The origin of this conventional method is unknown. After one partner opens the bidding auction with a strong, artificial 2 Clubs, showing either a majority of the points or 8.5 to 9 plus playing tricks, or fewer than four losing tricks, several partnerships have agreed to use the automatic two diamonds response, regardless of the holding.
Description of the Concept
A two diamonds response then becomes only a so-called waiting bid by the responder. This first response does not constitute a conventional method, but is rather solely a partnership understanding and agreement.
This waiting bid does not describe any strength held by the responder, nor does it impart any descriptive information regarding the Diamond holding. The automatic two diamonds response, owing to the partnership understanding, does not provide any information to the opener.
Conserve Bidding Space
The concept behind this agreement is to allow the opener to describe his holding on the lowest level of bidding and not consume any bidding space. After the opener has made his rebid, showing either balanced distribution with corresponding values by rebidding No Trump or his preferred suit, then the responder is in a better position to decide the final contract.
In the case that the opener is indeed two-suited, the Automatic Two Diamonds Response gives the opener the opportunity to describe his holding on the lowest level.
| Example Holding |
| Opener |
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Responder |
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The responder is obliged to bid 2 Diamonds following a strong, artificial 2 Clubs opening bid by partner. The responder may be indeed void in Diamonds and still the responder must make this bid per partnership agreement. Once the opener has defined his holding as balanced to semi-balanced, then the responder, presumably, can better determine the final contract.
By many bridge players the perceived flaw in this treatment is that the partnership has employed a bid, which many players consider as wasting bidding space and which could indeed be employed to impart some meaningful information. The opener has no information about the holding of the responder before making his rebid. In order for the responder to describe his holding, then the responder must, perhaps on a higher level, introduce information pertinent for the partnership.
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.