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Responder’s Jump Shift

There are lots of options for how you define responder’s jump shifts in response to an opening bid. The sorts of auctions we’re talking about here are:

 

Opener Responder
   
1♣

 

Opener
2♠

 

Responder
1♠

 

Opener
3♥

 

Responder
1♦ 3♣

 

 

 

There are conventional options out there, like Bergen Raises and Reverse Flannery. For our purposes here, we’re going to focus on natural meanings for these bids.

 

There are three general strengths you might define for your jump shifts:

 

  1. Weak
  2. Invitational
  3. Strong

 

A weak jump shift is a hand too weak to make a normal response, i.e., fewer than 6 HCP. You need at least 6 cards in your suit, with your HCP concentrated in your suit. Here is an ideal hand for a 2♠ jump shift:

 

♠ KQ9854 ♥ 5 ♦ 654 ♣ 873

 

 

An invitational jump shift has, you guessed it, invitational strength. We’re talking around 10-11 HCP. You need a pretty good 6-card suit, and no fit for partner’s suit, especially if it’s a major. Usually not a doubleton, never a doubleton honor. Here is an example of a 3♣ jump-shift over partner’s 1♠ opening:

 

♠ 6 ♥ K54 ♦ 983 ♣ AQJT873

 

 

Strong jump shifts, also called Soloway Jump Shifts, show game-forcing strength and one of three types of hands:

 

  1. Strong single suited – suit is playable opposite a singleton
  2. Balanced with a good 5-card suit
  3. Good 5/6 card suit with a fit for opener’s suit.

 

Responder will clarify his hand type on her next call: she’ll raise opener with type 3, bid notrump with type 2, and do anything else with type 1.

 

 

All three types of jump shifts have their uses and their downsides. As with anything in bridge, it’s about choosing what helps the most and comes up most frequently. My preference, and what is pretty standard these days, is to play weak jump shifts at the 2-level and invitational jump shifts at the 3-level. Remember, we’re only talking about single jumps – double jumps are splinters. So there is no such thing as a 3-level jump shift after a 1♣ opening, and the only 3-level jump shift after 1♦ is 3♣. Invitational jump shifts at the 3-level fill a hole in the 2/1 system: the hands that would have made a 2/1 bid in standard but can’t in 2/1 because they aren’t strong enough to force to game. This is a very hard type of hand to bid without this agreement.

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♣ 2♥

 

 Weak

 

 

♠ 987 ♥ KJ8743 ♦ 987 ♣ 3

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♦ 3♣ 

 

 Invitational

 

♠ 92 ♥ Q8 ♦ J87 ♣ AKJ743

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♠ 3♥  

 

 Invitational

 

♠ 8 ♥ KQJ743 ♦ A984 ♣ 54

 

In a competitive auction, or when responder is a passed hand, you might choose to play fit-showing jumps.

 

 

Fit-Showing Jumps

In competitive auctions, and when responder is a passed hand, weak or invitational jump shifts often don’t make much sense or aren’t as useful or common. When responder is a passed hand, she had a chance to open the bidding with a preempt and didn’t; it doesn’t make sense for her to show a weak hand now.

 

In these contexts, most experts play jump shifts as fit showing. A fit-showing jump shows two things:

 

  1. Your own suit and a fit for partner’s suit. At least 9 cards combined in the two suits, usually 6 in yours and 3 in partner’s.
  2. Invitational values

 

That’s it! In a competitive auction or when responder or advancer is a passed hand, jumping in a new suit is invitational with a fit. Opener/overcaller can pass, return to his suit, or bid a game.

