[therealgdg]

I played against opps in the following scenario with NS opps. N - Pass, E - 1H, S - 2C, PPP

Normally 2C would be interpreted as strong: 22+ pts. I asked N what the bid meant to confirm but he said it was Natural.

In most cases, getting a strong 2 Club hand after Opps opens is unlikely due to total points involved. It would be more probable that a natural 2C bid would be possible.

In the situation where 2Clubs are bid after Opps opened, and you're playing 2Clubs as strong, is there an exception after Opps opens, like the above example, where 2Clubs is bid, if appropriate, as natural?

S would have likely opened 1C, if N had not opened.

Thanks!

[ArtK78]

I believe you misunderstand the difference between opening the bidding and bidding after the opponents have opened the bidding.

An opening bid of 2♣ is a strong, forcing and artificial. It is almost (but not quite) game forcing.

What South did here was overcall 2♣. His 2♣ call was not an opening bid - East already opened the bidding with 1♥. A 2♣ overcall shows 5 or more clubs and somewhere between 8 and 17 HCP (generally speaking). The club suit should be reasonable - KJTxx is a minimum for most people.

On those rare occasions when you have an extremely strong hand (a hand where you would have opened a strong, forcing and artificial 2♣) and the opponents open the bidding, you should double and then cue bid the suit in which they opened the bidding. But I would not worry too much about that.

[Quartic]

I agree with Art, except I would usually require a 6+ card ♣ suit and probably 10-17 points - a 2 level overcall should have a higher minimum than a 1 level overcall.

[Zelandakh]

Hello and welcome to the forums!

As Art has written, the system you learned for opening the bidding only applies when the only calls made before you have been passes. Once an opponent bids then all of the calls get a new meaning. This is the same idea as a 1♠ response to partner's 1♥ opening having a different meaning to a 1♠ opening.

When the opponents open, a bid at the 1 level shows about 7-15 hcp and a decent suit. You can play with the range a little bit (discuss with your teacher and/or a regular partner) but the decent suit part should generally stay. A 1NT overcall is similar to a (strong) 1NT opening but additionally shows a good stopper in the suit the opponents opened in. You also have a little more freedom on shape and can be up to 18 hcp. A new suit at the 2 level is similar to the 1 level but requires more strength, say 10-16. If at the bottom of the range the suit should be very good and (almost) always have 6 or more cards. A jump in a new suit is similar to a weak 2 opening, less than opening values and a 6-7 card suit.

Finally, you have an extra option when the opponents open that you did not have when they passed - double. A double of an opening bid at the 1 level shows either support (at least 3 cards) in all of the other 3 suits and a decent hand (see below) or a hand that is too strong for an overcall, ie 19+ balanced or 16+ with a suit. The hand with support for the other suits will usually be of around opening strength (12+) or more. With very good shape, for example with a singleton or void in the opponents' suit, you can be lighter, down to around 10hcp. This kind of double is generally known as a takeout double, and the hand with shortage in their suit and support for the others takeout shape. Ther are rules for responding to such a double just like there are rules for responding to an opening bid - again I recommend you discuss this with your teacher if you have one.

Bidding after the opponents open the bidding is a very important part of the game. Time and experience spent here will pay rich dividends when you start playing in typical club tournaments later on. Feel free to ask about any of this (or anything else for that matter) in this forum, especially if you do not have a teacher to talk these things through with. Most of the posters here will be happy to help.