Opposing strong openings
This chapter covers Wbridge5’s calls after a strong opening at the 2 level.
- (2♣) is strong and artificial in all three systems Wbridge5 plays: its own, SEF, and SAYC.
- (2♦) is a strong artificial game force in Wbridge5’s own system and in SEF. SAYC opens a weak 2♦.
- Natural strong (2♦♥♠) belong to no preset system. They are a Wbridge5 option that the opponents may choose by turning weak twos off.
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that its calls over (2♣) do not change when the opponents play the SAYC preset, nor over (2♦) when they play SEF: the same 60 hands drew the same 60 calls.
All probes were at love all. Ranges are in HCP as probed unless marked as points (see hand evaluation).
Over a strong (2♣♦)
| (2♣♦) | |
|---|---|
| X! | 5+♥, 5+♠, about 9+ points |
| 2♦♥♠ | NAT, 5+#, or 6+# with a weak hand |
| 2NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣, about 11+ points |
| 3♣♦ | NAT, 6+#, about 12+ points |
| Jumps | Preemptive |
These calls are the same over both openings. A double is the only way to show both majors.
- Double: It is played from 5–6 HCP up, and has no upper limit. On the probes, 5-5 majors with 6–10 HCP doubled (2♣) 163 times and passed 8 times. With 1–5 HCP, Wbridge5 usually passes.
- Simple overcalls: A 5-card major overcalls with about 11 points, sometimes 9. Over (2♣), a 5-card diamond suit needs 12+ HCP for 2♦. A 6-card major overcalls at the 2 level with 5–11 HCP, much like a weak two.
- Unusual notrump: 2NT shows the minors. With 5-5 minors, Wbridge5 bids 2NT on 10+ HCP and sometimes on 8–9 HCP. Weaker hands pass.
- Minors at the 3 level: 3♣ over (2♣) and 3♣♦ over (2♦) are natural 6-card suits with about 12+ points. A 5-card minor passes; Wbridge5 never overcalled one at the 3 level.
- Jumps: A jump to 3 of a major takes a 6-card suit with two of the top three honors, or a 7-card suit. A jump to 4 of a major takes a 7-card suit. (2♣) 3♦ and (2♣) 4♣ are 7+-card preempts with 6–10 HCP. These are the criteria of preemptive openings.
There is no natural notrump and no takeout double. A strong balanced hand passes. All 27 hands with 15–18 HCP and no 5-card suit passed (2♣), such as ♠AK3 ♥K6 ♦J652 ♣AK53.
- ♠AJ862 ♥KQ942 ♦4 ♣92: Double.
- ♠Q9853 ♥Q9865 ♦J4 ♣2: Pass. This hand is too weak to double.
- ♠KQ9762 ♥10 ♦K9 ♣K843: Bid 2♠.
- ♠AQJ763 ♥J ♦32 ♣10852: Bid 3♠.
- ♠9 ♥82 ♦A10764 ♣A10752: Bid 2NT.
- ♠Q2 ♥J753 ♦J ♣AKJ872: Bid 3♣ over (2♣).
After the artificial response
Once responder has made the artificial response, a double of it shows that suit. The majors double is gone.
| (2♣) - P - (2♦) | |
|---|---|
| X | 5+♦, about 11+ points, or 6+♦ with 6–10 HCP |
| 2♥♠ | NAT, 5+# |
| 2NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣ |
| 3♣ | NAT, 6+♣ |
| 3♦ | NAT, 6+♦, about 10+ HCP |
| Jumps | Preemptive |
| (2♦) - P - (2♥) | |
|---|---|
| X | 5+♥, from about 8 HCP |
| 2♠ | NAT, 5+♠ |
| 2NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣ |
| 3♣♦ | NAT, 6+# |
| 3♥ | NAT, 6+♥, 9+ HCP |
Here 2♥ is the no-ace response; see strong 2♦. The other calls are the same as over the opening itself. After (2♣) P (2♦), Wbridge5 bids a 5-5 major two-suiter as one major: 2♠ on 166 of 300 hands and 2♥ on 58. Most of the rest passed.
