June 2020 - 49

Newer Players

Bidding Basics
BY LARRY COHEN

larryco.com

Responder's rebid after opener's jump
In the previous installment, we
responded on the one level to partner's opening bid. Our partner then
reversed. Tough topic. This month, we
again will respond on the one level, and
opener will show a strong hand, but not
by reversing (thank goodness). He will
be jumping instead. We will examine
what we, as responder, do after seeing
that jump by opener.
Opener jumpshifts
Let's start with opener's jumpshift
into a suit, which shows 19 or more
high-card points. This is the granddaddy (strongest) of all rebids. It would
be any of these auctions:
1♣-1♦; 2♥/2♠
1♣-1♥; 2♠
1♦-1♥; 2♠/3♣
1♦-1♠; 3♣
1♦-1NT; 3♣
1♥-1♠; 3♣/3♦
1♥-1NT; 3♣/3♦
1♠-1NT; 3♣/3♦/3♥
In each case, opener has jumped
(skipped a level) and changed suit.
Note that opener should never jump
and reverse: 1♣-1♥; 3♦ or 1♣-1♠;
3♥ are unnecessary bids. After opener's jumpshift into a suit (natural, but
unbalanced), responder cannot pass. If
he does, it could end the partnership.
Not only must responder keep the bidding alive, but the partnership is forced
to game!
Any of responder's bids are now
natural and, of course, game forcing.
Here are some examples.

After 1♦-1♥; 2♠, bid 2NT with:
♠K x ♥K J x x ♦x x ♣J 10 x x x.
You must have the fourth suit
stopped to bid notrump. Bid 3♦ with:
♠x x x ♥A x x x ♦Q x x x ♣x x.
Bid 3♥ with:
♠x x ♥K J 10 x x x ♦x x ♣A x x.
Repeating your suit should show six
or more cards. Bid 3♠ with:
♠A x x x ♥K Q x x ♦x x x ♣Q x.
Jump to 4♠ (weaker than 3♠) with:
♠K x x x ♥K x x x ♦x x ♣x x x.
It is beyond the scope of this series
to differentiate between 2NT or 3NT
(this is for regular expert partnerships
to discuss). Furthermore, a bid in the
fourth-suit would be rare, subject to
partnership agreement. Some play it as
natural, but simpler might be artificial,
looking for a stopper.
If, after a one-level response, opener
rebids 2NT, he shows a balanced 18-19.
Responder can pass with a dead minimum or bid any game to play there.
Anything else is forcing (the convention called new-minor forcing can be
used here).
Opener jump-rebids his suit
If, after a one-level response, opener
repeats his suit but does so by jumping
to the three level, it is invitational (sixplus cards). Responder can pass with a
minimum, raise to game or bid 3NT. If
responder does anything else, like repeating his suit, it is forcing. A new suit
on the four level would be a control-bid
raise. For example, after 1♥-1♠; 3♥,

pass with:
♠A x x x ♥x ♦Q x x x ♣x x x x.
Bid 3♠ (forcing) with:
♠A Q J 10 x x ♥- ♦A x x x ♣x x x.
Bid 3NT (to play) with:
♠K 10 9 x ♥Q x ♦K J 10 ♣Q 10 9 x.
Bid 4♣ (slam interest, heart support,
club control) with:
♠Q x x x x ♥K J ♦x x ♣A K J x.
Raise to 4♥ with:
♠J x x x ♥K x ♦A Q x x x ♦x x.
Bid 4NT (Blackwood) with:
♠A K x x ♥Q x x ♦A Q x ♣K x x.
Opener jump-raises responder's
suit
If opener jump-raises responder's
suit to the three level, it shows an invitational hand with four-card support. A
jump-raise to game shows even more.
After the three-level jump, responder
can pass with a minimum, bid game,
or try for slam by control-bidding. For
example, after 1♦-1♠; 3♠, pass with:
♠K x x x ♥x x ♦x x x ♣Q J x x.
Bid 3NT with:
♠J x x x ♥K Q x ♦K x ♣Q J x x.
Control-bid 4♣ with:
♠A Q x x x ♥x x x ♦A x x ♣K x.
Bid a spade game with:
♠K Q x x ♥x x ♦x x ♣K x x x x.
4NT would be RKCB in spades (or
plain Blackwood if not using RKCB).
Opener's jump-raise to four (1♦-1♠;
4♠, for example) is not a "closeout"
June 2020 Bridge Bulletin

49
http://www.larryco.com
June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2020
