Weak 2 : Bridge Online
Weak 2 openings are aggressive bids designed to make life difficult for opponents. (Some players also use a Weak-jump-overcall). You must have the security of a good 6-card suit.
2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ as opening bids are always weak and preemptive. The only strong suit bid at the 2-level is 2♣.
Weak 2s
• less than an opening hand, no more than 12 TP
• good 6-card suit
Suit quality is very important. A good rule of thumb is that you should have 2 of the top 4 honors. Intermediate cards are also important. AJ10975 is better than KQ5432.
Having opened a weak 2, you should not bid again unless partner makes a forcing bid. Partner has enough information to know what to do.
| ♠ KJT986 | ||
| ♥ 4 | ||
| ♦ Q32 | ||
| ♣ 432 |
| South | West | North | East | |
| 2♠ |
This is the perfect hand to open 2♠. You hope to make it difficult for your opponents to find their likely heart fit.
| ♠ KJT986 | ||
| ♥ 4 | ||
| ♦ AK2 | ||
| ♣ Q32 |
This is too good for a weak 2♠. Open it 1♠.
Respnding to a Weak 2
Responder's choices to a Weak 2 Opening
• raise the suit
• bid game with 4-card support
• bid game with 16+ HCP and 2 or more trumps
• raise the suit with 3 trumps.
| ♠ K86 | ||
| ♥ Q84 | ||
| ♦ Q432 | ||
| ♣ 432 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| 2♥ | P | 3♥ |
A raise to the 3-level shows 3 trumps and no interest in game. Neither of you will bid again. It's hard for your opponents to start bidding at this level. This is a prefect raise which you make purely to be a nuisance.
| ♠ K86 | ||
| ♥ Q842 | ||
| ♦ Q8432 | ||
| ♣ 3 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| 2♥ | P | 4♥ |
Responder should bid game even with a weak hand. You are safe with a 10-card fit and it may be a good sacrifice. You have too many hearts to defend. With 10 trumps, you won't come to much trouble most of the time.
| ♠ KJ6 | ||
| ♥ Q82 | ||
| ♦ AK432 | ||
| ♣ A4 |
Bid game with 16+ HCP and 2 or more Trumps. HCP are as useful as trumps. This should be plenty for game, which you expect to make.
How does opener know how strong the response is? It doesn't matter! Opener won't know whether responder is bidding on strength and trumps combined, or merely trumps, but won't bid again anyway.
| ♠ KQJ9 | ||
| ♥ T | ||
| ♦ AKQ952 | ||
| ♣ KT |
| North | East | South | West | |
| 2♥ | P | 3NT |
You need a strong hand with good cards in all the outside suits to respond 3NT. It is far more common to bid 4♥ or 4♠.
| ♠ KQJ98 | ||
| ♥ T | ||
| ♦ AK95 | ||
| ♣ KT6 |
| North | East | South | West | |
| 2♥ | P | 2♠ |
If partner opens a weak 2, you'll occasionally want to bid your own suit. This is rare because partner is single suited. You show at least a 5-card suit, hoping that partner has 3. If responder bids a new suit, it is forcing to game and shows at least 16 HCP.