Terms & conditions of use Log in Comment on current page

With 8 points you should go for game, because 24-27 total isassured. But, rather than raising to 3NT, West could first look for a fit in spades.