Thursday, December 22, 2005 9:18 AM

Strong 2's

PITBULLS:

I like the idea of having two strong bids 2♣ & 2♦ in your system. Either bid brings relays into the picture so that we can describe two suiters. With the 2♣ opener , we already have relays to show all two suiters with hearts as an anchor suit or spades as an anchor suit. The 2♣ openers do not handle single suited diamond hands very well nor diamond two suiters with diamonds as the anchor suit ( longer of the two ) . 2♣-P-2♦-P 3♦ is an awkward start and may wrong side the diamond contract. The fix is to play a 2♦ bid as a strong natural bid in diamonds including ♦ two suiters or a strong Roman 2♦ forcing to game. This 2♦ structure would also include 2NT hands with a 5 card or longer diamond suit.

This means that the lower range Roman 2♦ 17-20 is taken out of the equation and must be opened at the one level as 2♦ is now a game force. Here is how this 2♦ bid would work . As mentioned , we have relays in our strong 2 structure already . We extend them to our 2♦ opener. 2♦ always demands a relay to 2♥ with no other bids allowed. A direct 2♥ response after 2♦ can be thought of as a “waiting bid” . If opener now rebids diamonds , it’s a strong single suited diamond hand or any other suit at the 3 level ( also jump to 3♠) shows a two suiter with diamonds as the anchor suit. A 2NT rebid would show a 2NT opener with at least 5 diamonds. Perfect !

Now for the strong 3 suiter hands. 2♠ shows the strong Roman 2♦ after the 2♥ relay response ( waiting bid ) . 2♠ demands a relay to 2NT and you can simply bid your stiff or have a more complicated scheme of jumps to show 5-4-4-0 hands. You can also have a more complicated scheme of showing your singletons with transfers or a Stayman like response showing both major or a color scheme. I like the simple approach of just bidding your short suit.

By taking the diamond hands out of the 2♣ structure you get an interesting by-product. 2♣-P-2♦-P 3♦ must show a club diamond two suiter with clubs as the anchor suit !! We now have all two suiters covered with the various anchor suits ( longer ).

Many master solvers hands have flat hands with diamonds as a fix hand . We have all opened 2NT with even 6 card diamond suits which causes diamond slams to be missed. No longer a problem as you can show a 2NT hand with diamonds by opening 2♦ and rebidding 2NT !! AKx AKx AQJ10x Qx 2♦-P-2♥-P 2NT . Transfers to the majors can still apply with these sequences but all other bids would imply a diamond fit. You do not need Stayman as partner would just bid the 4 card major rather than 2NT. You do not need a two suiter per se to open 2♦ . Jx AKQx AKQxx Ax open 2♦ and after partner bids 2♥ you raise to 3♥ ! All the problem diamond hands are solved with the Goren notion of a strong 2♦ bid shows of all things - diamonds or a Roman. I like it !!

I loathe opening very strong hands at the one level. That practice is enough to drive people to strong club systems. Opening 1♦ with Axx Ax AKQJ10xx x is absurd as you have no rebid. A 3♦ rebid is invitational. Open 2♦ natural and you have right sided the contract possibly and given partner immediate information about your hand. Strong 2 suiters with diamonds are no longer a nightmare for an artificial 2♣ prone to being jammed as have a natural bid as the first strike is a huge tactical advantage. x AKJxx AKQxxx x opening this 1♦ is absurd but opening it 2♣ leaves you open to jamming by the opponents and difficulty in describing your suits. Open 2♦ and bid hearts so what can be simpler ?

Taking diamond hands out of the 2♣ structure simplifies that bid. A 2♣ bid is balanced without a diamond suit or 2♣ includes the majors and/or clubs. Taking diamond balanced hands out of the 2NT structure simplifies those hands. We still have the strong Roman 2♦ so those difficult hands are covered. Having two strong openers in your system is not too tough. Goren used to have all 2’s as strong J. Weak 2♦’s can be opened one or 3 depending on your style.