Responding to a Weak 2

WARNING! The following post talks about Pre-emptive Bidding. Pre-empts are bids used by more experienced players. If you are a new player do NOT bother reading this post. When you have played a bit more and know a bit more you can learn how to use them. For now, do not bother.

Please read this post first to learn a little bit about pre-emptive bidding:
Pre-emptive Bidding -- An Introduction

So Partner just opened the bidding with a weak 2. Now what? What are your responses?

You can just bid game. If Partner opened the bidding 2♠ and I hold this hand:
♠QJ65
♥82
♦AK93
♣AK3

I just bid 4♠ (game). I expect Partner can make this. They should lose a couple of ♥ tricks but that should be it.

I can Pass if I don't expect to make a game and have few trump. Like this hand when Partner opens 2♠:
♠Q5
♥Q82
♦KJ93
♣K873

I will just Pass.

I can bid game in NT with the right hand.
♠KQ5
♥A82
♦A93
♣A873

Here we DO have a ♠ fit but if I count tricks we might only have nine tricks. Six ♠ tricks and three Aces. Nine tricks is good for 3NT but bad for 4♠. So on this hand I will bid 3NT. Notice how I trust Partner has a good suit.

What if I am not sure where the best place to play is? Is there a way to ask Partner about their hand?

What if I hold this hand when Partner opens 2♠:
♠95
♥AJ65
♦AJT
♣KQ73

In NT we might be able to take five ♠ tricks and three outside tricks. But say Partner holds this hand:
♠KQJT76
♥432
♦84
♣62

We might lose a trick in every suit so we cannot play in 4♠. If I try 3NT we could make that if I can take five ♠ tricks. But what happens if the opponents DON'T take their A♠ right away. If they hold up on the A♠ then I have NO WAY back to the Dummy and I will only take one ♠ trick. That is not good.

But what if Partner has this hand:
♠KQJT76
♥K32
♦84
♣62

With this hand the opponents could hold up on the A♠ and I could still get back to Dummy with Partners K♥! In 4♠ I would still lose four tricks but I would be able to make 3NT.

Or what if Partner has this hand:
♠AKQT76
♥432
♦84
♣62

Since Partner's ♠ suit is so good I don't even NEED an entry back to them. I should take 9 tricks in 3NT. I do have eight right off the top and can easily set up a ninth. But 4♠ could still lose four tricks.

So HOW do I ASK Partner about these potential hands?

We can use 2NT as an ASKING bid. It ASKS Partner if they have an outside feature. That is an Ace OR a King outside the trump suit.

We will get into the responses next post. For now let's practice what you will bid if Partner opens the bidding 2♠. Partner is VULNERABLE so that means they have a GOOD SUIT. At least two of the top three honours (AKQ) and good spot cards. So it is your bid. What will you do? Pass? Bid 3NT? Bid 4♠? Ask Partner if they have an outside Ace or King with 2NT? You decide.

Hand 1

♠A97
♥42
♦AKT6
♣KQJ7



Hand 2

♠J6
♥AJT
♦AT96
♣KJ76



Hand 3

♠K543
♥AK7654
♦43
♣2



Hand 4

♠98
♥AQ4
♦AQ42
♣KT65



Hand 5

♠K87
♥A54
♦A54
♣A765



Hand 6

♠Q
♥AK43
♦A754
♣AK32



Hand 7

♠
♥KQ65
♦KQ765
♣KQ54



Hand 8

♠A976
♥A
♦
♣AQJT9765



Hand 9

♠K876
♥7
♦AK6
♣KJ765



Hand 10

♠QJ65
♥AQ4
♦AQ3
♣A87



Hand 11

♠Q4
♥KQ652
♦Q54
♣Q43



Hand 12

♠A976
♥A82
♦AQJT97
♣