5.0 Strong Opening Hands

Strong Balanced Hands

Strong balanced hands are shown in the following way:

20 - 21	Open 2NT
22 - 23	Open 2♣ and rebid 2NT
24 - 25	Open 2♣ and rebid 3NT Rebid
26 - 27	Open 3NT

They may include a five card major on a hand that is 5-3-3-2. Note that we do not open 2♣ and rebid a major with any 5-3-3-2 hand and less than 28 HCP.

2NT Opening

West	North	East	South
2NT	Pass	?

West	North	East	South
2♣	Pass	2♦	Pass
2NT	Pass	?

The continuations are the same for both of the above auctions.

3♣	Stayman
3♦	Jacoby Transfer to hearts
3♥	Jacoby Transfer to spades
3♠	Minor Suit Stayman
3NT	To play
4♣	Gerber
4♦	Texas Transfer to hearts
4♥	Texas Transfer to spades
4♠	Unused
4NT	Invitational to 6NT
5NT	Invitational to 7NT

The same principles are used as over 1NT to define when 4NT by responder is invitational and when it is RCKB.

2NT Rebid After Opening 2♣

Responses are the same as to a 2NT Opening.

Minor Suit Stayman

Responses to the 3NT Opening or 2♣ - 2♦; 3NT

West	North	East	South
	3NT	Pass	?

West	North	East	South
	2♣	Pass	2♦
Pass	3NT	Pass	?

The continuations are the same for both of the above auctions.

4♣	Stayman
4♦	Jacoby Transfer to hearts
4♥	Jacoby Transfer to spades
4♠	Minor Suit Stayman
4NT	Invitational to 6NT
5♣	Super Gerber
5♦ - 5♠	Unused
5NT	Invitational to 7NT

West	North	East	South
	2♣	Pass	2♦
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♣
Pass	?

4♦	No four-card major
4♥	4+ hearts, may have 4 spades
4♠	4+ spades, denies 4 hearts

West	North	East	South
	2♣	Pass	2♦
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♦
Pass	4♥	Pass	?

4♠	5+ hearts, 4+ spades
4NT	Invitational to 6♥ or 6NT
5♣	Super Gerber

Responses to 2♣ Opener

West	North	East	South
	2♣	Pass	?

2♦	At least an Ace or King, any distribution
2♥	No Ace or King, any distribution
2♠	5+ spades, good suit
2NT	5+ hearts, good suit
3♣	5+ clubs, good suit
3♦	5+ diamonds, good suit

Good suit = 2 of the top 3 honours.

Why We Do the Things We Do

Most of the time when partner opens 2♣, we want to stay out of the way so she can describe her good hand. So, we use the two cheapest bids as artificial responses that say whether or not we have a potential “key” card, such as an Ace or King.

If partner has a balanced hand, we’ll know the range and be in the captain’s seat, able to ask or tell about suit fits as we usually do, and place the contract. Since we use transfers and asking bids, (Stayman is one of the most common “asking bids”) it usually works out that partner will be on play.

On the other hand, when you have a strong trick-taking holding such as AKxxx, AQxxx, or KQxxx, the strong balanced hand is often in a better position to count the winners to find slam contracts. We therefore save our most expensive responses (2♠ - 3♦) to show those hands.

When the Opponents Interfere Over Our Strong 2♣ Opening

They	We	They	We
	2♣	Dbl	?

Pass	5+ clubs, any strength
2♦	At least an Ace or King
2♥	Negative
2♠	Positive response, 5+ spades, good suit
2NT	Positive response, 5+ hearts, good suit
3♣	Unused
3♦	Positive response, 5+ diamonds, good suit

Good suit = 2 of the top 3 honours.

They	We	They	We
	2♣	2♠	?

Pass	Equivalent to a 2♦ response, at least an Ace or King, no good suit
Dbl	Equivalent to a 2♥ response, no Ace or King outside spades, although you may have some strength in spades
2NT	Unused
3♣	Positive response, 5+ clubs, good suit
3♦	Positive response, 5+ diamonds, good suit
3♥	Positive response, 5+ hearts, good suit

Good suit = 2 of the top 3 honours.

Opener’s Rebids After 2♣ Opener

West	North	East	South
	2♣	Pass	2♦
Pass	?

West	North	East	South
	2♣	Pass	2♥
Pass	?

2♥	5+ hearts, game force (only applies over a 2♦ response!)
2♠	5+ spades, game force
2NT	22 - 23 HCP, balanced
3♣	5+ clubs, game force
3♦	5+ diamonds, game force
3♥	Sets hearts as trump and demands cue bid (except over a 2♥ response, where it is 5+ hearts, game force!)
3♠	Sets spades as trump and demands cue bid
3NT	24 - 25 HCP, balanced

Why We Do the Things We Do

I highly recommend that you play all rebids by the 2♣ opener as a game force except for the 2NT rebid. This is stronger than “Standard American”. It fits with the philosophy that you will respond to an opening bid with an Ace or more… if that is going to happen, you don’t need to open 2♣ with unbalanced hands with less than 9 or 10 tricks.