Basic 2 /1 short version

Basic Two-Over-One

Short article
2/1 is very similar to Standard American but there are two major differences: -

(a) A new-suit two-level response to a 1 H/S opening is forcing to game.
(b) The response of 1NT to a 1H/S opening is forcing.

1. A new suit at the two level

S 2 Suppose you have this hand and partner opens 1S. You play weak jump shifts
H AKJ9542 and so respond 2H and partner bids 2S. What now? Playing Standard you
H K72 would probably jump to 4H, but there may well be slam if partner has the HQ.
C A6 In 2/1 it’s simple – take it slowly with a bid of 3H. The auction is forcing

S AK96543 And playing 2/1 makes life much easier for opener. You open this hand
H A4 1S and partner responds 2H. What do you do now? 3S? 4S?
D 10 Playing 2/1 it’s very easy, take it slowly with 2S. This is just
C AJ8 one great advantages of 2/1 – there is no need to leap about to set up game force.

2. The forcing NoTrump

So what do you do with a hand of 10-11 points where you would have responded at the two level? The answer is the forcing 1NT. Over a 1H/S opening a 1NT bid is forcing; it may be virtually any shape and anything from 5 to a poor 12 points.

S 7 Partner opens 1S Playing Standard you would bid 2 D and hopefully arrive
H 542 somewhere sensible. Playing 2/1 you do not have the values for a game force
D KQJ752 and so you bid a forcing 1NT. If partner then bids 2C, 2 H or 2S you can bid 3D to show this hand type exactly.
D A72

S J3 Partner opens 1S and you respond 1NT. If partner bids 2C you bid 2D - to play;
H 54 if partner bids 2D you pass; if partner bids 2H you bid 2S and play in the 5-2 fit;
D KJ9752 if partner bids 2S you pass and play in the 6-2 fit.
C J52

3. Responding to partner’s forcing NoTrump

Opener must respond. With a six card suit he can rebid it. With 54xx he can bid 2H. A 5-card major is not usually rebidable and opener my sometimes have to bid a three card minor.
There is just one really awkward shape – 4522. After a forcing NoTrump opener cannot reverse into 2S without full reversing values so this one is a problem. If the 5 card suit is very good then rebid it, otherwise bid 2C. Flannery solves the problem but it really is a bit excessive to use the 2D opening just to solve this one rare problem.
If opener has a big hand with game potential then he can jump/reverse whatever as normal.

4. The constructive raise

S Q65 Partner opens 1S. Playing Standard you would bid 2S and pray that partner
H J42 does not make a game try. Playing ‘Constructive Raises’ in the 2/1 system
D K752 you show this poor raise by bidding 1NT and then 2 over partner’s 2C/D/H
C 742 response.

S KJ65 Partner opens 1S. This time you have a decent raise and the way to show that
H Q42 is to bid 2S immediately.
D K752
C 742

5. A reverse by opener after a 2/1 response

S AQ653 What do you open with this hand? Playing Standard a 1S opening has its
H 82 problems as you do not have the values for a 3C high reverse over 2D/H.
D 2 But playing 2/1 there is no problem. A 2 D/H response is game forcing and
C AK742 it’s best to play that a subsequent reverse by opener does not show extras.

S AQ65 Here you open 1H and get a 2C or 2D response. Without agreement to the
H AQ982 contrary a 2S bid would show 16+ points. Playing 2/1 it simply shows the
D 2 shape and does not promise extra values.
C 742

6. The 11-12 point 2NT invitational bid

S 53 Partner opens 1S and you have a classic 2NT response; but most players
H Q82 play Jacoby 2NT. In Standard you would bid 2C followed by 2NT but that
D AK86 is game forcing in 2/1.
C K942 The answer is to bid a forcing 1NT and then bid 2NT over partner’s response.

7. The 3-card limit raise

S KJ3 Partner opens 1S. Playing Standard you would bid 2C and then 3S to show
H 82 just three card support.
D K863 Playing 2/1 you start with a forcing 1NT and then jump to 3S
C A942

8. 1NT and two-level responses by a Passed Hand

Note that 2/1 only applies if responder is not a passed hand, so 1NT is natural if you have passed. If partner opens 1 H/S in 3rd seat or 1S in 4th seat then I like to play (two-way reverse) Drury. I do not play Drury if partner opens 1H in 4th seat as that is always a sound opener (whereas 1S may well be on the light side - rule of 15) but play natural methods.
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