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- MARVIN TWO DIAMONDS
-
-
- An opening of 2D is a three-way bid:
-
- -- A notrump hand with 21-22 HCP and a five-card suit, or
-
- -- A weak two bid in hearts, or
-
- -- A strong two bid in spades, forcing to game, with an unbalanced
- hand that will seldom be played in notrump.
-
-
- Responses
-
- Responder assumes that partner has a weak two bid in hearts, and
- bids according to his method of responding to weak two bids. If he
- would have passed a weak two bid opening in hearts, he now bids 2H.
- One drawback of this convention is that responder cannot raise
- hearts preemptively, because opener may not have a weak two bid.
- Other than that, responder makes his normal response to a weak two
- bid if he has too much to bid 2H.
-
- If the right hand opponent (RHO) bids or doubles, responder usually
- assumes the opening was based on a weak two bid and bids, doubles,
- redoubles, or passes accordingly (but 2H over a double is a forcing
- "positive response" in hearts). Even if RHO bids spades, however,
- responder cannot raise hearts preemptively. Opener could have a
- notrump hand, or even a strong two bid in spades if RHO is lying
- to create confusion.
-
-
- Rebids by Opener
-
- With a 21-22 HCP notrump hand, opener rebids in notrump. In the
- unlikely event that responder has made a positive response to a
- weak two bid type opening (i.e., has bid 2S, 2NT, 3C, or 3D),
- opener must jump in notrump in order to show the 21-22 HCP notrump
- type hand. A 3NT rebid over 2NT shows a weak two bid sort of hand
- with a solid heart suit. A 3NT rebid over a three-level new suit
- bid shows some support for responder's suit (a practice that all
- weak two bidders should employ). Likewise, a 2NT rebid over a 2S
- response shows a weak two bid with some spade support.
-
- With a weak two bid in hearts, opener passes a 2H response. After
- any other response, opener rebids in accordance with the usual weak
- two bid bidding sequences. He must not otherwise bid again, not
- even in a competitive way with an extra good weak two bid:
-
- South West North East
- 2D Pass 2H 3C
- 3H - strong two bid in spades, heart suit too
- Dbl - optional double, 21-22 HCP notrump hand
- Pass - weak two bid
-
- With a strong two bid in spades, opener rebids in spades to show
- a one-suited hand, or (as with 3H above) shows a second suit:
-
- Opener Responder
- 2D 2H
- 3C - spades and clubs
-
- Opener has already shown a spade suit, so now shows a second suit.
-
-
- Rebids by Responder
-
- If opener verifies a weak two bid, responder proceeds in accordance
- with the usual bidding sequences for weak two bids.
-
- If opener shows a 21-22 HCP notrump hand by bidding 2NT, the
- bidding proceeds in accordance with normal bidding following an
- opening of 2NT, except that a major suit response to Stayman shows
- a five-card suit:
-
- Opener Responder
- 2D 2H
- 2NT 3C
- 3D - no five-card major (five-card minor)
- 3H/3S - five-card major
-
- We can't play that 3D shows diamonds and 3NT shows clubs, because
- we must leave room for responder to show a five-card major.
-
- If opener has had to jump in notrump to show a notrump hand because
- of partner's positive response, the partnership is committed to
- slam.
-
- If opener shows a strong two bid sort of hand, the bidding proceeds
- naturally, with a minimum notrump or minor suit rebid by responder
- showing a "second negative," usually 5 HCP or less:
-
- Opener Responder
- 2D 2H
- 3C 3D - second negative
-
- Opener Responder
- 2D 2H
- 2S 2NT - second negative
-
- A minimum bid in a major suit is natural, however:
-
- Opener Responder
- 2D 2H
- 3D 3H - natural
-
- Opener has spades and diamonds. Responder could have bid 3NT as a
- second negative with nothing worth showing.
-
- There is no danger of opener's passing any notrump bid, because all
- these sequences show an unbalanced hand. Responder may therefore
- sometimes bid notrump with substantial values when he has no good
- suit to bid. If so, he must reveal these values later in the
- bidding (which may not be easy).
-
- Responder must continue bidding until game is reached, no matter
- how weak his hand. One reason is that opener may have a 6-4 hand
- in an auction like this:
-
- Opener Responder
- 2D 2H
- 2S 2NT - second negative
- 3C
-
- Opener "rebids" spades with game in hand, holding S-AKQJ84 H-A7 D-4
- C-AKQ2, because he wants a chance to show this 6-4 holding. If
- responder has S-6 H-5432 D-8743 C-10843 and unilaterally passes 2S
- (or 3C), she will miss a good club slam.
-
- Another reason for making this opening game-forcing is that opener
- has an unbalanced hand. Responder cannot know if an outside king
- is worth anything or not. Since he can't evaluate such a hand, the
- opening might as well be game-forcing.