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Opening Weak Two’s

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The only time you cannot make weak two openings for are when you have 6 club cards and less than 10 HCP, this opening is saved for showing your partner that you have 23+ points.

You can also pre-empt make a preemptive overcall, a jump overcall shows weak points but a good suit.


After partners pre-empt what should you bid with a combined 9 card suit?
What do you do when the opponents overcall your bid?
Do you know when to make a penalty double?
Discover a deal with many different make-able games.
Part game but the opposition compete – who wins the contract?
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With a long suit but not enough points to open at the 1 level

Pre-emptive Opening Bids

Weak Two Opening bids are a preemptive bid. Weak Two bids tell your partner that you have at least a 6-card suit and 6-10 HCP with two or more high-cards in the bid suit. Generally bidding Weak Twos does not exclude a 4 card side-suit holding.

Guidelines for Weak 2 Bids

1. If the preemptive bid is a Major suit, then you are usually telling partner that you don’t have any interest in the other Major suit
2. A preempt as an overcall after the opposition open at the one level should be at least one level higher and in a higher-ranking suit than the opening bid.

Pre-emptive Overcalls

3. If the preemptive bid is an overcall  – then your preemptive overcall should be at least two levels higher (a jump overcall).
4. You are showing that you do not have an opening hand – otherwise you can double or just make a simple overcall.
5. When deciding to make a Pre-empt the vulnerability, and counting the number of winning/losing tricks should be carefully considered.

Examples of Weak 2 Opening bids
2D=6-10 points and a 6 card diamond suit
2H=6-10 points and a 6 card heart suit
2S=6-10 points and a 6 card spade suit
Examples of Jump Overcalls
Opening bid = 1HJump overcall = 3C
Opening bid = 1SJump overcall = 3D
Opening bid = 1DJump overcall = 3C
Opening bid = 1CJump overcall = 2H
Opening bid = 1DJump overcall = 2S

What bid would you open this hand?

Your Hand

  • ♠ AQT963
  • ♥ 73
  • ♦ J 5 3 2
  • ♣ 4


Your bid here is 2♠. With only 7 HCP your hand is not strong enough to open at the 1 level, but with your 5 winning tricks and 3 tricks from your partner (not vul) you will interfere with the bidding of the opposition.