On 2 Bidding Structures

     Q1: - What is the minimum point-count you believe you should have for a 2 opener?  What other requirements are desirable or necessary?

     Since most respondents use 20-21 or 20-22 for 2NT openings, they require 22 or 23 high-card points to open 2 with balanced hands.  For unbalanced hands, most don't rely too heavily on point-count to make their evaluation.  Some play with a  minimum of 18 HCPs; others play with 20-21 HCPs.  From on-line discussions it appears that many will stretch their limits with a MAJOR one-suiter, but required maximum values when holding a minor one-suiter or any two-suited hand.
        

     Q2: - What is the minimum point-count or defensive strength that you believe should be *required* for a "legal" 2 opener?
Specifically, would you consider opening 2 with:

	No	Maybe	Yes
xx AKQ10xxx AQJx Void	6	8	14
AKx, Void KQxxxxxx xx	27	0	1
x AKQJxxxxx xx x	25	2	1

     Q3: - If you were on a committee hearing an appeal involving a 2 opener made with one of the hands above, would you rule that any of them constituted a psychic bid? [ According to current ACBL regulations, it's illegal to psyche an opening that is strong and artificial, such as a strong 2 or a Precision 1.]

	No	Maybe	Yes
xx AKQ10xxx AQJx Void	25	5	0
AKx, Void KQxxxxxx xx	12	12	6
x AKQJxxxxx xx x	10	13	7

     Even though the first hand is a sub-minimum as far as traditional point-count, it fits most players' requirements for a 2 opener.
     Half the respondents said they would open it 2, and more than 80% would rule that it was "legal".
     Of the second and third hands, many who answered "Maybe" indicated that their decision would depend on the player's skill level and intent to deceive. They would give a novice some rope, but would assume that a good player was deliberately psyching the call.
     Several respondents said the issue of proper system announcement was also a factor. If a pair routinely opens hands like the second and third with 2, then this should be clearly marked on their card (some said it should even be alerted or pre-alerted).Some who said they would not rule these were illegal psychics said they would nevertheless consider imposing a penalty for misinformation.

     Q4: - What general structure do you use for responses to a strong 2?
     In your favorite partnership, what are the meanings of responder's bids of 2, 2NT, 3NT, a suit, a jump in a suit (2 - 3) ?

General structure:

Control-showing responses	9
Point-count (Jacoby steps)	3
Other artificial responses	2
2 Waiting, cheaper minor second negative	8
2 Semi-negative, 2 =notrump positive	3
2 Semi-positive, 2 =immediate double negative*	9

     *(Most popular adjunct was 2 =heart positive, 2NT =spade positive)

2NT:

New Suit:

Jump in a suit:

Q5: - What general structure do you use for opener's rebids?
For example, after 2 -2 , has your partnership discussed the exact meanings of opener's rebids of 2 , 3 and 4?

   About half the respondents said they had never discussed the jump rebids by opener, but many had good ideas for what they should show.
     The general consensus was:

2-2-2= A 5-card suit *or* a longer, non-solid suit.

2-2-3= Sets trump; shows a long, solid suit and asks partner to cuebid an ace or king.(If partner has shown a double negative, however, this sequence is invitational.)

2-2-4= Long, solid suit and a dead minimum.  Shows an opener based more on tricks than on controls and high cards.

   Also mentioned were some other interesting treatments for the jump rebids:

Rudolf Holzner plays a jump to 3 as game-forcing and a jump to 4 as Key-Card Blackwood for s.

Henk Uijterwaal has what seems to be a good solution to the tough problem of bidding strong 4441 hands -- he plays a jump rebid by the 2 opener shows the 4441 pattern with a singleton in the next higher suit (2-2-3 would show a singleton).