Opposing preempts
This chapter covers the defense against weak 2s and the 3- and 4-level preempts. Wbridge5’s own weak 2s and preempts are described in Preemptive openings. Against 1-level openings, see Natural (1y).
Wbridge5 reads the opponents’ calls by its own settings for their system. With its own system, a 2♦ opening is strong and 4♣♦ are Namyats. SAYC opponents open a weak 2♦ and natural 4♣♦, and they have no Gambling 3NT. Wbridge5 cannot be told that the opponents play Multi or any other artificial preempt.
The probes ran with nobody vulnerable, and Wbridge5 had not passed unless stated otherwise. The ranges below are in HCP unless marked as points. Points are HCP plus distribution and length points (see hand evaluation).
Direct seat over a weak 2
The calls follow the same plan as over a 1-level opening, one level up. A simple overcall is constructive, the takeout double takes the other strong hands, and 4 of a minor is Leaping Michaels.
| (2♥) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, 14+ points, 0–3♥, usually 3+♠ |
| 2♠ | 10–16 HCP, 5+♠ |
| 2NT | 16–18 HCP, rarely 15 or 19–20, BAL, ♥ stopped |
| 3♣♦ | 10–16 HCP, 6+# |
| 3♥! | 17–18 HCP, 4+♦, 4+♣, ♥ unstopped |
| 3♠ | 10–13 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 3NT | 19–22 HCP, BAL, ♥ stopped |
| 4♣♦! | Leaping Michaels, 13+ points, 5+♠, 5+# |
| (2♠) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, 14+ points, 0–3♠ |
| 2NT | 15–18 HCP, BAL, ♠ stopped |
| 3♣♦ | 10–16 HCP, 6+# |
| 3♥ | 11–18 HCP, 5+♥ |
| 3NT | 19–22 HCP, BAL, ♠ stopped |
| 4♣♦! | Leaping Michaels, 13+ points, 5+♥, 5+# |
| 4♥ | 10–17 HCP, 6+♥ |
Without a suitable call, Wbridge5 passes with up to 15–16 HCP. A balanced 14–15 HCP hand over (2♥) doubles with 3+ spades and 2–3 hearts. With 4 hearts or only 2 spades it passes, even with a heart stopper. The 2NT overcall starts one HCP higher than the natural 1NT overcall, and 19–20 HCP hands either double or bid 3NT.
Leaping Michaels is unlimited. With 5-5 in spades and diamonds, Wbridge5 bid 4♦ over (2♥) on 244 of 300 boards, from 8 HCP up to 19. With 11–12 points it passed, and it never overcalled 2♠. A 6-5 hand with 17 HCP doubled.
At unfavorable vulnerability, the overcalls need about 12 HCP. On the same 400 boards over (2♥), 15 calls changed, and 13 of them were 5-card 2♠ overcalls with 10–11 HCP that passed instead, e.g. ♠AQJ96 ♥J83 ♦J76 ♣Q4. The other two, both with 11 HCP, were a 3♠ that bid 2♠ and a 3♣ that passed. The double, 2NT and Leaping Michaels did not change.
Examples over (2♥):
- ♠KQ54 ♥K2 ♦KQ876 ♣107: Double.
- ♠AK3 ♥K6 ♦J652 ♣AK53: 2NT.
- ♠AJ10 ♥53 ♦AJ95 ♣AK107: 3♥, no heart stopper.
- ♠KQ9762 ♥10 ♦K9 ♣K843: 3♠.
- ♠KQ973 ♥76 ♦AQ854 ♣9: 4♦.
Weak 2♦
Wbridge5 reads a 2♦ opening as weak when it is told that the opponents play SAYC (or when strong 2♦ is turned off). Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows the two settings give the same 300 calls on the same 300 hands. The cuebid then shows both majors.
| (2♦) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, 14+ points, 0–3♦ |
| 2♥♠ | 10–17 HCP, 5+# |
| 2NT | 15–18 HCP, BAL, ♦ stopped |
| 3♣ | 10–16 HCP, 6+♣ |
| 3♦! | 13–21 points, 5+♥, 5+♠ |
| 3♥♠ | 11–15 HCP, 6+# |
| 3NT | 20–22 HCP, ♦ stopped |
| 4♦! | About 20+ points, 5+♥, 5+♠ |
With 5-5 in the majors, Wbridge5 bid 3♦ on 218 of 300 boards and 4♦ with 19–24 points. Weak hands of 11–12 points overcalled 2♥ or 2♠ or passed. Four boards bid 4♣ with 6+ clubs and 10–14 HCP, three of them with 4–5 spades, e.g. ♠K762 ♥Q8 ♦2 ♣AKJ1084.
