[aguahombre]

IMHO, B/I's would do well to look at their dealt hand and first find a reason NOT to open 2C.

Criteria for 2C might be:
1-balanced hand willing to bid NT with 22+
2-one-suited hand with 9+ tricks for a major.
3-one-suited hand with 10+ tricks for a minor.

Any other hand, one might try to find a reason to do something else.

[cloa513]

---

Here is an example for 3NT
Does anyone think its guaranteed that opponents will overcall or partner will respond and of course there are slightly less extreme examples all with partner holding one ace and at least four of the other black suit and at least one of diamonds or hearts. A king in one black and queen-ten in the other would alse be enough.

Of course the original hand fails the qualification if you want 10+ in a minor to open 2C.

[aguahombre]

Yep, hands like that are what encourage lower requirements for 2C opening bids. They are unique, and IMO too specific to worry about. You can always find a perfect example to fit a point. I would rather just go with the odds that if the hand doesn't fit criteria for 2C, someone will find a bid and/or we will land in a good spot.

[Charlie Yu]

I play control showing response after 2C:
2D - 0-1 control, 0-3 HCP
2H - 0-1 control, 4+
2S - 2 controls
2NT - 3 controls,
etc.

I would open this 2C so that I know where to play immediately.

[MrAce]

Charlie Yu, on 2011-November-08, 20:35, said:

I play control showing response after 2C:
2D - 0-1 control, 0-3 HCP
2H - 0-1 control, 4+
2S - 2 controls
2NT - 3 controls,
etc.

I would open this 2C so that I know where to play immediately.

People never bid over 2♣ in your town i guess, then i would open this 2♣ too.

But in my town i would open 1♦ with this hand while i would open 2♣ with the long ♥ hand.

[mycroft]

I play control responses to 2♣, too, and they're useful. But swap North and East's hands (and to be really mean, rotate North's hand to West, West to East, East to North), and you won't be happy with 2♣-p-2♠ (I would bid 2♥, 2 controls, but meh)X; 3D-4♠ and good luck finding the heart suit now.

I hate strong single-suiters with 2♣ - sure, most of the time it's okay, but when they overcall with a long suit and crap, and fourth hand raises with a long suit and crap, I really wish I'd been able to show a suit.

Maybe people don't overcall 2♣ as much as they do around here.

[phil_20686]

I would never pass with an ace when I have a one level response available.

[gwnn]

phil_20686, on 2011-November-10, 05:11, said:

I would never pass with an ace.

Me neither.

[lmilne]

cloa513, on 2010-September-21, 21:37, said:

Here is an example for 3NT
Does anyone think its guaranteed that opponents will overcall or partner will respond and of course there are slightly less extreme examples all with partner holding one ace and at least four of the other black suit and at least one of diamonds or hearts. A king in one black and queen-ten in the other would alse be enough.

Of course the original hand fails the qualification if you want 10+ in a minor to open 2C.

Wow. You think responder is passing 1♦ when we could going off (and cold for 4♠)? Responding on this hand is completely normal - as others have said, an ace is enough, let alone the fact that it heads a 5-card major and we aren't happy with the current contract. Also, I doubt many people would pass out 1♦ either.

This discussion totally misses the risks and benefits of opening 2♣, IMO.

[billw55]

1♣ systems allow for two tiers of strong hands and can therefore distinguish this hand from a 22+ hand easily.