In a casual online game, both sides vulnerable, the dealer opened 5C holding ♠43 ♥54 ♦Void ♣AKQ987643. Dummy had ♠AQxx and ♥Kxxx and with both finesses onside, declarer made 12 tricks. This came with a free lesson from dummy, who listed himself as “Expert” in his profile.
“Nine tricks, partner. You have to open 2C. Everyone knows that!”
“Everyone” was certainly an overbid (as was “Expert”), but there are many who play that a strong 2C opener can be based just on tricks, not high-card points. Even with 9 points, if a hand has 9 winners, they were taught to call it strong and start with 2C.
Opening 2C with a hand that most players would open with a 1-bid (or even a preempt) runs several risks. The most immediate is that ACBL laws forbid psyching an opening of an artificial bid. The laws are ambiguous, though, about what constitutes a psychic 2C.
According to the convention charts, a “very strong” 2C should be at least 14 points and within one trick of game. Other ACBL documents, though, specify that a weaker, trick-heavy hand is acceptable as long as the bidder thinks the hand offers a reasonable shot at game.
That means that enforcement of this rule depends in part on your intent. If you can convince a director or committee that you evaluated your hand as a legitimate strong 2-bid, it might be allowed. If the director questions your assessment of the hand’s strength or believes you were trying to deceive your opponents, it would be ruled an illegal psych.
Avoiding this inquiry is one reason not to open 2C with a hand like the one above. Another is that it will be difficult to have a constructive auction when you’re actually dealt a “real” 2C opener. If you open 2C with “just tricks”, partner will have to be careful about making slam tries – or even bidding game – when he has a scattering of kings and queens.
You may also have awkward problems when the opponents compete. Partner will be hesitant to take any strong action until you clarify your hand type, and neither of you will be able to make a forcing pass or a penalty double with any certainty.
Your partnership will have more success with these hands if you agree that your 2C openers promise both trick-taking power and defensive strength. When you hold a distributional hand of 22 or fewer points, these popular guidelines can help you decide on your opening bid. The ideal 2C opener will have:
At least 8 ½ to 9 tricks if your long suit is a major; 9 ½ to 10 tricks if it's a minor.
A minimum of three (preferably four) quick tricks.
It’s important to remember that you can’t determine a hand’s playing tricks by just subtracting its loser count from 13. ♠Void ♥AJ75 ♦AQ87654 ♣AK has plenty of quick tricks and only three losers, but the diamond suit can’t be counted as six winners.
If you’re still trying to decide
between 1D and 2C with this hand, ask yourself these two questions:
Do I want to be in game if partner
has two queens and nothing else?
Will I have room to describe this distribution if I start with 2C?
If the answer to either question is no, your best course is to ignore the Online Expert and anyone else who advises that any 9-trick hand is a 2C opener. If you open a 1-bid and partner can’t respond, you may be high enough -- or, more likely, the opponents will give you another chance to bid.
© 2020 Karen Walker