Rule of 2 and 3
In bridge points in one board is object of negociation and this rule tell us how many
points an preempt bid can lose without great risc if opponents have a game.
A disciplined preempt open need high top honors concentrated in his suit and the
valuation of the hand is done by estimating how many loser tricks the hand
contain in the worst
cenarius where partner's hand is "blank" (no honors to help).
Our vulnerability versus opponents vulnerabilty determine the number of loser
tricks that preempt bid is a safety risc in case opponents have a game,
but is also an orientation to our partner to know how many covers we expect in
his hand to limit our riscs.
Suppose we open 3 nVul against Vul with 7 cards like:
KQJ10987
xx
xx
xx
or KQJ10987
xxx
xx
x
having 7 losers. This means we need 3 tricks in partner hand to make 9 tricks.
Thus, if opponents have a game Vul we will have a good negociation in points
because we lose 500 points and opponents have 620 points. Thus, if they
bid a game in 4 partner with one
or 2 covers like:
654 x A98xx
Jxxx or
Axx xx KQxxx
xxx
can bid 4 in defense of
their 4.
Furthermore the information of the number of losers by the level of the preempt
done allows take a decision in bid game (or Slam) if he have a good hand with 4 covers like AK, A and A.
The basic rules of businees is:
1- we nVul and opponent Vul then if they have a game 600/620 points we can lose
3 downs doubled = 500 points to avoid their game contract.
2- we Vul and opponent also Vul we can lose only 2 downs doubled = 500 points to
have advantage against their contract = 600/620 points.
3- we no Vul and opponent also no Vul then we can lose only 2 down doubled = 300
points against game contract = 400/420.
4- Finally if we Vul and opponent no Vul we can lose only 1 down doubled = 200
against their game contract = 400/420 points.
Question: How can we count our losers to make avaliation of the hand?
Answer: In the same way Ely Culbertson did in his 1930 system considering honor
tricks where A=1 honor trick, K=0.5 honor trick, Q=0,25 honor trick.
We can assume that the fourth and the fifth card in a suit is not a loser
Ax=1 loser, Axx=2 losers, Axxx=2 losers Axxxx=2 losers
AKx=1, AKxx=1, AKxxx=1
AKJ=0.5, AKJx=0.5, AKJxx=0.5
AQ=0.5, AQx=1.5, AQxx=1,5
AQJ=0.5, AQJx=0.5, AQJxx=0.5
AJ10=1, AJ9=1.5, AJx=1.75
Kx=1.5 Kxx=2.5 Kxxx=2.5 Kxxxx=2.5
KQ=1, KQx=1.5, KQxx=1.5, KQxxx=1.5
KQJ=1, KQJx=1, KQJxx=1
KQ10=1.5, KQ9=1,75
KJx=2, KJxx=2, KJxxx=2
Qxx=2.75 Qxxx=2.75, Qxxxx=2.75
QJx= 2.5, QJxx=2.5, QJxxx=2.5
Jxxx=3 losers
Examples:
a) AQJxxxx
xx
Kx
xx => sum
of losers: ½
+2
+1.5
+2
=
6.
So with 6 losers we can open in 4
if we are nVul against Vul, but if opponent are also nVul then we can only open
in 3.
According our open 3 or 4 and the
vulnerabilty context our partner know how many losers we have and then he can
know how many tricks he must cover with his hand to think if he try a Slam.
b) AKJxxxxx
xx
x
xx
=>sum of losers: 0
+2
+1
+2
=
5.
So with 5 losers we can open in 4
nVul
x nVul or Vul x Vul because we will lose only 2 down in the worst cenatirus. Now
partner with 4 cover tricks, can trink in Slam, but with only 3 sure tricks he
should pass.
But Vul against nVul we should open only 3
and this tell to our partner that we have 8 sure tricks or 5 losers.
c) x
KQJ10xxx
x
J1098 =>sum
of losers: 1
+ 1
+ 1
+
3
=
6.
Thus, with 6 losers, nVul against Vul, the recommended opern is 4,
but if we and opponents have same vulnerabillity then we can lose only 2 downs
and the recommended open is
3. Finally
if we are Vul
and opponents are nVul then we are restrict in lose only 1 tricks and so we need
openn 2.
d) x
Jx
Ax
KQJxxxxx =>
sum of losers: 1
+ 2
+
1
+ 1
=
5.
Thus, nVul against Vul the recommended open is 5.
If we and opponents have same vulnerabillity then we should open in 3, considering that
the 4 open is reserved
for Namyats open.
Note1: Experience has shows that if we have a hand without a sure entry and not
have the ace in the long suit, per example:
xxJxJxKQJ9876
it is a very bad an open in 3 if partner is
unpassed hand, because if he bid 3nt with good stoppers in the others suit but with
only 2 cards in our long suit then opponents will not serve their ace in first
round and partner will make only 1 trick in Clubs!
