[mikeh]

bid_em_up, on Jun 11 2008, 01:02 PM, said:

mikeh, on Jun 11 2008, 11:37 AM, said:

.... and would pass in all seats, under all circumstances, if I did not have a weak 2♦ in my arsenal (and, in serious events, I usually won't have that weapon).

What do you use 2♦ as? (Just curious)

Currently, when the conditons of contest allow it, my favourite is 2♦ is 3-7 weak 2 bid in a major, with 2♥/♠ sound (8-12) weak twos.

I think that, in theory, we should probably not play this red v white, since good defenders may really clobber the 2♦ opening, but the method was highly successful in the last event we played (and the 1st one we used the gadget in real competition). The method has not be legal at low-level ACBL games (I haven't read the new regulations but would be very surprised if the ACBL had loosened the noose). So for those events, I play a weak 2♦... but preferably with a structure that allows for 4 card majors on the side.

[awm]

There's such a thing as taking alerting too far.

Should my partner alert my 1♦ openings because she knows I will not open 1♦ with longer clubs? Should I alert her weak twos because she occasionally does not have any of the top three honors, or is that only an alert at vulnerable? Should she alert my 15-17 1NT openings because I sometimes upgrade with 14 and a five-card suit, or should I alert hers because she doesn't?

The fact is that every bridge player has his or her own style. And any pair that has played together fairly frequently will be aware of these style issues. Suggesting that we should alert any bid where we know more about partner's hand than the opponents means that in a regular partnership, we should alert every bid.

Most people agree that an outside ace is a "negative feature" for a weak two bid, just as holding a side four-card major is a "negative feature." The difference between "rarely" and "never" doesn't seem like justification for an alert. On the other hand a weak two that promises an outside ace (or a side 4cM) would be quite unusual.

[Apollo81]

strongly agree with adam

[fromageGB]

2♣ any conditions.
I play this as a multi, partner will respond 2♦ if he has any hand that would pass a weak 2 in diamonds, and I will pass that.