Two Diamonds Negative
&
Two Hearts Neutral Response

After a Strong Artificial Two Clubs opening bid, several partnerships have included in their partnership agreement the understanding that a response of 2 Diamonds is an extremely Negative Response, showing close to or zero values, and that a response of 2 Hearts shows a holding of additional strength, but regarded as a Neutral Response. The partnership agreement is that any other response, other than 2 Diamonds or 2 Hearts, is a positive response and is forcing to game.

In general, a 2 Diamonds response shows values from zero to 4 points, and a neutral bid of 2 Hearts shows at least 4 high card points. The 2 Hearts response is totally artificial and imparts no information regarding the holding in the Heart suit. With these two responses, information is communicated to the opener, who then can rebid his holding either in No Trump or in a suit.

After a 2 Clubs opening, the responder would bid according to the following examples.

86 Q865 752 J965   2

75 KQ8 9843 Q653   2

K76 Q9854 K9 Q84   2 NT

Based on the partnership agreement, the opener, after hearing a 2 Diamonds Negative response, is permitted to make a minimum rebid, showing his preference, but a rebid that is neither one-round forcing nor game-forcing. If the opener feels, however, that he has sufficient values to warrant game, then the opener will jump one level on his rebid, forcing the responder to bid again, perhaps to show distribution.

 

Altered Agreements

Some partnership agreements have been altered to include the feature that even a minimum rebid by the opener should be considered forcing for one round, even though the responder has shown a minimum with his 2 Diamonds Negative response. Any jump rebid by the opener is then only invitational and not forcing.

These partnership agreements include the following auctions:

Opener	Responder	Meaning
2		Strong, artificial Two Clubs bid
	2	shows less than 3 points
2		Forcing for one round
	3	Responder has some support
Pass		Opener is permitted to pass

 

Opener	Responder	Meaning
2		Strong, artificial Two Clubs bid
	2	shows less than 3 points
3		Only invitational
	Pass	Responder may pass

These partnership agreements containing this particular treatment for responding to a strong, artificial 2 Clubs opening are worth the attention of the bridge player and should be considered. If other partnerships wish to include this particular treatment, then it is strongly suggested that this method should be thoroughly studied, practiced, and then incorporated into the partnership agreement. It must be concluded which rebid is forcing for one round, which is non-forcing, which is invitational, which is game-forcing, and which rebid is a sign-off.

 

 

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.

 

 

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