Over 3- and 4-level preempts
Over a 3-level preempt, the overcalls are natural. The 4-level two-suiters are Leaping Michaels, and the cuebid of (3♣) shows the majors.
| (3♣) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, 15+ points |
| 3♦ | 15–19 points, 6+♦ |
| 3♥♠ | 12–18 HCP, 5+# |
| 3NT | 17–22 HCP, ♣ stopped |
| 4♣! | 5+♥, 5+♠ |
| 4♦! | 5+♦, 5+♠ |
| 4♥♠ | 12–18 HCP, 6+# |
| 4NT! | 5+♥, 5+♦ |
| 5♦ | 6+♦ |
| (3♥) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, 15+ points |
| 3♠ | 12–17 HCP, 5+♠ |
| 3NT | 17–22 HCP, ♥ stopped |
| 4♣♦! | Leaping Michaels, 5+♠, 5+# |
| 4♠ | 12–18 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 5♣♦ | 6+# |
The 4NT over (3♥) was seen once, with 5-5 in the minors.
A double of 4♥ shows values, not shortness. Wbridge5 doubled (4♥) with 16+ HCP mostly when it held 2–3 hearts. With a singleton heart it bid instead or passed.
| (4♥) | |
|---|---|
| X | 12+ HCP, usually 16+, 2–3♥ |
| 4♠ | 12–21 HCP, 5+♠ |
| 5♣♦ | 5+#, mostly 6+ |
Natural 4♣♦
SAYC opponents open 4♣♦ as natural preempts. The defense is the same as over (4♥). The double shows values, mostly with 2–3 cards in their suit.
| (4♣) (4♦) | |
|---|---|
| X | 12+ HCP, usually 16+ |
| 4♥♠ | 12–19 HCP, 5+# |
| 4NT! | Two-suiter, see below |
| 5♣♦ | 6+# |
Over (4♣), 4♦ is natural with 6+ diamonds, and 4NT showed 5-5 in the red suits on all 3 boards. Over (4♦), 4NT was seen once, with hearts and clubs.
Over a 3NT opening
With its own system, Wbridge5 reads (3NT) as Gambling. Most hands pass, up to 18 HCP.
| (3NT) | Gambling |
|---|---|
| X | 17–20 HCP, mostly BAL |
| 4♦ | 10–12 HCP, 7+♦ |
| 4♥♠ | 11+ HCP, 5+# |
| 5♣♦ | 15+ HCP, 6+# |
SAYC opponents play no Gambling 3NT. With Gambling turned off for its own side, Wbridge5 never opened 3NT on these probes: balanced 22–28 HCP opened 2♣, 2♦ or 2NT, and a 7-card club suit with 9–15 HCP opened 1♣ or 3♣ to 5♣. Over a SAYC (3NT), Wbridge5 doubles with any good hand and almost never bids.
| (3NT) | SAYC |
|---|---|
| X | 16+ HCP, or 11+ HCP with a long suit |
For example, ♠K83 ♥AKQ632 ♦10 ♣KQJ overcalls 4♥ over a Gambling 3NT but doubles a SAYC 3NT.
Balancing seat
In the balancing seat, Wbridge5 acts with about 2 HCP less than in the direct seat.
| (2♥) P (P) | |
|---|---|
| X | 10+ HCP, 12+ points |
| 2♠ | 8–15 HCP, 4+♠ |
| 2NT | 14–18 HCP, rarely 13, ♥ stopped |
| 3♣♦ | 8–15 HCP, 5+# |
| 3♠ | 11–13 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 4♣♦! | Leaping Michaels, 9+ HCP, 5+♠, 5+# |
It passed with up to 10 HCP and no long suit, e.g. ♠KQ4 ♥842 ♦1093 ♣AJ72.
Passed hand
A passed hand bids naturally, but its double shows spades and its 2NT shows the minors.
| P (2♥) P (P) | |
|---|---|
| X | 8–11 HCP, 4♠ (once 3♠) |
| 2♠ | 6–11 HCP, 4+♠ |
| 2NT! | UNT, 5+♦, 5+♣ |
| 3♣♦ | 8–11 HCP, 5+# |
| 4♣♦! | 5+♠, 5+# |
Over opener’s partner
The opponents’ responses take away bidding space, but Wbridge5 still overcalls naturally. Its double is now looser.
| (2♥) P (2NT) | |
|---|---|
| X | 13+ HCP, any shape |
| 3♣♦ | 13–18 HCP, 6+# |
| 3♥! | 13–16 HCP, 5+♠, 5+♣ |
| 3♠ | 12–18 HCP, 5+♠ |
| 4♣♦ | 12–18 HCP, 6+# |
It passed with up to 16 HCP. The double ranged from 13 to 20 HCP, with a median of 17. Half of the doubles held 3 hearts, e.g. ♠KJ ♥K72 ♦KQ74 ♣KQJ10.
| (2♥) P (3♥) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, 12+ HCP, mostly 4+♠ |
| 3♠ | 12–17 HCP, 5+♠ |
| 3NT | 17–20 HCP, ♥ stopped |
| 4♣♦! | Leaping Michaels, 5+♠, 5+# |
| 4♠ | 12–18 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 5♣♦ | 6+# |
Advancing the takeout double
Over a weak 2♥♠, advancer uses Lebensohl. 2NT is a puppet to 3♣, and a direct suit at the 3-level shows values. The structure resembles Lebensohl over 1NT. Over a weak 2♦, 2NT is natural.
