2 Major

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

All 4 of the following requirements must be present for a 2 of a Major opening bid:
a) the acid test is a strict 4-5 LTC. BETA uses Harrington Gray's LTC valuation. Many ask about HCP requirement? BETA does not specify it for 2Ma openings. Distribution will determine the HCP count: With a 5422 (the worst distribution of all) expect c17+ HCP to compensate. With a 5431 it may be slightly more lenient c15 HCP. With a 6-4 even more HCP tolerant!
b) No 5+-5+. distributions - these hands are NEVER to be opened either by 2Ma or with 2♣.
c) Minimum Distributional requirements: 5+ card major & a 4 card side suit OR a 6+ Card Major
d) 5431 always preferred to 5422 which often has a further loser - With a borderline & minimum 5LTC & 5422 distribution with a doubleton Major:- consider opening 1Major and rebidding in the 4 card minor suit.
e) A 5 card Major should be headed by at least a top honour: A or K -. If not: downgrade & open 1Ma.
f) A 6+ card Major and no 2nd suit requires a minimum of 2 top honours.
g) A 6322.... distribution usually requires the highest HCP count.

Note: In all cases of 5-5's See 55+:- (<= 5LTC). BETA requires one of these opening bids: 3♣(both red suits), 3♦(both Majors) or 2♦(♦+♠ or ♣+♥) or 1♠|1♦ & a 3♣ rebid (♠+♣ or ♦+♣).

Our 2Ma opening bids are of structural importance in BETA - initially introduced as one of the crucial compensations required for dropping the concept of reverse. It also helps in other ways: by limiting the top end of a 1Ma opening to c16 HCP - thus limiting the usual range for a 1Ma opening to 10-c16 HCP. The upper limit on the other hand of a 1Ma opening is when the hand qualifies for a 2Ma opening of a strict <=5 LTC count - its not a question of HCP.

Note 1: These 2Ma openings are technically non-forcing but are rarely passed! Always alert as 'strong non-forcing' - state: <=4|5 LTC if asked further information. These openings MUST never have an LTC count greater than 5 - open these with 1Ma. usually 1Ma opennings are in the range 5 1/2...7 1/2
Note 2: The first rebid by opener (except when partner makes a direct limit raise) distinquishes 2-suited 5+-4+ (rebid 2nd suit) and from 6+ hands rebid your Major without a 2nd 4 card suit.
Note 3: A 2NT! forcing inquiry response requires an expectancy of achieving at least 9 tricks in the Major. Over a 2♥ opening - a responder must bid 2♠ when holding 4 cards in Spades if otherwise he would call 2N!. In this particular case opener must raise the to 3S with a 4 card spade fit else rebid as if partner had responded 2NT.
Note 4: 2♠ & 2NT responses are both Forcing to at least the 3-level & avoiding a sequence such as 2♥-2N-3♠! which could possibly end in tears!

Summary of Responder's response:

PASS - the opening is NOT forcing. However very limited vakues can support a 3-level contract and responding 2N should always be carefully considered before passing!
2♠. (Over 2♥ opening only). Shows 4+ Spades and is forcing to the 3-level and is therefore equivalent to a 2NT response too. This handles the otherwise awkward case when opener has 5+Hearts and a 4card Spade suit and avoids a clumsy 2♥-2N-3♠.. sequence! allowing 2♥-2♠-3♠..
2NT forcing relay, with invitational values the only continuation (along with 2♠ response above) by which to initiate exploration of distribution & controls for a probable Game or possible Slam.
Limit Major raises, with a fit for partner's major - to 3|4 level. Assuming partner has observed the minimum requirements for his 2Ma opening even limited values and some support may be sufficient for game - Note: if you raise to 3Ma, partner with a 4LTC will now bid game. Also if RHO has overcalled (rare) direct raises are still limit in nature and never pre-emptive. BETA does not approve of a direct call to 4S based on support and top controls - it should only be employed with useful distributional values instead e.g. shortages in side suits - so controls and still therefore requires the necessary trump support.
3mi. A 3|4 -level minor bid is a break-out , shows a good 6 or 7+ card suit (Strictly implies no major fit - 0-2 cards in partner's major - These hands are usually left to play in the minor except of course if opener has 3|4 card support in which case 5mi may be possible outcome.
3NT! NOT to play, RARE, shows both minors 5-5 or better and no Major support, minimum this is weak & denies major fit opener to consider bidding 4|5 in the minor of his choice. Exception when single suited in his Major with 6+ cards: he may consider bidding 4Ma instead

Opener's rebids:
following a 2♠ or 2NT [Forcing inquiries - promises playable at least at the 3-level.]:

A 4 card side-suit Certain as specified for 2ma openings
Rebids his major with 6+ cards and declares no 4 card 2nd suit

Note. 5-5 hands are excluded as these are bid with other BETA specialised sequences.

Responder's rebids:

Agrees a trump suit at any appropriate level - closure both 3S & 4S are strict closures. Strictly no SLAM intent.
3NT expresses apparent lack of a fit - offered as a possible contract - Opener may now rebid PASS to play or rebid 4Ma with 6+ cards or show a 'partial' in a 3rd 'suit 3-4 cards Forcing. Responder may now introduce his suit at any level to play!
Responder may raise openers 2nd suit. However it is usual practice not to do so if intending a contract beyond game.
A new suit by responder is FORCING and also a cue-bid - it also implies at least one suit bid by opener, normally the Major is the agreed trump suit. Opener must also continue cue-bidding and TURBO 4NT operates or revert to partners Major but 3N above may be practical as a rare alternative contract.
This implied agreement of a trump suit frees all remaining bidding space for cue-bidding to 4N and beyond.
The direct jump to 4Ma by responder is not a slam try at all. It will be game bid & stop bid - usually made on distributional values rather than HCP.
Responder/Opener Either can call the final Major contract - beyond 4N cue-bidding can continue.

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