2 ♦ MULTI

 

Your partner opens 2NT (20-21 HCP) and you have that hand (playing STANDARD) :

N°1 : J1096 J9654
1086 5

You'ld better make transfer in hearts and play 3 if your system enables it. No solution for a spade fit ?

 

N°2 : 9 Q862
A10862 Q42

You make a STAYMAN and opener responds 3. And now ?

                   

N°3 : 6 Q8762
A1086 J102

You make a TRANSFER and after? 

 

N°4 : QJ96 8
A1086 J1062

You make a STAYMAN  and opener responds 3. And now ?

 

 

 

N°5 : 6 J87
AQ8 Q108652

What are you doing ? 

N°6 : 6 Q87
A10876 Q1065

 What are you doing ?  

  

 

When opener opens 2NT you can't prospect for a spade fit (hand N°1), you can't prospect for a better contract than 3NT (hands N°2,3,4,5 and 6).

If opener has something as Ax, Axx, Jxx in your shortage, be sure that a slam is better than 3NT.

 

 



Your partner opens multi 2 and you have that hand (playing STANDARD) :

(For the hands to follow, let us consider that the balanced hands of the multi 2 are 20-21 HCP).

 

N°1 : J1096 J9654
1086 5

Surely, opener has a strong hand. That's why, depending on your system you respond 2 or 2 .               solutions in MAJEURE SECURISEE

 

N°2 : J1062 AQ1096
986 5

This time there is doubt on the opener's strenght. But you can't afford to respond something else than 2 or 2.               solutions in MS

 

N°3 : 9 Q862
A10862 Q42

You respond 2  and opener rebids 2NT. You make a STAYMAN and ...                                                                     solutions in MS

 

N°4 : 6 Q8762
A1086 J102

You respond 2  and opener rebids 2NT. You make a TRANSFER for hearts and ...                                                     solutions in MS

 

 

N°5 : 6 J87
AQ8 Q108652

You respond 2  and opener rebids 2NT. What are you doing ?                                                                              solutions in MS

 

N°6 : 6 Q87
A10876 Q1065

You respond 2  and opener rebids 2NT. What are you doing ?                                                                                                     solutions in MS

 

N°7 : QJ96 8
A1086 J1062

You respond 2 and opener rebids 2NT. You make a STAYMAN and ...                                                                     solutions in MS

 

Let me tell you something. You are entirely right to respond your worst major on 2 opening.

It will assure you to play the possible contract in the other major from the strong hand. But with a shortage you can do much better  than on 2NT opening. You have the place to prospect for a better contract  if and only if you play adequate developpments.

And if you are able to do so, you'd better open 2 with 20-21 HCP which is three times more frequent than 22-23 HCP.

Your partner opens multi 2 and you have that hand (playing MAJEURE SECURISEE ):

(For the hands to follow, let us consider that the balanced hands of the multi 2 are 20-21 HCP).

 

N°1 : J1096 J9654
1086 5

You bid 3 = 5+-4 0-12 HCP. This response is essential to improve the bidding of all  previous hands.

 

N°2 : J1062 AQ1096
986 5

You bid 3 = 5+-4 0-12 HCP.

If partner rebids 3 (strong hand with 2-4 hearts but not strong enough for 4 = ambitions with 4-5 hearts support), with a game force hand you rebid  3 to have 3NT played by the stong hand.

With ambitions you rebid a minor fragment (5-4-3-1) else xNT(5-4-2-2).

 

N°3 : 9 Q862
A10862 Q42

You bid 2 = denies 4 spades. Longer in hearts than spades. And opener rebids 2NT.

You make a STAYMAN for hearts. If opener bid 3 then you rebid 3 which shows a shortage. Any force.

Everything is in place for announcing the right contract.

 

N°4 : 6 Q8762
A1086 J102

You bid 2 = denies 4 spades  and opener rebids 2NT.

You make a TRANSFER for hearts and on 3 you bid 3 which shows a shortage. Any force.

 

 

N°5 : 6 J87
AQ8 Q108652

You bid 2 = denies 4 spades  and opener rebids 2NT.

You rebid 3 = shortage in ♠ with 5+. Any force.                                                                    

 

N°6 : 6 Q87
A10876 Q1065

You bid 2 = denies 4 spades  and opener rebids 2NT.

You rebid 3 = shortage in with 5+. Any force.

 

 

N°7 : QJ96 8
A1086 J1062

You respond 2 = denies 5 hearts. and opener rebids 2NT.

You rebid 3 = shortage in with 3-4 spades. Any force.    

