Responding to a Two-club Opener by David Bird

A: 2♦. I must admit that I liked to respond 2NT on this type of hand. However, most experts now say that it is best to respond 2♦, leaving the maximum of space below the game level to investigate a trump fit, together with the right level to play eventually.

On this hand, it is very likely that a slam contract will be reached.

Your result so far:

A: 2♥. This is a weaker hand than the one we saw in the previous problem. However, you have a good suit - one that you want to tell your partner about.

A 2♥ response will not consume much more space than 2♦ would. So, let partner know that you have a suit worth bidding.

Your result so far:

A: 2♦. Here, you have a respectable diamond suit, but look how much space you would consume by making a positive response of 3♦. It is much better to respond 2♦ and then introduce your suit with 3♦ on the next round.

If partner rebids 2♥, you will raise to 3♥.

Your result so far:

A: 4♠. You have found a trump fit. Your partner's 2♠ rebid was forcing to game anyway, so do not think that you are showing a good hand when you jump to 4♠. The opposite is the truth!

If you had a better hand, with an ace or king in it, you would make the stronger bid of 3♠. Do you see why it is this way round? When you have a more useful hand, you want to leave more bidding space to investigate a slam.

Your result so far:

A: 3♥. Your hand is weak. 3NT may be the best game, and by showing something in hearts, you may allow partner to bid 3NT. If he does not, you can support the diamonds on the next round.

4♦ would be a strong move, allowing space for control-bids. 5♦ would not be strong, but it would prevent you from stopping in 3NT when that was a better game.

Your result so far:

A: 3♥. On this exceptional hand, you can afford to consume bidding space, to describe your wonderful heart suit. Since a response of 2♥ would have been unlimited, that is the bid you would make on a shorter heart suit, however strong your hand was.

3♥ shows a suit with at most one loser, with at least seven-card length. It will then be easy for partner to judge how high to go.

Your result so far:

A: 2NT. When partner rebids at the two-level and you have a very weak hand, you can give a 'second negative response'. Traditionally, this is 2NT.

Some players like to use 3♣ as the second negative, so that partner can become declarer in a potential 3NT contract.

Your result so far: