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2♠ Opening and Responses

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Two Spade Opening & Responses

The 2♠ Opening is a "normal" weak two and typically shows between 5-9 points and at least a 6-card Heart suit. The optimum hand for a weak-2 has most of its points in the long suit although it is recognised that this is not always possible and sometimes (particularly 3rd in hand at favourable vulnerability) you have to go with what you've got. New suit responses from 3♥ upwards are wholly natural and forcing.

Direct suit raises in Spades are purely pre-emptive and not invitational. The 2NT, 3♣ and 3♦ responses are not natural (see below). The full scheme of responses is as follows:

Initial Responses

In response to the 2♠ Opening, partner bids along the following lines:-

2♠-2NT-3♣ 2NT is Lebensohl forcing a 3&clubs bid from Opener, after which:
-3♦ is natural and "to play"
-3♥ is natural and "to play"
-3♠ is invitational in Spades, and as with the Two Heart opener it's likely that Responder is particularly interested in trump quality as well as range.
-3NT is natural and "to play".
2♠-3♣ This is a forcing relay to find our more about Opener's strength and distribution:
-3♦ shows a Heart shortage, max range.
-3♥ shows a Minor suit shortage, max range. (If necessary Responder can "ask" again with 3♠ and Opener can now bid 3NT with a Club shortage and 4♣ with a Diamond shortage).
-3♠ shows minimum range, any distribution.
-3NT shows a max range 6322-shape hand with scattered values.
-4♣ shows a second 4+-card suit, max range.
-4♦ shows a second 4+-card suit, max range.
-4♥ shows a second 4+-card suit, max range.
Once a shortage has been shown the short suit can be used for a Beta Ask, but no Epsilons are permitted. If Opener shows a second suit then a relay in the next suit up (not including 3NT or 4♠) is Beta. Epsilons are still not permitted.
2♠-3♦ Is Gamma in Spades, explicitly agreeing Spades. A relay in the next new suit up (excluding 3NT and 3/4♠ is Beta on the weak scale. Epsilons are permitted.
2♠-3/4♠ is purely pre-emptive and not invitational.

General Tactics

Responses other than those listed above are not permitted. If Responder has a strong hand they take control by one of the methods shown above and then decide where to play the hand. This is the reason why no Epsilons are permitted unless Responder has explicitly agreed sPADEs by using 3♦ Gamma.

Action over Intervention

Over intervention by opps, immediate new suits are forcing, direct raises are purely pre-emptive, and bids in No Trumps are natural and "to play".

Double is Lebensohl, forcing a bid in the next suit up by Opener, after which any new suit bids are purely competitive and "to play" and bids in Spades are invitational.

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