HOME > BRIDGE LESSONS > ACOL BRIDGE LESSONS
Opening Weak Twos in Bridge
The only time you cannot make weak two openings 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 make a preemptive overcall, a jump overcall showing weak points but a good suit.
With a 6 card 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.
This page is a ‘lite’ version of the interactive Bridge lessons available in our Premium Members area.
Subscribe to our free ‘Hand of the Week’ newsletter and get instant access to 31 interactive Bridge lessons and 32 guided Bridge games in our Premium Members area. Our Premium Member area also includes hundreds of interactive Bridge lessons covering: Standard American Bidding, Acol Bidding, Conventions, Defensive Bidding, Defensive Card play, Decrlarer Play lessons plus – daily Bridge competitions, daily guided Bridge hands, ‘extra for experts’ Bridge games, inline Bridge glossary, instant-answer quizzes and much more.
Try it Free Today.
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 = 1H | Jump overcall = 3C |
| Opening bid = 1S | Jump overcall = 3D |
| Opening bid = 1D | Jump overcall = 3C |
| Opening bid = 1C | Jump overcall = 2H |
| Opening bid = 1D | Jump overcall = 2S |
What bid would you open this hand?
Your Hand
- ♠A Q T 9 6 3
- ♥7 3
- ♦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
