Strong Three suiter using 2C

In Chapter one, most of the 2♣ opening bids and continuations were covered. One case was only mentioned: the "strong" three suiter. This post will cover how to bid with them.

Over a 2♥ or 2♠ game is not forced when opener shows his three suiter. Over 2♦'s, game is more likely, but not forced. In all three cases, opener starts with a 2NT rebid to show the unknown three suiter. If responder had responded with the bid of misery (2♥ or 2♠) then over openers 2NT rebid, all responder bids are natural, looking for a fit. So if responder rebids 3♣ opener can pass with clubs. If opener is short is clubs, he bids 3♦ and the auction is still alive until a fit is found.

When responder uses a semi-positive bid, game doesn't have to be bid. If responder has only one likely trick, over 2NT, he can bid 3♦ or 3♥ to show that suit and only one likely trick. Opener can pass or bid the next highest suit. But 3♠ over 2NT shows a weak 6 card suit and only one trick. However, if responder has two or more tricks, he bids 3♣ over openers 2NT rebid to start an artificial auction.

Responder is in control. He uses a series of relays to ask for the short suit and losers, then controls, then missing queens. The asking bids are always in the short suit (or 5NT if the next easiest bid to ask is 6 of the short suit). The best write up on this is on Chris's page, see
http://www.cavendish.demon.co.uk/bridge/two/clubs-4441.htm

So I will summarize here, and you can go read his text/examples.

2♣ - 2♦ -2NT -3♣ <<=== 1st ask Over the 1st relay ask, opener bids the suit below his shortness (singleton or void) in steps. First group of steps is 4-5 losers (3♦ = 4/5 with short ♥'s; 3♥ = 4/5 losers short ♠). Then 2-3 losers. There is one small problem you don't want to go beyond 3NT on some hands, so a 3♠ rebid by opener shows 2-3 losers and shortness in one or the other minor. Then 3NT shows 4-5 short club, etc. A second gotcha, if responder has diamonds, he should just bid 3NT over 2NT (shows diamonds) becase all the weak responses (4-5 losers) are at 3NT or lower except for the one with diamonds, which is at four clubs.

At any time, if responder bids a non-short suit it is a signoff. But responder can keep asking questions by bidding the short suit. The second question ask, how many losers (4 or 5) or (2 or 3) and how short. The steps are 1st step=most loser-singleton, 2nd step = fewest loser singleton, 3rd step = fewest losers singleton, and 4th step fewest losers void. After finding loser count and length in short suit, next rebid in short suit ask for controls. This is straight foward count. Minimum is five, so first step shows five, each step shows one more (Ace=2, K=1 control, but don't count singleton king). If opener had shown 2-3 losers, the cheapest step shows six controls.

After showing number of controls, the next question ask for cheapest suit in which the QUEEN is missing. Any skipped suit has the queen, and remember that for this asking bid you use the short suit or 5NT, which ever is lowest.

Special Sequence
2♣ - 2♦ 2NT - 3♣ - 3♠ Remember that this three spade bid shows 2 or 3 losers and a minor short suit. Responder bids 3NT to find out what openers hand is. Opener rebids 4♣ with a short Diamond, and 4♦, 4H, 4S and 4NT with short club and losers (4H and 4NT show club void, 4S and 4♦ show three losers).

Below are some example auction. For other real world example hands and a rehash of the methods, see the following two links. Feel free to add hands you discover this method works for to either of these threads examples. Introduction to three suited 2♣ opening bid. http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=1646&st=0&#entry10168

More example hands using three suited 2♣ opening bids http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=4058&st=0&#entry31145

Word of caution. Chris Ryall suggest NOT using this bid with three suiter containing a five card major. I think this is a well crafted caution on MINIMUM hands you might consider opening with 2 clubs. But any 3 loser or fewer hands, you must open 2Clubs even with a five card major. And control rich four loser hands might be considered. With five losers, open these 1M.

S AQJ6      S 872       
H AK63      H 75        
D QJT6      D K743      
C 3         C AQ84    
  
2C  2D      2D = semi positive
2NT 3C      2NT = 3 suiter
3NT Pass    3C = at least two tricks
            3NT = 4/5 loser, short club

-------------------------

IMP-16      altairds    Dlr: South
Board 5449  S T65       Vul: None
            H 864     
            D KJ8                  2C  2D
S Q93       C KJ73      S J87      2NT 3C
H Q7                    H AJ93     3D  Pass
D 732                   D 964     
C A8642     S AK42      C Q95     
            H KT52    
            D AQT5    
            C T     

Even with this horrible minimum, 3NT wins 8 imps.

