WEAK JUMP NEW SUIT RESPONSES
The traditional approach to partner’s opening bid is that a jump response in a new suit is strong (16+) and forcing. However this is now being superseded by different treatments, one of which is that the jump bid in a new suit is weak.
(This is very much a ‘feel’ situation, so the foregoing are not explicit rules, merely guidelines).
Defintion
A jump bid in a new suit in response to partner’s (opening) bid is 4-8(poor) points with a 6 or 7 card suit. The bid is non-forcing (and hence is alertable).
(On suitable hands it may be made on a 3 point hand).
The bid would tend to be made if there is no alternative place to play.
Deviations:
If vulnerable it should be 6-7 points
If bid at the three-level it should be 6-7 points
If a seven card suit, add extra point(s) (there is a difference between a 7-2-2-2 and a better 7-3-2-1 hand)
Alternatives
With an alternative place to play (dependent on points or fit), prefer a simple (non-jump) response. So with say 7 points and a suit headed by AK, or AQJ just make a simple response.
A useful way of deciding whether to bid at the 1-level or bidding a jump shift at the 2-level is to consider what you would respond over a Benji 2♣. If you would respond a positive (~1.5 tricks) then respond at the one level. However if you would respond with a negative 2♦ then bid the 2-level new suit weak jump-shift.
With 8 points, only weak jump-shift on a poor suit and poor hand (e.g. ♠:Qxxxxx; ♥: QJx; ♦:Qx; ♣:Jx)
Examples:
Over partner’s opening bid of 1♦
a)♠ KJ7542 b) ♠ K97542 c) ♠ K97542 d) ♠ KJ7542e) ♠ 7
♥ Q62 ♥ 642 ♥ 85 ♥ 85 ♥ Q83
♦ 97 ♦ 97 ♦ A983 ♦ 10832 ♦ 852
♣ 84 ♣ 84 ♣ 8♣ 9 ♣ Q97542
f)♠ KJ7542 g) ♠ AQJ542 h) ♠ AQ10542 i) ♠ 7j) ♠ K87542
♥ Q962 ♥ 642 ♥ 642♥ Q83 ♥ J84
♦ 97 ♦ 97 ♦ 97 ♦ 85 ♦ 72
♣ 8 ♣ 84 ♣ 84♣ K976542 ♣ 86
a) - bid 2♠.
b) - if non vulnerable I would bid 2♠, but if vulnerable I would pass.
c)- there is an alternative place to play (diamond support), so bid 1♠ rather than 2♠
d) - even with diamond support, bid 2♠ not good enough for 1♠.
e) - if non-vulnerable, possibly bid 3♣; if vulnerable – pass.
f)- similar to (a), but an alternative place to play (partner may have hearts), so bid 1♠
g)- just prefer 1♠ to 2♠, but…
h)- in this case probably 2♠
i)- similar to e), but with the 7th club, probably 3♣ at any vulnerability. Replace the ♣K with ♣Q – non-vul 3♣; vul - ??
j) - playing 5-card majors, bid 2♥. Playing 4-card majors I would prefer 2♠.
After Intervening Bid or Double
After ‘double’ ignore the double, and in principle treat as above.
With a suit overcall, two situations arise:
If the intervening bid has not taken up any space i.e. you still have three bids available in your six-card suit, e.g. (1♣ - (1♥) – and you hold six spades), treat as above (1♠ - natural; 2♠ -weak; 3♠ splinter agreeing diamonds).
If the intervening bid has taken away one of the levels of bidding your suit (you are in a ‘displaced bid’ situation) e.g. ((1♣ - (1♠ ) – and you hold six hearts) then:
- If opener’s bid is a minor forgo the splinter bid:
1♦ - (1♠) - 2♥ is natural (5 hearts, 9 + points)
1♦ - (1♠) - 3♥ is weak six-card suit
- If opener’s bid is a major forgo the weak bid:
1♥ - (2♦) – (3♣) is natural (club suit, 9 + points)
1♥ - (2♦) – (4♣) is a splinter bid agreeing hearts.
Responses To Weak Jump Shift
I would suggest that opener should only progress on 17+ points (maybe with experience 16 + points). The 2NT response should be an Ogust type rebid, similar to responding to a weak-two opening hand.
Poor points – 4-5; good points, 6-7points
Good suit – 2 of top 3 honours; otherwise poor suit.
Other Considerations
If using the weak jump new suit response you obviously directly lose the 2-level strong hand. With a six-card suit, I suggest the following:
e.g. After 1♦ – 1♠ – 2♦ -:
2♠- 8-9 points (or 5-card suit 6-9)
3♠- 10-11 points
Change suit - 12-14 points, or 15+ with a fragmented suit
4♠- 15+ points with a solid suit.
AFH