 

As you can see all these tricky hands are badly treated in STANDARD on a 2NT opening. No problem on multi 2 opening, if you play all these developments.                      

 

If you want to see openings by examples please follow the links :


 

Is multi 2a good convention?

Is it better to play it or weak two in major?

It is certainly better to show immediately the major to allow rapid defense.

But is not this the only positive point of the weak two in major?

 

Let's review the positive points of the Multi 2 :

1. It keeps the openings of 2 and 2 ♠ for another use. For example you can

    play 2 major FANTUNES which is much more common than the weak two major.

    This must represent more than 4 times of openings to the  2 level.

 

2. It can seriously disrupt the opposing auctions.

    I remember a hand where Vulnerable with:

    ♠ R

    ♥ D109865

    ♦ xx

    ♣ 10942

    I opened a 2 MULTI and on the 2♠ response  I passed ...

    down 6 on a rough defense, but there was a cold 6♠ in the other side.

   This example is anecdotal, but it shows the unknown possibilities of 2MULTI ...

 

3. A third argument which is relentless.

    A system of suitable responses often helps playing contract from the strong hand .

    Whether a part-score, a game or a slam, this is a clear advantage.

    The defense is more difficult because the unknown hand is hidden and protected.

 

4. Most of the world's best pairs play the MULTI 2 (even the French have come to adopt it). 

    Is this not a proof of the effectiveness of this opening!

 

But be careful to use intelligently the auction.

    ♠ A63                  One poor suit and a very defensive hand in the other major: forget the opening ...                                                                         ♥ D107652

    ♦ x

    ♣ R96

 

    ♠ V108654             Quite in the spirit of a MULTI 2opening. In PASSING you are likely to be overwhelmed to announce that hand.

    ♥

    ♦ 65

    ♣ R942

 

I just celebrated the 30th anniversary of MULTI 2 I'm playing with my competition partner.

Back Olympiad in Miami in September 1986 I decided to combine the  old good  2♣ ALBARRAN with MULTI 2.

My personal experience tells me that the MULTI 2, well used with the subtleties associated with it, is well above the weak two in major.

 

What should the MULTI 2contain?

 

Balanced strong hands (2NT rebid), but in what range? 20-21 or 22-23 H HCP? Note that opening a balanced hand 20-21 HCP is 3 times more likely than in the  22-23 HCP range. Now you can, thanks to an adapted system of developments, take advantage of responses 2 and 2♠ made on the MULTI 2. We'll see that you can bid specifically a major singleton that can not be satisfactorily bid on 2NT opening. So it is much better to open 2 in the most frequent range of 20-21 HCP.

 

It remains there to incorporate hands difficult to bid in the system you play.

One can think of 4-4-4-1 over 20 HCP (very rare), or a strong single-suiter.

As part of the MAJEURE SECURISEE, not too much trouble to open these hands at a one level because the responder is expected to  to bid a major with as less as 3-4 points.

 

With 4-4-4-1 open 1 ♣ semi-forcing, if the responder bids a major then rebid 3 which is a bad SPLINTER (the SPLINTER 4 shows a concentrated 5-4). By cons, if the respondent is very weak without major he will pass  1 and this will probably be the best contract.

With 4-4-4-1 opens 1 , if the respondent bids a major  one goes through 1NT GAZZILLI before making a Splinter in singleton if necessary. By cons, if the respondent is very weak without major he will pass 1 and this will probably be the best contract.

With 4-4-4-1M with a big honor singleton treat hand as a balanced hand.

With 4-4-4-1M with a small singleton open MULTI 2 followed by 3 in the 4th major.

Open MULTI 2 every strong minor single-suiter.

 

 

2NT = 20 +-22 - HCP.

3m = single-suiter, 6 cards 20-22 HCP or 7 cards 18-20 HCP.

3M = 4M-4-4-1 . 21-23 HCP, small singleton in the other major.  

3NT = Strong minor single-suiter(AKQxxx) with additional stoppers.

 

Warning: you may be tempted to put in the  2 opening other less strong options.

But you might then be overflow by enemy action or on a response of 3 by your partner.

 

 

 

NEW ON 2 Multi

As balanced hands 20-21 HCP are opened 2, you must take the opportunity to create a response system that will solve some almost insurmountable problems when opening these hands 2NT. This response system must also address problems that may arise facing a strong 2 minor.

But all this must be done while preserving the developments facing a weak 2!

 

 

 

2 = 20 +-22 - HCP. (3 times more frequent than 22+-24-HCP).

2NT = RELAY. The response system proposed allows to better prospect with slam ambitions while allowing the strong hand to play.