-------------------------
  
S AKQT      S 832    2C   2D    
H Q         H 94     2NT  3D    
D AK62      D T953   Pass       
C QT54      C AJ83              

2D=semi+ or better
2NT=three suiter
3D= one tricks, diamonds, 3C would be ask
PAss, fit found, high enough.

-------------------------    
S AQ72      S KT4    2C  2D    
H AKT4      H 95     2NT 3C    
D K         D J54    4C  4D    
C AJ63      C KQT94  4H  6C    
                     Pass
3C = ask
4C = short D
4D = Ask
4H = 4414, 5 losers

This is the problem hand for this method, as 
you quickly run out of spade to investigate, but 
with KQ of clubs and king of spades, partner 
needs excellent hearts. You can hardly be off 
two aces, as partner needs five controls, and 
good suits with minimum hands.

-------------------------

IMP-19      bulent34    Dlr: North
Board 11228 S T9        Vul: Both
            H 53      
bob1l       D J93       zely      
S J643      C A96532    S 852     
H AKQ976                H JT84    
D T         sezerc      D K8642   
C 87        S AKQ7      C T       
            H 2       
            D AQ75    
            C KQJ4    

East     South    West     North     
                           Pass      
Pass     2C       2H       Pass      
3H       DBL      Pass     5C        
Pass     6C       All Pass           

1-Pass = see chapter one for interference
2-DBL = takeout, shows this type hand
3-5C = reason to bid, long clubs, a useful card
     (not two sueful cards, since no bid earlier
4 6C reasonable gamble.

-------------------------

S KQJ32    S 7        
H AKT9     H Q53      
D AKQ2     D T75      
C          C AKQ873

2C    2NT      2NT = AKQxxx or AKJxxxx or better, little else
3NT   4H       4H = suprise heart card, must be queen
6NT   Pass     6NT, worth shot

3NT after 3C is to play, as REsponder has shown 
his hand. 

(note, Chris Ryall doesn't open show this as 
three suiter, but this hand would still open 
2C anyway. I don't mind having five card major 
for three suiter, but do require higher standard
to open with one. Two losers is higher standard).

-------------------------

S K632     S T754    2C    2D    
H AKQJ     H 9732    2NT   3H    
D          D AJ5     4H
C AKQ65    C J9     
                  
3H looking for fit, warning of only 1 trick
4H one trick is enough

-------------------------  

S AKQ7     S J62     2C   2D     
H AKQ8     H J6      2NT  3D     
D 3        D J9642   3NT  4S     
C AT84     C K96     Pass        

2D = semi+ or better
2NT = three suiter
3D = one trick, Diamonds
3NT = short D, great hand

-------------------------    

S AK83     S JT7654    2C   2D    
H Q        H JT532     2NT  3H    
D AKQ5     D 32        3NT  4S    
C AQ92     C           Pass       

2D = one trick for either major
2NT = three suiter
3H = warning, weak hand (hehehe)                                 
3NT = short heart
4S = game

------------------------- 

S AK64     S J875    2C   2H   
H KQJ3     H 874     2NT  3D   
D          D J982    3S   4S   
C AKQ72    C 84      Pass      
                                                
2H = no trick for H contract
2NT = three suiter
3D = maybe we can play in diamonds
3H = I have short diamond
3S = spades then
4S, you only need 4 spades, is that too much to ask?

-------------------------

S AKT4     S 876      2C    2D
H AKQ5     H T7       2NT   3C
D K643     D 85       3S    3NT
C A        C K86432   4D    4S
                      Pass

2NT = three suiter, you know now.
3C = with clubs, ackward. Could bid 4C to 
     show one trick, long clubs, but risk
     missing 3NT
3S = short minor, 2-3 loser
3NT = ask, partner could be
      AKQx AKxx A AQJx
4D = 4441 with 2-3 losers
4S = hope for the best. 

-------------------------

    

S AKT4     S 876      2C   2D   
H AKQ5     H T7       2NT  4C    
D K643     D 85       3S   4C        
C A        C K86432   Pass

3C (shudder, we may be in 4NT too soon)
4C = I have just clubs, and weak hand,
5C = you must have six, to King and out

S AKQT      S J32      2C   2H      
H AKQ2      H 543      2NT  3C      
D A         D 543      6C   wow     
C KQJT      C 6543                  

2H = no trick for hearts
2NT in theory 2-5 losers, here lie
3C = can we play 3C?
6C = twice.