Note2: When we are Vul against nVul and partner is a passed hand the preempt in
level 2 is like an open in level 1 but shows six solid cards with good middle
like:
AK1098x
xx
KQx
xx or
xx
x
AQJ98x
A109x.
But in opposite vulnerability, we nVul, when partner is passed, we can open even
with 5 cards to disturb easy auction for opponents and also make a indication of
lead:
AK109x
xxx
xxx
xx or
xx
QJx
KQJ9x
xx.
Note3: After an open preempt in first or second position is opponents
bid a suit the partern's double is penalty, so we must pass.
Note4: Experience has show that we should not preempt having also four cards in
a major.
Bluff
Situation:
a)
Imagine that you have
10xxx
xx
Jxxx
Kxx and the auction is:
partner opponent1 you
2 pass
?
=> 4 is a natural bid
to disturb
possible Slam
b)
Imagine that you have
10xxx
x
Jxxx
AKxxx e o Leilão corre:
parceiro oponente1 você
3 pass ?
=> 5
is a good bid to indication of lead and if you are doubled then you bid 5
c)
Imagine
that you have
Kxx
J9xxx
xxx
Kx and the auction is:
partner opponent1 you
2 pass
?
=> 3 is a 100%
sign-off to disturb
auction
Special Preempt Open
1- Gambling
– The 3nt open shows 7/8 cards in a minor suit with the top 3 top
honors and no other A or K.
If opponent pass and partner have 2 aces and stopper in other suit he must pass
in a hand like:
J10xx
Ax
xxx
Axxx
but if your hand dont have stopper in 2 suits you should bid
4
and partner will pass if Clubs is his suit or bid
4
if Diamonds is his suit.
But if you have a special hand like:
xx
Ax
Jxx
AKJ10xx
and you have an agreement with your partner that 4 is a reserved bid
to ask for singleton with the follow answer (4=singleton ; 4=singleton ; 4nt=singleton in
the other minor;
and
the bid of the minor is sign-off with 7222 no singleton) you make a
try to Slam using this agreement.
Partner Opponent1 you Opponent2
3nt
pass 4 passo
4 double ? =>
you have luck partner is singleton is Spades so
now you jump to partnes minor bidding 6
Another usual convention is after the gambling open in 3ST the bid of 4nt ask if
Opener have 7 or 8 cards. In case of 8 cards Opener bid 6nt and the Responder
hand should be like:
Axx
Axx
Jxx
AKxx
Nota5: The Gambling open cannot have void. So with void you can open at level 5
with 8 cards or at level 1.
2- NAMYATS –
it is a similar open with closed suit having a major with 7º/8º
cards like
AKQ10xxx or
AKQ98732.
So the open of 4
shows
AKQ98732 or AKQ9873;
and the open of 4
shows
AKQ98732 or AKQ9873
If Responder bid the Opener suit this is sign-off
Opener Responder
4
4 => sign-off
pass
Opener Responder
4
4 => sign-off
pass
Note6: Asking for a singleton is possible bidding the next suit (relay).
Opener Responder
4 (7+)
4 => ask for
singleton
?
4 => 7222 no
singleton
4nt => singleton the other major ()
5 => singleton in
5 => singleton in
Opener Responder
4 (7+)
4 => ask for
singleton
?
4 => 7222 no
singleton
4nt => singleton the other major ()
5 => singleton in
5 => singleton in
After Opener deny singleton Responder can ask for king bidding 4nt after ask for
a singleton or bidding 4nt without ask for a singleton.
Note7: This open cannot have void neither another ace, but only one additional
king is possible. So if Responder bid 4nt he is asking to Opener if he have any
other king or not.
Opener Responder
4
4nt => ask for king
?
5 no additional
king
5 one additional
king
5 one king with a
Queen in the same suit.
Opener Responder
4
4nt => ask for king
?
5 no additional
king
5 one additional
king
5 one king with a
Queen in the same suit.
Example:
Opener: xx AKQ9832 xx Kx
Responder: AKx
xxx
Axxx Axx
Opener Responder
4
4 => ask for a
singleton
4 = no
4nt => ask for a king
5 = 1 K
6nt => in MP
Note8: If Opener have 8 cards in his suit after 4nt he bid 6nt without King.
One advantage of this type of preempt bid with closed suit is that a transfer
can be made.
Suppose you have: Kxx xxx Axx
AKQJ
and partner open 4 showing 7 with AKQxxxx, you
know he cann't have another ace, so he don't have A and you have 5
sure tricks and can if you is the declarer you have control in , so bid 6nt.
Supose your partner open gambling 3nt and you have:
AKxxx
AKxx Jx Jx
What you bid having 2 sure losers in one minor?
You jump to 5 then if Clubs is
your partner suit he pass, but if his suit is Diamonds he bid
5,
because you know there are 11 tricks.
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