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Bidding your suit naturally at the two level, after partner has opened one of a suit

Make sure you have read the page dealing with one-level responses before you tackle this page.


This page is still the Y of SYN, responders' acronym and her second option.

If a response at the two level is being contemplated ( involving a change of suit ), then the partnership will be looking for eight tricks instead of seven, and so responder must have a marginally stronger hand---a minimum of eight points. In general, you do not need a five-card suit to bid it at the two level ( but note the page dealing with a two heart response to an opening bid of one spade).

You will find many reputable authors who recommend nine or even ten points if responder is to bid at the two level. In my view, this complicates the arithmetic unnecessarily and the whole system sticks together much better if you accept a minimum of eight points rather than anything higher.

As with responses at the one-level, responder may have a much stronger hand ( at least up to fifteen points ) and has no need to show it on this first response. Intervention once again blurs many of our basic principles. Remember that we are dealing with a response at the lowest available level. Jump-shifts are dealt with elsewhere.

 

S A96 Just enough to bid 2C over partner's 1D, 1H or 1S.After 1S, say, by the opposition, 2C is still viable but if they bid, say, 2D over partner's 1H, we are not strong enough for 3C and must either pass or bid 2H ( ouch! ).
H 654
D 765
C A973
 

 

S A765 After 1H from partner, 1S is better than 2C.The most difficult auction here might be 1H by partner with a 2D rebid. Nothing is satisfactory now.
H 32
D 32
C KQ932
 

 

S K32 After 1H from partner, prefer 2D to 2NT, a bid which you can always make on the second round. This 2NT direct response is only valid if there is value in the lead coming up to your hand.
H A32
D A 432
C 432
 

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