---------------------------

S AKJ8     S T97       2C   2H      
H 3        H J98762    2NT  3H      
D AK82     D T9        3S   Pass    
C AK95     C T7          

2H = no trick for hearts
3H = four plus hearts
3S = whew, just in time

Not all hands using this method turn out wonderfully. When
responder is weak and opener has the three suiter, it is possible to get to impossible 3NT contracts or delicate 4-3 fits at the three level. The worse ones seem to be hands where opener has five losers, and responder has one winner and there is a misfit. I will show one example, plus an example of a good hand for the method below.

First the bad hand for the method. Over 2NT, opener has a choice, he can bid 3NT (anytime with diamonds afte 2NT, you have to bid 3NT since opener has short diamonds if you bid 3C, his reponse of 4C might take you past the best spot. However, with only one trick, rather than 3NT, your reply should bid 3D. This doesn't help a lot, as partner will try to correct to 3H. You are stuck, so you pass 3H, and partner plays in 4-3 fit. Realistically this should be down two. But will probably be down one. This is not going to be a good result for you, either way (it will not be as bad as reflected in the scores on this hand, as the +1000 your way at one table is not realistic).

                        Dlr: West 
            S J8        Vul: E-W
            H T75       
            D KT652       
S KQ9653    C T42       S 7         
H 96                    H KJ42      
D 87                    D AQ943     
C A87       S AT42      C 953       
            H AQ83      
            D J         
            C KQJ6      
East     South    West     North    
                  Pass     2C       
Pass     2D       Pass     2NT
Pass     3D       Pass     3H
All Pass

2NT = three suiter
3D = warning, one trick, I have diamonds
3H = I have hearts, 4/5 losers, short diamond     
Pass = yuck. I know we are too high. 

 =======================================
  # Contr   Ld    Tr  Score   Pts
 =======================================
  1 3DX   W CK   5  1100  14.13          
  2 1NX   W CJ   5   500   7.80          
  3 3N    E C2   6   300   4.00          
  4 2S    E C2    6   200   1.67          
  5 2S    E C2    6   200   1.67          
  6 1N    S DA     9   150   0.47          
  7 2N    N SK    8   120  -0.07          
  8 2S    E HT    7   100  -0.93          
  9 2S    E CT    7   100  -0.93          
 10 2S    E C2  7   100  -0.93          
 11 1C    N D8   8    90  -0.93          
 12 2N    N S6      7   -50  -4.47          
 13 3H    N D8  8   -50  -4.47          
 14 2H    N SQ     7   -50  -4.47          
 15 3N    N D8   7  -100  -5.73          
 16 2H    N D8   5  -150  -6.80          

Next a good hand for the method. Note in this example,
not one pair out of 16 even found hearts as a trump suit (disaster for matchpoints). And quite a few overreached to 6 clubs off two aces. Look at the suggested auction.

IMP-15                  Dlr: East  
            S KJ32      Vul: None
            H 6542      
            D 6               
S A954      C T643      S QT876     
H 93                    H AT7       
D T7543                 D J82       
C A2        S           C 75        
            H KQJ8      
            D AKQ9      
            C KQJ98     

South    West     North    East    
                           2C       
Pass     2D       Pass     2NT
Pass     3H       Pass     4S
Pass     5C       Pass     5H
Pass

2NT = three suiter
3H = one trick warning, hearts
4s = Exclusion keycard blackwood
5C = 0 key cards outside of SPADES*

*note this 4S is funny 6 Keycard ask, 
three aces, three kings So if opener was
-- KQJ9 AKQ9 AQJxx, and responders spade
king was club king, slam would be bid
as the club king would be shown in the
steps. Simple, huh? 

Opening lead: H9    Result: Made 5
Score: 150          

  # Contr   Ld  Decl     Tr  Score   Pts
 =======================================
  1 6DX   W HA     7 -1100 -15.67          
  2 6CX   E SA     11  -100  -6.27          
  3 6CX   E SA     11  -100  -6.27          
  4 1C    E H9     11   150  -0.87          
  5 1C    E H9     11   150  -0.87          
  6 1C    E H9     11   150  -0.87          
  7 1C    E H9     11   150  -0.87          
  8 1C    E H9     11   150  -0.87          
  9 3C    E CA     11   150  -0.87          
 10 1C    E H9     11   150  -0.87          
 11 2H    E D3     11   200   0.67          
 12 5C    E H9     11   400   4.93          
 13 5C    E D3     11   400   4.93          
 14 5C    E D3     11   400   4.93          
 15 3DX   S C6     06   500   7.07          
 16 5CXX  E H3     11   800  11.73