2♣ Openings

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

When to open 2♣ (BETA)? - can be used as part of most systems excepting 'strong club'.

(i)   Any balanced hand with 23+ HCP. i.e. No Singleton nor Void Max 1 Doubleton
(ii)  Any quality 5+ card single suited hand with a strict  LTC <=4.5  & also importantly no 2nd suit of 4+ cards is permitted as this cannot be handled adequately.
[such hands are now handled differently in BETA::-. See 2Ma openings.also see overcalls of 2MA or 1N. when opponents open 1mi.]

Beta's 2♣ sequnces follow a Q-A style through-out. These are all detailed below.
In all sequences started by a 2♣ bid: the 2♣ opener remains fully in control  and will be responsible to call the final contract. His partner,  may raise the level with good reason BUT may never change the denomination.

NOTE: Powerful hands with two 5+ cards suits and <=6.5LTC  are handled very differently in BETA:- see our 5-5+ system and
in all those bidding sequences where its the responder who is in control!, who asks the questions and determines the final contract!

Another type of strong hand is one with 5+ cards in a Major and a 4 card 2nd suit and <5 LTC. These are only opened with a 2Ma bid and never by 2♣. See 2Ma openings for more  details.
Unfortumately there is not a reciprocal way for similar hands with a minor primary suit. These will need to be opened with 1♦ or 1♣ followed by a jump rebid in the other suit.

However if opponent opens 1mi: a 1N o'call shows a 5+ card minor &  a 2nd suit of 4 cards while 2Ma signifies a 5+ card Major & a 4 card 2nd suit. These bids should have an LTC  of <= 4.5

Principle behind  our 'structured'  bidding following an initial 2♣ opening bid: is a system comprising of a series of Questions and Responses by the opener and partner. The 2♣ while opener remains firmly in control, issues further requests and will be the decider of the final contract. The 2♣ opener's partner has the right, only with clear-cut justification, to raise the level of the final contract  but never to change the denomination.

First Responses to a BETA 2♣ opening bid

The aim of our initial response to a 2♣opening is to show the total presence of 2 rounds of Blackwood 'Key Cards', simply by calculating a total by counting TWO  for each Ace and ONE for each King held and then communicating this result to the 2♣ bidder in 4 steps as follows with or without intervention:-:
Note: For mathematicians! The first step is considered to be a negative while 2nd to 4th steps are considered to be positive! These responses provides the 2♣ bidder with an immediate useful guide as to the expectation of the hand:- 
Note: The total available of 4 aces & 4 Kings  gives a 12 count. noting his own count and adding the average figure shown by partner above, then subtracting from 12 gives opener an idea as to the combined honour strrength and therefore the LTC and contractual limit of the deal.
Opponents may sometimes intervene over a 2♣ opening bid - its rather rare but it does happen based usually on a good long suit! - BETA overcomes this by responder by signaling  the same four steps given above  but
 signalled as follows:-
  1. PASS step 1. shows a ZERO count 
  2. *|** step 2 showing a 1|2, count as 1.5
  3. Next bid available a 3|4, count as 3.5
  4. Next+1 bid shows a 5+ count as 5.5 
  5. Followed by Break-Outs
Note 'next' response could also be a NT bid. Examples:
2♣-2♥(opp)-PASS 1st step - a ZERO count - also denies a Break-Out
2♣-2♥(opp)-* shows 2nd step - a 1|2 count: 1.5
2♣-2♥(opp)-2♠ is the 3rd step showing a 3|4 count: 3.5
2♣-2♥(opp)-2N shows the 4th step: 5+ count: 5.5
Break-outs must still be shown: they can very well end up being the contracted suit.

Interventions are nuisances but remember they are also providing you with distributional information

Getting an early idea of potential:

Opener now gets an early estimate of the hand's overall LTC by taking the sum  of partners average trick count [that's one of:  0, 1.5, 3.5 & 5 according to the initial response step] by adding in your own  count of Ace=2 & King=1 and subtracting the total from 12.
This delivers a guide as to the LTC of the combined hands.

BETA's 'Break-out' responses

In  addition to a 2♦ negative response BETA provides the responder with a breakout response.
A breakout has strict requirements either any 7+ card suit or a Queen headed 6 card suit.
A breakout may well suggest to the 2♣ bidder to consider an alternative final contract in partners break-outsuit. This is a serious consideration as contracting in the breakout suit makes tricks out of this long suit where NOT contracting in the break-out suit will make responder's hand near to being worthless by comparison - leaving opener to contract based on his own values alone.

