[chcantre]

If you are playing standard weak two's, and you have a hand that has 6 clubs and 10 points, what would be the correct opening bid?

[DavidKok]

There's no way to tell from just the information you've given. It may be any of pass, 1♣, 3♣ or even something like gambling 3NT. If you have found room in your system to include a weak two in clubs that's a distinct fifth possibility.

[Stephen Tu]

Standard weak twos don't include clubs, because most bidding systems need the 2 club bid to show stronger hands (std is *very strong* hands). So with a hand that you'd routinely open a weak two in another suit, you have the choice between overbidding a bit with *three* clubs, or passing. Which you should choose is dependent on suit quality, vulnerability, position, partnership expectations/style, so it's going to depend on which 10 pts are held, which 6 clubs, and people's opinions may vary.

[mikeh]

chcantre, on 2022-March-07, 10:04, said:

If you are playing standard weak two's, and you have a hand that has 6 clubs and 10 points, what would be the correct opening bid?

Pass

In the early years of bridge, two bids (2 of a suit) were natural but very strong.

Then some players realized that opening at the level with a two bid showing a six card suit and less than opening values created problems for the opponents.

However, they still needed a way to show a very strong hand, so the inventors of the weak two reserved 2C for all strong hands (other than 2N and, at that time, 3N).

Very few players used a forcing 1C system at that time, and of course forcing club systems generally reserve 2C for a normal opening hand with long clubs, since 1C was now artificial. Note that some relatively modern methods have 1C as forcing but with a range of hands that includes strong hands and minimum range club suits (i e Polish Club)

So the great majority of bidding methods used over the past 50+ years need 2C for some use other than weak.

Indeed, at the expert level outside of NA few experts use a weak two diamonds either. The ACBL has long frowned on exposing the average player to what are seen (by the ACBL but by virtually no other bridge organization around the world) as esoteric methods for 2D. Recently probably the commonest artificial usage, Multi 2D, has been allowed by the ACBL In some events.

I recently played a Polish pair whose 2C showed 4+ hearts and an unspecified second 4+ suit and a very weak hand, while 2D showed a similar hand with spades! They used an ambiguous 1C opening akin to Polish Club.

I hope that helps you understand why the vast majority of players do NOT open a ‘weak 2C’

Finally, the modern trend in expert circles is to open a lot of three bids on hands that, until this practice developed, would have been weak two bids….so 3suit no longer shows 7…it’s 6+!

[Cyberyeti]

Depends on the hand, ♣KQJ10xx and a side Axxx is an easy 1♣ for us, where ♣QJxxxx with Ax, Kx, xxx is a pass. Some positions/hands/vul you might open 3♣.

[helene_t]

mikeh, on 2022-March-07, 10:24, said:

Note that some relatively modern methods have 1C as forcing but with a range of hands that includes strong hands and minimum range club suits balanced hands (i e Polish Club)

FYP

[pescetom]

mikeh, on 2022-March-07, 10:24, said:

Finally, the modern trend in expert circles is to open a lot of three bids on hands that, until this practice developed, would have been weak two bids….so 3suit no longer shows 7…it’s 6+!

Maybe you could give some examples of 6 card (non-clubs) hands suitable to open at 3 level rather than 2 or 1?

[akwoo]

I would open ♠x ♥KQJxxx ♦xxxx ♣xx with 3H in third seat or white vs red.

[mikeh]

pescetom, on 2022-March-07, 12:03, said:

Maybe you could give some examples of 6 card (non-clubs) hands suitable to open at 3 level rather than 2 or 1?

White v red at imps first seat x xx KQ10xxx Qxxx is, imo, a clear 3D opening and not close to the weakest hand

[LBengtsson]

chcantre, on 2022-March-07, 10:04, said:

If you are playing standard weak two's, and you have a hand that has 6 clubs and 10 points, what would be the correct opening bid?

The other idea to note is if there was a weak 2♣ bid available (which there is not) it is easier for the opponents to overcall, so as other forum members have said it depends on the position at the table, the vulnerability, and the type of partner you are playing with. So pass, 1♣ and 3♣ are options as the other forum commentators have said.

If you are playing a system like Precision where 1♣ is the strong bid, many players could open this hand with 2♣ showing 6+ ♣ or 5♣ with 4♥ or 4♠ and 10-15 points, though some may pass depending on suit quality, and some may pass as they use a 11-15 point range, or again there is the pre-emptive 3♣ option also available.

The problem with modern bidding is that if you open with 1♣ in a standard system such as SAYC or 2/1 partner does not know if the auction is fast and you cannot repeat the ♣ suit whether you have 3+ ♣ (sometimes 2+♣) as many play these days, or a better and longer suit. And that might put partner off leading your best suit.

[chcantre]

Stephen Tu, on 2022-March-07, 10:19, said:

Standard weak twos don't include clubs, because most bidding systems need the 2 club bid to show stronger hands (std is *very strong* hands). So with a hand that you'd routinely open a weak two in another suit, you have the choice between overbidding a bit with *three* clubs, or passing. Which you should choose is dependent on suit quality, vulnerability, position, partnership expectations/style, so it's going to depend on which 10 pts are held, which 6 clubs, and people's opinions may vary.

Thank you. What you suggest is what I was thinking, but wanted confirmation on. Thank you, again.