Strong Two-Bids -- beginning bridge

Strong Two-Bids -- For very strong, unbalanced hands (21+ points)

Here are guidelines for opening, responding and rebidding if your system uses old-fashioned Strong Two-bids. Note that many pairs now use the more popular Weak Two-bids, which use an opening bid of 2D, 2H or 2S to show a hand with 5-10 points and a good 6-card suit. If you play Weak Two-bids, you show the strong forcing hand by opening of 2C, which is an artificial bid showing a strong two in an unnamed suit that you'll show at your next turn.

Guidelines for Opening a Strong Two

To open a Strong Two (2C, 2D, 2H, 2S), you should have:

An unbalanced hand of 21+ points. You may open with fewer points if your suit is long and strong and your hand meets the other requirements.
A good, 5+-card suit (preferably a 6-card suit, especially if it's a minor).
Good quick tricks and controls in the other suits (aces, kings or shortness).
Playing strength to take at least 8 1/2 to 9 tricks if your suit is a major; 9 1/2 to 10 tricks if your suit is a minor.

If you have a strong, balanced hand, choose a notrump opening bid:

Open 2NT with 20-22 points. (If you play an opening 1NT is 16-18, use 21-23 for your 2NT opening.)
Open 3NT with 25+ points.

Evaluating your hand

♠AKQ1083 ♥Void ♦KQJ10 ♣A63: Open 2S. This is only 19 points, but you expect to take 10 tricks if partner has nothing.

♠A ♥KJ ♦KQJ10872 ♣AK3: Open 2D. You have 9 sure playing tricks, and good chances for more. 3NT is a possible final contract.

♠Void ♥KQJ106 ♦AKQJ4 ♣AK10: Open 2H. You plan to bid 3D at your next turn. If you have two long suits of equal length, always start with the higher-ranking suit.

♠AQ ♥KJ ♦AQJ103 ♣K953: Open 2NT. You could open 2D, but your hand is relatively balanced and the most likely final contract is 3NT. The notrump opening gives partner more exact information about your point-count.

♠QJ ♥AQ7542 ♦KQJ ♣AQ: Open 1H. This is 21 points, but it's not right for 2NT and the values are too "soft" (and your suit too weak) for a strong 2H opening. If partner doesn't have enough to respond to a 1-bid, you probably can't make a game contract.

Responding to Partner's Strong Two-bid

If your partner opens 2 of a suit, you cannot pass. You must respond to keep the bidding open and let partner describe his strength and distribution.

If you DON'T have a trump fit (you have 2 or fewer cards in partner's suit):

With 0-6 points and no aces or kings -- Bid 2NT. This is an artificial negative bid that tells partner you have nothing of value.
With 7+ points and a good suit of your own (a 5-card or longer suit with good honor strength) -- Bid your suit at the cheapest level possible.
With 8-10 points and a balanced hand -- Jump to 3NT.

If you DO have a trump fit (you have 3-card support or better for partner's suit):

With 0-4 points and no aces or kings -- Bid 2NT to show the negative hand, then show support at your next turn.
With 5+ points or any hand that has an ace or king -- Raise partner's suit one level.

Opener's Rebid

After partner responds to your Strong Two-Bid, choose a rebid that will either place the contract or give partner more information so he can decide where to play the hand. You can give him this information in several ways:

Rebid your suit if it is 6 cards or longer -- 2H - 2NT - 3H
Bid your second suit (4-cards or longer) -- 2H - 2NT - 3C
Raise partner's suit response (if you have 3+-card support) -- 2H - 2S - 3S
Bid notrump to deny a fit for partner's suit and show stoppers in the unbid suits -- 2H - 2S - 2NT

If partner shows a very weak hand by responding the negative 2NT, be careful. If you aren't certain of making a game in your own hand, keep the bidding low to give partner a chance to pass if he has absolutely no help for you.