Breakout's are expressed by bidding their suit in the 5th to 8th steps whichever is cheaper and following any opponent intervention.

Ex.: 2♣-P(opp)-3♣,♦,♥,♠ are break-outs in the suit bid.
Ex.: 2♣-2♥(opp)- [P,*,2♠,2N] still showing normal 4 step responses] & 3♣,♦,3♥  :Shows a spade breakouts in ♣, ♦ & ♠.
Ex.: 2♣-2♠(opp)- [P,* 2N,3♣] show normal 4 step responses and 3♦,3♥,3♠(Clubs) Break-outs.

A Break-out response showing a 6 card suit can also be shown instead  of a negative response  to the first inquiry.

Important consequences of the initial response to a BETA 2♣ opening

(i) Break-outs are of extreme importance. Fundamentally their only use is as the trump suit! and NOT at all likely to be useful
l for NT hands.  However a break-out may well suggest a contract in the break-out suit! quite possibly more sound than either the 2♣ opener's own best suit or any NT contract!

(ii) A second consequence of importance is the Nature of BETA's subsequent 4N inquiry in further bidding: The responses to this 4N bid are NOT Blackwoood! Instead the response discloses the exact number of Aces and Kings held by the 2♣ bidder's partner.
Important Note:  As an initial 2♦ or break-out response indicates no Ace or King, any subsequent 4N bid for kings would be clearly meaningless - so in these cases responder is asked instead to indicate the number of queens held.
In both cases: 5♣ shows 0, 5♦ shows 1, 5♥ shows 2 & 5S shows 3|4.

(iii) Now our 2♣ bidder now can deduce the likely denomination and level of the final contract. Whether in a suit (his own or his partner's break-out) or in NTs.

(iv) In following sections  BETA's 2♣ opener can ask further questions in any specified suit. - consideration of his partners response & his own holdings should help further in finer determination of the likely contract - whether in NTs or in 2C bidders suit or in  partner's Break-out suit!

A) Minimum 23/24HCP 2♣ Opening Balanced Hands - and that EXPLICITLY excludes any 5+ card suit distributions are 4333 4432


This section is NEW in our 2♣ story - sadly previously omitted.

Earlier versions of BETA made no specific provision for minimal 2♣ holdings and a negative initial response of 2♦.  This lapse is corrected in this updated 2♣ version - signified when opener rebids 2N showing 23-24 but now the responses are very different:-

Partner has previously denied holding any Aces or Kings. A 2N request signifies concerns about a 3NT contract. If partner has nothing to offer he may PASS & 2N would become the final contract. This mechanism involving his partner can save the day where other system end up, sadly 3N One Down Now scoring 120 rather than -50 or -100.
However if responser has a Q or Q's or a plethors of minor honours...giving realistic hope making 3N that's bid to be made for +400 or +600.
Summary: Responder's holdings if adequate in Q J T then he should consider a raise to 3N.
(a) With a Q or 2 OR possibly a plethora of supporting useful minor honours JT9's which could easily make all the difference: bringing a safer 3N game into focus and accordingly responder should raise bidding directly to 3N.
(b) Alternatively holding a good suit just short of a break-out response: i.e. any 6 card suit or any 5 card suit headed by Q or  minor honours: it should be shown using transfers (aiming to get the contract played from the 2♣ bidder's hand). So 3♣ shows a Diamond suit, 3♦: showing  a heart suit & 3♥ showing a Spade suit  &:S's & 3♠ shows Clubs. Beware: in the latter case a Club contract would be at the 4-level in a minor whereas 2N (120) could be safer! The 2C bidder may convert the transfer request bak to 3N or maybe to a 4S game with a dood fit.
(c) With a totally useless hand responder should PASS. Thereby contracting 2N sadly. But  minimal maybe sufficient - Say with minor honour support in 2 suits - then bid 3N.

Summary for 2♣ bidder:
i) Completing the transfer at the 3 or even 4 level that's Major only, that's aiming to play in partner's suit.
ii) Bid 3N In preference to partner's proposed suit. Major fit to weak.
iii) PASS any 3N response.

