M J Bridge

Conventions

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Bidding

Hands

Theory

Conventions

M J Bridge

Home

Bidding

Hands

Theory

Jump in a new suit


Natural and strong


First of all, the traditional meaning - natural and forcing showing a strong single-suited hand.  Exactly how strong is subject to partnership agreement, but a one-round force is probably the best variation.


Certainly this is a hand which it is difficult to show by other means using basic and improver methods - but there are better uses for this bid.


Splinter


If you have taken the splinter bid on board as responder then there is something to be said for playing it in the same way as advancer.


Such a bid will be helpful to partner when there is a realistic hope of a game contract, but this will be the exception following the opponents’ opening bid.


K 9 7 2

A K T 6 3

5 3

T 3

You have four-card support and an excellent side-suit.

Bid 3, happy to play in 3 in the absence of further enemy action.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

-

?









K 9 7 2

T 3

J T 8 6 3

A K

You have four-card support for partner and a five-card side-suit but do not make a fit-jump in diamonds - the suit quality is totally inadequate.

My choice is an unassuming cue-bid of 2.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

-

?









K Q T

8 4

A K J T 5

Q 6 2

Only three-card support, but an excellent side-suit in a strong hand.

Bid 3, or force to game with 4 provided that you play this as a fit-jump.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

-

?









T 8 7 4

8 4

K Q T 5 2

6 2

A much weaker hand, but you still bid 3, to show the nature of your hand whilst raising rapidly to the level of the fit.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

-

?









T 9 8 7 4

8 4

K Q T 5 2

6

The same hand with an extra spade and therefore a ten-card fit.

Bid 4 provided that you have agreed to play this as a fit-jump.

LHO

Pard

RHO

You

1

1

-

?









Fit-jump


Usually better in this position will be to help partner determine how high to compete in the event of a continuing contested auction, and the most helpful use of this bid will be to help in the search for a double-fit in which case it will pay to compete higher than you might have done otherwise.


Note that the bid can be used both on weak competitive hands, and on hands on which you have hopes of a contract your way.

Such a bid shows support for partner together with a side-suit of some quality, but apart from the requirement of ‘some quality’ it says little about the overall strength of the hand.


With a weak holding you can use such a bid to raise rapidly to the appropriate level (as measured by the known fit) for a worthwhile sacrifice, and on a stronger holding it might provide the groundwork for a making contract.

In particular, if partner is able to identify a double-fit it tells him all he needs to know in deciding whether or not to compete to a higher level.


In general you will hold four or more cards in partner’s suit to justify a jump to the level of the known fit.

With a stronger hand you might be happy to jump constructively on a three-card holding opposite partner’s known five-card suit.


As for the side-suit, I would suggest a guideline of a five-card suit, but you may well stretch the length requirement down to four cards, particularly if the bid indicates a desirable lead in defence.

With regard to the quality required in the side-suit you should come to your own agreement but two of the top three honours would be a typical guideline.  (I quite like a minimum requirement of KQTxx as a working guideline.)


Quality in partner’s suit is not so important - you may act on the assumption that he holds a good suit to justify his overcall.


How forcing?


The answer is ‘forcing for one round’.


This is hardly any more than a statement of the inevitable.  If partner does not have a fit in the second suit then he will convert to the agreed suit, and if he does have a fit in the second suit then there is a double-fit and he should raise to an appropriate level as quickly as possible.

Because of the forcing nature of the bid advancer will very occasionally take this route with a really strong hand, intending to bid again, but much more commonly he will bid as high as he dare at his first opportunity.


I like to play the fit-jump by advancer as any jump in a new suit, as in the examples above.  Others might prefer to play it only as a single jump, reserving higher jumps for some other purpose such as a splinter.


Too much defence


Just once in a while you might not compete as high as you might have done otherwise, simply because you quite fancy defending against the opponents’ contract.

The principle is, quite simply, ‘why sacrifice when they are going down anyway?’.


But usually, raising rapidly to the optimum level will prove to be the best strategy in good company.

Overcaller’s first bid

Overcaller’s rebid

Post-beginner and above

Context  -  advancer - opponents opened one of a suit - partner made a minimum suit overcall - RHO passed - the way ahead - support bids.

Post intermediate and above

This page last revised 1st Jan 2019