Preempt – Weak 2 Opening Bid
A weak 2 opening bid shows a six-card suit and a hand (5-10HCP) that is too weak to open at the one level. We limit it to 10 HCP, because, when you have 11 HCP and a 6-card suit, you will be at least 6-3 shape with 11 HCP passing the Rule of 20, which is an opening hand. The Rule of 20 refers to a modern opening hand valuation method where you add the number of cards held in the two longest suits to the number of HCP. If they total 20 or more, you open the hand 1 of a suit.
Many players have such rigid rules for opening weak 2-bids that they almost rarely open them. Weak 2-bids work because they get in the opponents’ way, not because your hand looks perfect for a weak 2. So, find excuses to open weak 2-bids not excuses to pass them. Don’t let voids or outside aces stop you from opening a weak 2-bid. There should only be 2 things to worry about: 1) a reasonable suit; and no 4-card or longer major on the side. We don’t open with a 4-card major on the side, because we do not want to miss playing that major if that is our fit; and we don’t want partner to think the opponents have that major as a fit. As for suit quality, most people were taught to have 2 of the top 3 honors. Again, preempts work because they get in the opponents’ way. You should agree with your favorite partner about how aggressive you want to get, but certainly 3 of the top 5 honors is acceptable, and you can be even more aggressive if you both agree. Please remember that in standard bidding, a 2♣ opening is not weak; it shows a strong hand. So if you have a six card suit in clubs open 3 ♣.