B) & (C) Are 2 alternative continuations after partner has made a likely 'Game justifying' initial response to a 2♣ opening bid (B) is used mainly when BALANCED and asks about responder's holding in the  requested suit, while (C) is when the 2C bidder has a potential trump suit and wishes to learn of the quality of support in partner's hand - this request could be in his intended trump suit but it can also be  in a critical side suit. 

Note: In making these requests the 2C bidder should sequence muliple request with  a view to  use  bidding space economically.
Note:  Responses may not be 4N or above.  We remind that the special request bid of 4N asks for the number of Kings held by responder)  this applies in all these cases. If responder has denied holding A:K then the repobe shows number of Queens held.

There is more bidding space to play with judged by the 2C bidder - up to and including the 5H. - and BETA only allows the 2C bidder to ask questions.

B) A 2NT inquiry to following initial responses: of either 2♥, 2♠ request suggests at least a game is feasible and is used by the 2C bidder to learn about his partners 5+ card suit if any which if present dhouls be shown by means of a transfer (yo guarantee if chosen for the eventual contract that the strong hand becomes dummy.

Otherwise Responder bids 3N if Balanced.

Generally speaking there are three possible continuations available for the 2♣ bidder:-
(i) Direct game re-Bids of 3N or 4♥/♠ or 5♣/♦ or PASS following a 3N bid. All of these are closure bids.

C) Make an inquiry in his own 5+ card suit at the 3-level or in any other suit of interest.

This is particularly of interest if the 2♣ bidder's suit requires support his suit needs some support.. The possible responses, shown below,  would help decide whether to  contract in the suit at game level or revert to a 3N contract.
Responder has the following 3 step responses:-
+1: <=Jx    which would be of no interest....
+2: Qx...Jxx  expanded this is Qx Kx Ax xxx Jxx which would provide good support for a 6+ card suit and moderate for a 5 card
+3: Qxx....Jxxx - providing really good support
D) Inquire in any side suit Following  a 2NT response to 2♣

Responses follow the schema given in {C} above.

(iii) Bid 4N The response gives you exact number of kings held  and by deduction of Ace(s) held by reference to initial response to the 2♣ opening bid. Kings shown by:. 5♣: 0, 5♦: 1, 5♥: 2 & 5♠: 3|4 Kings.

[(iv) A 5NT inquiry is under consideration]


E) Continuations following an initial break-out response

Important note: The 4NT inquiry ceiling is not of couse valid following a breakout which specifically denies any Ace or King held.
Secondly all decisions will be taken by the 2♣ bidder.
The inquiries made by the 2♣ bidder ae unique to break-out sequences  largely about additional values :
a) Queens & minor honours
b) Additional length
c) Potentially useful distributional features such as voids a: 1/7 chance and singletons very frequently: 2/3 times! Very worth while in a a long trump suit hand!
when Holding an 8 card Break-out:  void  frequency is 1/3 &  a singleton is 3/4! The defensive value of an extra card is very significant.

So quite different formal requests  are  available following a break-out.
 
The 2♣ bidder's 1st request, made with a NT bid immediately following a break-out is to learn further detail about the break-out suit: Honours and Length! and  has the following specialised responses: about suit honours: Q or minor honours JT9. This inquiry will be made if 2♣ bidder seriously considers using the break-out suit as trumps:-

Step1: Not headed by Queen
Step2: Not headed by a Queen but headed by 2 minor honours
Step3  No queen but additionl length OR holding another Queen elsewhere - also very likely to be useful for the 2♣ bidder
Step4  Headed by Queen or 2 minor honours and additional length: Also most valuable as a trump suit

Since these sequences are not curtailed by the 4NT then a further inquiry can be considered:

An optional  further useful  structural request for void|singleton location can be issued, also if 'additional length is indicated (steps 3&4) then probability of shortages strongly increase with a next suit inquiry.:
Responses:
Step 1 singleton shown
Step 2 void shown
Step 3 S|V in suit above the break-out
Step 4 S|V in suit below the break-out
Step 5 S|V in non-adjacent suit to the break-out.

I will be reviewing all this further myself- be sure -  although the ideas now seeing daylight have littered my desk for the best part of a year - i'm very happy to have got something written formally. The old method had good ideas which are retained such as the initial responses to a 2♣ opening, also the linked 4N watershed that unravels number  of Aces & Kings and the concept of Break-outs  but other developments proved inadequate..

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