To convert the double into penalties, advancer passes with 5+ trumps at any strength. It passes with 4 trumps only with 8+ HCP, and even then only some of the time.
| (2♥) X (P) | |
|---|---|
| P | 5+♥, or 4♥ with 8+ HCP |
| 2♠ | 0–12 HCP, 4+♠ |
| 2NT! | LEB, PUP 3♣: weak hand, or 12+ HCP with 4♠ |
| 3♣♦ | 7–14 HCP, 5+# |
| 3♥! | 9–10 HCP, 3♠, ♥ unstopped |
| 3♠ | 9–14 HCP, 5+♠ |
| 3NT | 8–14 HCP, ♥ stopped |
| 4♣♦! | 5+♠, 5+# |
| 4♠ | 10–13 HCP, 6+♠ |
| 4NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣ |
With 5 spades, advancer mostly bid 2♠ up to 8 HCP and 3♠ from 9 HCP. With 4 spades and 12+ HCP it bid 2NT instead of 2♠, e.g. ♠AQJ3 ♥K64 ♦1094 ♣A74.
| (2♠) X (P) | |
|---|---|
| P | 5+♠, or 4♠ with 8+ HCP |
| 2NT! | LEB, PUP 3♣: up to 11 HCP, or 4♥ at any strength |
| 3♣♦ | 7–14 HCP, 5+# |
| 3♥ | 8–10 HCP, 5♥ |
| 3♠! | 7–14 HCP, 2–3♥, ♠ unstopped |
| 3NT | 9–14 HCP, ♠ stopped |
| 4♣♦! | 5+♥, 5+# |
| 4♥ | 6–13 HCP, 5+♥ |
| 4NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣ |
Over (2♠), advancer bid 2NT with 4 hearts at every strength probed (0–14 HCP), e.g. ♠865 ♥KQ108 ♦AQ8 ♣K95. Four hands with 5 hearts and 13–14 HCP jumped to 6♥, e.g. ♠A43 ♥KJ987 ♦A9 ♣Q63.
| (2♦) X (P) | |
|---|---|
| P | 5+♦ |
| 2♥♠ | 0–12 HCP, usually 4+# |
| 2NT | INV, 9–12 HCP, ♦ stopped |
| 3♣ | 0–14 HCP, 4+♣ |
| 3♦! | 10–14 HCP, usually 4-card majors |
| 3♥♠ | 6–14 HCP, 5+# |
| 3NT | 12–14 HCP, ♦ stopped |
| 4♥♠ | 9–13 HCP, 6+# |
After Lebensohl 2NT
Doubler completes the puppet with most hands. With 5 clubs it bid 3♣ up to 19 HCP.
| (2♥) X (P) 2NT (P) - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣! | (R), 13–19 HCP |
| 3♦ | 14+ HCP, usually 16+, 5+♦ |
| 3♥! | 17+ HCP, 4♠, 0–1♥ |
| 3NT | 19–21 HCP, ♥ stopped |
With 5 diamonds, doubler mostly bid 3♣ with 13–15 HCP and 3♦ with 16+. For example, ♠KJ76 ♥2 ♦AKQ54 ♣A95 bids 3♦.
After 3♣, a weak advancer passes or bids its 4+-card minor. With a 3-4-3-3 shape and no 4-card minor, it bids 3♠ with only 3 spades, e.g. ♠K86 ♥J1042 ♦1076 ♣532.
| (2♥) X (P) 2NT (P) 3♣ (P) - | |
|---|---|
| P | 4+♣ |
| 3♦ | 4+♦ |
| 3♠ | 3=♠, 4=♥, 3-3 in the minors |
Partner’s 2NT overcall
After (2♥) 2NT, advancer bids exactly as over a 2NT opening, with systems on. Only the ranges differ, because the overcall is weaker than the opening.
| (2♥) 2NT (P) | |
|---|---|
| 3♣! | STAY, 6+ HCP, 4♠ |
| 3♥! | TRF, 5+♠ |
| 3♠! | TRF, 5+♣ |
| 3NT | S/O, 7–14 HCP |
| 4♣! | TRF, 6+♦ |
| 4♠! | 5+♦, 5+♣ |
| 4NT | QUANT, 12–14 HCP |
Advancer passed with up to 8 HCP and no long suit. 3♦ would be a transfer to the opponents’ suit, and it was never bid. 4♦, 5-5 in the majors, was seen once.
Not probed
- Vulnerability beyond the direct seat over (2♥) at unfavorable
- A passed hand in the direct seat, which only meets a 4th-seat opening in the harness, and passed-hand balancing over anything but (2♥)
- Balancing over 2♠ and over 3- and 4-level preempts
- Openings of (3♦) and (3♠), and the (3♦) 4♣ and (3♣) 4♦ two-suiters beyond the rows above
- The opponents’ new suit after a weak 2, e.g. (2♥) P (3♣)
- Lebensohl continuations over (2♠) and after a strong 2NT, and what doubler does after the cuebid advances
- The lower ends of the overcalls, since direct-seat probes started at 10–12 HCP
- Defense against Multi 2♦, a 2NT minor preempt and other artificial preempts, which Wbridge5 cannot be told about