Sunday, October 01, 2006 11:38 PM
Hand Evaluation - 2/1 ( Three Level )
PITBULLS:
My partners & I
have an understanding that weak 5-5’s
in spades & clubs are opened 1♣ . This
treatment effects our 2/1 understandings.
This is due to the low ranking club suit
being bid at the 3 level after a 2/1, you show extra. We also treat 5-4-3-1 hands as
“semi-balanced” so we can bid NT
with a stiff in partners suit. This leads to an
understanding that any bid at the 3 level after a 2/1 shows extra . Extra
in HCP or extra length
, with a 5-5 or better.
I hate the so called
default understanding that you rebid a 5 card major with difficult hands after
a 2/1. No , no & no as that bid shows a 6 card suit. The default understanding is that you will rebid 2NT with
difficult to bid hands which includes the 5-4-3-1 hand types. ♠AJxxx ♥x ♦Qxx ♣AJ109 is a 2NT rebid after 1♠-P-2♥-P . If your hand were stronger
, ♠AJxxx ♥x ♦AQx ♣AJ109 this would be a 3NT rebid after 2♥. What if you had a good hand in clubs & spades with
nothing in diamonds ? Enter the 3♣ bid at the 3 level to show extra .
♠AJxxx ♥x ♦Jxx ♣AKQx is a 3♣ bid after a 2♥ response by partner.
The only time we will rebid a 5 card suit on these 2/1 auctions , is if our hand is too weak to go to the 3 level
& I do not have
a stopper in the 3rd suit.
Luckily , this means that most of my HCP’s are in my major suit so I am actually promoting my 5 card suit to a 6 card suit. ♠AKJxx ♥x ♦xxx ♣KJxx These 12 HCP’s are not
strong enough to bid 3♣ so the very
rare 2♠ bid.
1♠-P-2♥-P
3♦ also shows extra HCP
or extra diamond length by virtue
of the 3 level. You manufacture
a 2NT bid which is always the either/or bid
of a minimum or the 18-19 HCP . Rebidding a 5 card major is a very rare bid that we avoid
at almost all costs.
Over
a 2/1 is the only time we buy into the “standard” bidding of 6-4’s. If by bidding the 4 card suit , we are forced to the 3 level with a minimum hand , I will rebid the 6 card major first. If I have a strong hand , I will show it by bidding my 4 card suit at the 3 level & bid my 6
card major later. This is the so
called standard way of showing different
strength 6-4’s
♠AKxxxx ♥x ♦AKQx ♣xx 1♠-P-2♥-P 3♦ to show the extra
HCP’s.
A
reverse by opener does not
necessarily show extra in a 2/1 auction , however it may. A 1♦-P-2♣ auction
has special sequences designed by Kokish so this particular 2/1 is well defined. 2/1 understandings are
simply partnership agreement but
very important understandings nevertheless
.