- ♠AK8 ♥K1073 ♦KQ932 ♣9: Double (2♣) P (2♦).
- ♠J2 ♥54 ♦AK109854 ♣Q10: Bid 3♦ over (2♣) P (2♦).
- ♠92 ♥AQ10864 ♦Q64 ♣108: Double (2♦) P (2♥).
Natural strong twos
When weak twos are off, the opponents’ 2♦♥♠ openings are natural and strong. The opponents’ strong-2♦ setting then has no effect. When Wbridge5 itself plays strong twos, responder answers 2♥ with a 2NT negative on 3–6 HCP and passes with 0–3 HCP, so the opening is not absolutely forcing. The calls in the balancing seat below come from this case.
Over (2♥♠)
| (2♥♠) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout, short in their suit, about 13+ points; or 17+ HCP |
| 2♠ | NAT, 5+♠, about 11+ points |
| 2NT | NAT, 16–20 HCP, BAL |
| 3♣♦ | NAT, 6+#, 9–16 HCP |
| 3♥ | NAT over (2♠), 5+♥, about 13+ points |
| 4NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣, about 16+ points |
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that 2NT is natural here, not unusual. The minors take 4NT instead, and weaker 5-5 minors pass or bid one minor at the 3 level. The cuebid was never seen as Michaels: with 5-5 spades and a minor, Wbridge5 bids 2♠ over (2♥) or doubles with 14+ HCP.
With 4 spades and a singleton heart, a takeout double can be as light as 10 HCP, as with ♠Q963 ♥7 ♦AJ76 ♣QJ83. With 2+ hearts it takes about 13 HCP. A 6-card heart suit bids 3♥ over (2♠) from about 9 HCP.
- ♠KJ ♥K72 ♦KQ74 ♣KQJ10: Bid 2NT.
- ♠K3 ♥KQJ62 ♦10 ♣AJ865: Bid 3♥ over (2♠).
- ♠K8 ♥4 ♦K10943 ♣AKJ84: Bid 4NT over (2♥).
Over a natural (2♦)
| (2♦) | |
|---|---|
| X | 14–20 HCP, usually balanced |
| 2♥♠ | NAT, 5+#, about 11+ points |
| 2NT! | 5+♦, 5+♣ |
| 3♣ | NAT, 6+♣, 12–16 HCP |
| 3♦! | 5+♥, 5+♠ |
Over a natural (2♦), 2NT still shows the minors, so a strong balanced hand doubles. A diamond suit passes, even with 6+ cards and 15 HCP. In a 20-hand probe, 5-5 majors split evenly: 3♦ with 9–15 HCP, and a double with 8–9 or 17+ HCP. The main probe has one 3♦, ♠AJ862 ♥KQ942 ♦4 ♣92.
Sandwich and balancing over (2♥)
| (2♥) - P - (2NT) | |
|---|---|
| X | 15–18 HCP |
| 3♣♦♠ | NAT, 6+#, 10+ HCP |
After the 2NT negative, Wbridge5 passes most hands up to 16 HCP.
| (2♥) - P - (P) | |
|---|---|
| X | Takeout or strong, 11–20 HCP |
| 2♠ | NAT, 5+♠ (once 4), 7–15 HCP |
| 2NT | NAT, 13–18 HCP |
| 3♣♦ | NAT, 5+#, 7–15 HCP |
In the balancing seat, every call needs a few HCP less than in the direct seat. A 5-card minor is enough at the 3 level, as with ♠K ♥K95 ♦AQJ95 ♣10865 (3♦).
Not probed
- Advances: advancer’s calls after any of these overcalls were not probed, including whether a natural 2NT over (2♥♠) is systems on.
- Other auctions: natural (2♠) and (2♦) were probed only in the direct seat; (2♥) was also probed after (P) (2NT) and (P) (P). After (2♦) P (2♥), 5-5 majors were not probed.
- Thin rows: jumps over natural strong twos (one or two rows each), and 3♦ with the majors over a natural (2♦) outside that 20-hand probe.
- SAYC’s 2♦: it is a weak two and belongs with weak openings.
- Doubles of a strong 2NT: the help file says they show both majors.