contract bridge Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. Millions o ...

, a strong two-bid (also known as a forcing two-bidFrancis et al (2001), p. 443.Francis et al (2001), p. 163. The strong two-bid was the cornerstone of the Culbertson system.) is an opening bid of two in a suit, i.e. 2, 2, 2 or 2 . It is a natural bid, used to show a hand that is too strong to open at the one level. Commonly used in the early days of bridge, most expert players converted after World War II to the now more common

weak two bid The weak two bid is a common used in the game of contract bridge, where an opening bid of two diamonds, hearts or spades signifies a weak hand, typically containing a long suit. It may be deployed within any system structure that offers a forcing ...

retaining only 2 as a strong opening suit-bid and changing its meaning to artificial and forcing holding any suit. This was done on the basis that the weak two-bid would occur much more frequently. In

Standard American Standard American is a bidding system for the game of bridge widely used in North America and elsewhere. Owing to the popularization of the game by Charles Goren in the 1940s and 1950s, its early versions were sometimes referred to simply as 'Go ...

bidding,

Charles Goren Charles Henry Goren (March 4, 1901 – April 3, 1991) was an American bridge player and writer who significantly developed and popularized the game. He was the leading American bridge personality in the 1950s and 1960s – or 1940s and 1950s, as " ...

advocated that a strong two-bid should indicate a five-card suit with 25 high card points (HCP), a six-card suit with 23 HCP, or a seven-card suit with 21 HCP and is to game. In

Acol Acol is the bridge bidding system that, according to ''The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge'', is "standard in British tournament play and widely used in other parts of the world". It is a natural system using four-card majors and, most commonly, ...

, the main bidding system in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, strong two bids are still used by many players. The 2, 2 and 2 opening bids show hands which are so strong that if partner passed an opening one-bid with less than 6 points, game might be missed, but which are not strong enough to force to game if partner has nothing at all. They are based on one or two long strong suits with some outside strength, with eight or nine playing tricks, and typically have about four losers and at least 16 points, usually more. The 2 bid is retained for an even stronger hand which is game forcing. Modern Acol players frequently use both weak twos and strong twos, by adopting Benjamin two-bids or the

Multi 2 diamonds Multi-coloured 2 diamonds, is a contract bridge bridge convention, convention whereby the opening bid of 2D shows a defined range of hand types. These always include a Weak two bid, weak-two bid in a major suit, and the second option, that must be ...

Responses

Normally, a strong two bid is forcing for at least one round. Possible responses are: *A 2NT response is negative, showing a weak hand (six points or fewer in

). All other responses are positive; in

these require 8 or more points or an Ace-King, i.e. 1½ quick tricks. *Raise partner's suit with 3-card support. *Bid a new suit with some values and 5+ cards in the new suit *Bid 3NT with good values and a balanced hand. Some Acol players allow a strong two bid (not 2) to be passed. This means they can't safely be used for two-suited hands.

Citations and references

Cited sources

* * Really Easy Bidding. English Bridge Union. * Really Easy Modern Acol, English Bridge Union. Bridge conventions {{bridge-game-stub

Responses

See also

Citations and references

Cited sources