           3♣ = weak 2                    3   = weak 2♠ maxi.        3 = weak 2♠ mini.

           3♠ = 4-4-4-1                   3NT = 20 +-22 - HCP          4m = strong 2 minor                                 4 = 4-4-4-1 ♠

           After the responses of 3♣ and 3 and a new RELAY that shows slam ambitions, the opener returns to

           3♠ (mini in ), he returns to 3 in the major to show a maximum hand and a honor control in minor and a shortage above.

           He calls 4x = shortage with possibly a honor control above, else 3NT = 6-3-2-2.

 

3 ♣ = 5+ cards in a major and a shortage in the other. Warning: This is a gap of MULTI 2 not knowing how to treat this type of hands.

         Note: with 6+ hearts limit you can also relay to 2 and on the expected 2♠, bid 3.

         3 = Maximum or (and) a fit in the other major (thus forcing game).

         3M = minimum and misfit in the other major.

3 = 5+-4 ♠, 0-12 HCP (optionally 5-5 very weak with 5 better hearts).

        This auction has many advantages facing  2NT 20+-22 - HCP :

  •  Finding  the 4-4  spade fit, even with a very weak hand, and stop at 3 level!
  •  Playing a major contract from the right hand.
  •  Ensure that the 2RELAY denies 5+ cards.

           and the relay RELAY denies 4+ cards and therefore :

  •  Release 2 auctions after the  2 or 2♠ RELAY, namely  relay Transfer and 3♠ bid.

          on 3 the opener rebids :

         3M = partial-score selection with a strong hand.

   On 3, 3 ♠ shows a 5+-4 ♠ game forcing to make the opener play  3NT if necessary.

         3NT = long minor, maximum 2 hearts.

         4 ♣ = ambitions in (4-5 cards support).

         4 = ambitions in ♠ (5 cards support or 4 cards with a beautiful hand).

         4M = weak two.

 

3 = 5 ♠-4 , 0-3 HCP (optionally 5-5 very weak with 5 better spades).

         (You can also play  pre-empt with 3+ cards in each major).

 

3 ♠ = 5 +-5 major, 3-12 HCP : Try to bid this two-suiter facing a strong minor !

         4♣ = ambitions in .

         4 = ambitions in .

         4M = weak two.


  2 ♠ = No game ambitions  in ♠.

 Denies 4 spades . Hearts longer than spades.

 

 

 3♣ = PUPPET ROMEX with 4+hearts (with 5 hearts there are also 3 spades, but not 4).

          followed by 3 shows a shortage in spade, followed by 3♠ shows 5+ hearts.

3 = TRANSFER with less than 2 spades if game forcing.

         followed by 3♠ shows a shortage in spade.

3 = 5+♣ and a shortage in spade (5+♣-4-3-1, 6♣-3-3-1 ...).

           Ex: ♠ 10      ♥ DV9      AV109     ♣ 98752

3♠ = 5+ and a shortage in spade (5+-4+♣-3-1, 6-3-3-1 ...).

        Ex: ♠ -     ♥ A52     ♦ D10965      ♣ AV964

3NT = 3-2♠ exactly.             

4♣ = 6+ without spade shortage (6-3-2-2 or 7th suit).

4 = 6+♣ without spade shortage (6♣-3-2-2 or 7th suit).


 

2 = No game ambitions in .

Denies 5  hearts.

 Developments in pure ROMEX style like on 2NT opening.

3♣ = PUPPET ROMEX with 3+♠ (with 5 spades there are also 3-4 hearts, but not 5).

3 = Shortage in heart with 3-4 spades.

3 = TRANSFER with at most 2 hearts.

3♠ = Not more than 2 cards in each major.

3NT = 3-3 in major.

4♣ = 6+ without  heart shortage (likely 6-3-2-2 or 7th suit).

4 = 6+♣ without heart shortage (likely 6♣-3-2-2 or 7th suit).

 

 

 

The announcement of Slams facing of a weak 2

 

3♣ = weak two in . (unknown force)

3 = RELAY with slam ambitions in heart .

3♥    = maxi with a honor control in minor + shortage above. Opener can ask the honor control by 3NT.

3♠    = mini (one returns in other major to play from the good hand).

3NT = maxi 6-3-2-2.

4x    = shortage , eventually a honor control above.

4     = shows shortage in spade.

 

3 = weak 2 maxi.

3 = RELAY with slam ambitions in spade.

 

 3♠    = maxi with a honor control in minor + shortage above. Opener can ask the honor control by 3NT.

3NT = maxi 6-3-2-2.

4x    = shortage , eventually a honor control above.