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Benjamin 2C

#1 User is offline   euclidz 

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Posted 2020-June-29, 12:30

I have always believed that the size shape and strength of the Benji 2 opening should be the same as the standard Acol strong 2's (ostensibly 8 playing tricks) and the below (EBU) link seems to support that belief.

https://www.ebu.co.u.../benji-acol.pdf

I played last evening with a player who opened 2 had a flat balanced hand with 19hcp and 5 quick tricks later suggesting it was a Benji 2opening. Today searching google for what I could find to describe what the Benji 2 opening bid should look like I DID find some reports suggesting it could be 19hcp and a balanced hand.

What should a Benji 2 opening hand look like?
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#2 User is offline   PeterAlan 

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Posted 2020-June-29, 13:00

Quite a lot of people who play Benji favour a 2 opening followed by a 2NT rebid as showing 19-20 balanced, with the 2NT opening reserved for 21-22. I'm not a fan (I don't like opening 2NT with a balanced 19 count, and still less to go via 2 to do it), but it's prevalent and you'll continue to encounter it. It's a point to clear up if agreeing to play Benji with a pick-up partner.

PS: I suspect that discussions of Benji topics would normally belong in the Natural Systems forum.
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#3 User is offline   Kungsgeten 

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Posted 2020-June-29, 14:25

In Sweden it is popular to include the weaker of the two-level NT ranges (for us typically 20-21 and 22-24) in the 2C opening. A common treatment is then to play the 2M and 3m responses to the 2C opening as "to play vs 20-21 NT". I think this makes even more sense the weaker the NT range is.
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#4 User is offline   Vampyr 

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Posted 2020-June-29, 18:48

View PostKungsgeten, on 2020-June-29, 14:25, said:

In Sweden it is popular to include the weaker of the two-level NT ranges (for us typically 20-21 and 22-24) in the 2C opening. A common treatment is then to play the 2M and 3m responses to the 2C opening as "to play vs 20-21 NT". I think this makes even more sense the weaker the NT range is.


I agree with you and do the same, but I do not play Benji.
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones -- Albert Einstein
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#5 User is offline   Zelandakh 

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Posted 2020-June-30, 04:31

When playing 2 as Benji (or 2 reverse Benji), it is normal for the 2NT rebid to show a big balanced hand of some range, with a few mavericks using it for a strong 3-suiter. The traditional range is 23-24 but many ranges are possible and, as you have discovered, it is not uncommon for it to go down as far as 19-20. With my current partner, who likes Benji, we are using 22-23. As long as there is agreement about how to handle the various ranges it is not a problem.

There are some other quirks of Benji Twos as well. One that sometimes comes up is a 3NT rebid. Traditionally that shows a big major 2-suiter, and if you bid it opposite someone from France or Germany that will probably be what they expect. In the UK not too many have even heard of this and this is either bigger balanced or just remains completely unused. Some pairs even go so far as to arrange a 2 point ladder for every NT rebid, such as:-

2->2NT = 22-23
2->2NT = 24-25
2->3NT = 26-27
2->3NT = 28-29
2->4NT = 30-31
2->4NT = 32-33
2->5NT = 34-35
2->5NT = 36-37

Another area that can cause issues is what constitutes a 2 (or reverse Benji 2) opening and suit rebid. Whilst text books will tell you this is the equivalent of an Acol Two opening, you will find that many players have a much more open interpretation so that an 18 count with a 6 card suit or 16hcp and a 7 card suit is more than adequate. Some will do it on any hand with 8 tricks and 12+hcp making the opening look more like a heavy preempt than a truly strong opening.

Basically, you will not really know where you stand until you have played with someone for a while. Get used to it - this is just par for the course in Acol Land.
(-: Zel :-)

Happy New Year everyone!
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