 

 

Responder Opener
   
Pass 1♠

 
3♣  

 

 

 

♠ K54 ♥ 65 ♦ 92 ♣ AK9854

 

 

Responder Opener
   
Pass  1♦

 
2♥  

 

 

♠ 87 ♥ KQJ65 ♦ A984 ♣ 43

 

 

LHO Partner RHO You
       
1♥ 1♠ 3♦

 

 

♠ 87 ♥ QJ4 ♦ AJ8743 ♣ Q4

 

LHO Partner RHO You
       
1♣ 1♠ Dbl 3♦

 

 

♠ A98 ♥ 54 ♦ KQ9854 ♣ Q3

 

 

After a 2NT Rebid

In an uncontested auction, opener’s 2NT rebid shows a balanced hand with 18-19 HCP. Responder might want to do one or more of the following:

 

  1. Sign off in a partscore
  2. Bid a game
  3. Explore a slam
  4. Look for a fit in his major
  5. Look for a fit in the other major
  6. Explore a possible minor-suit fit for slam

 

There are various methods you can employ after a 2NT rebid. The standard is to utilize New Minor Forcing. In this method all bids at the 3-level are game forcing. The only partscore you can stop in is 2NT. Rebidding your suit shows 6+, sets the suit, and shows slam interest. If you are only interested in game with 6 in your suit you just bid game. To look for a fit in either major, you use NMF.

 

If you want a way to sign off in a partscore other than 2NT, you should consider using either transfers or the Wolff Signoff. Both allow you to make both slam tries and signoffs in the already-bid suits. They’re a little more complicated, but add this signoff feature, which is especially useful if you don’t play weak jump shifts.

 

My preference for most partnerships is to stick with the simple NMF approach. For a more seasoned partnership, I like using transfers. (I almost always choose transfers when that’s an option.)

 

In the specific auction 1M – 1NT; 2NT, it’s always useful to play transfers, since responder’s hand is so undefined.

 

 

Transfers Over 2NT Rebid

Many experts employ transfers over opener’s 2NT rebid. Transfers provide a lot of flexibility, as responder can make the same bid with a variety of hand strengths.

 

Using transfers over the 2NT rebid replaces NMF or any other checkback agreement. If responder wants to check for 3-card support for their major they transfer to it and then bid on, usually 3NT. This is quite similar to how you would respond over a 1NT opening bid: transfer to your suit to show 5 cards and then offer opener a choice of games with 3NT.

 

Transferring to responder’s suit shows at least 5. Transferring to another suit shows at least 4. As a general rule, responder’s first priority will be to transfer to their suit to show 5 or more.

 

 

After a transfer, responder has several options based on their hand. They can simply pass if they want to sign off in either their suit or opener’s. They can bid notrump to offer a choice of games. They can bid another suit naturally.

 

Let’s look at how some of this might work in practice:

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♦ 1♥

 
2NT 3♦ Transfer to hearts.

 

 

♠ 65 ♥ KJ873 ♦ 6 ♣ 98652

Planning to pass opener’s 3♥.

 

♠ 984 ♥ QJ863 ♦ Q5 ♣ K65

Planning to follow with 3NT, showing 5 hearts and offering a choice of games.

 

♠ QJ98 ♥ KT873 ♦ 6 ♣ K98

Planning to bid 3♠ next, showing 4 spades and 5 hearts.

 

♠ A6 ♥ KJ984 ♦ J5 ♣ AJ62

Planning to bid 4♣ next, showing hearts and clubs.

 

 

Opener is required to accept a transfer to a previously bid suit, as responder could be signing off. For example:

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♦ 1♠

 
2NT 3♣ Transfer to diamonds, opener must bid 3♦.

 

Responder could be planning to sign off:

♠ Q987 ♥ 54 ♦ Q654 ♣ Q54

 

Responder could be making a slam try, planning to continue with 3NT or a control bid:

♠ AJ54 ♥ Q5 ♦ KQ65 ♣ 984

 

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♦ 1♠

 
2NT 3♥ Transfer to spades, opener must accept.

 

Responder could be planning to sign off:

♠ QJ874 ♥ 87 ♦ 8743 ♣ Q4

 

Responder could be offering a choice of games:

♠ KJ543 ♥ Q87 ♦ J4 ♣ Q87

 

Responder could have interest in slam:

♠ AQ9874 ♥ 4 ♦ A987 ♣ Q8

 

 

With a hand with a 6-card major that is only interested in game, responder jumps to 4M. With a mild slam try, responder transfers to their suit and then bids 4M. This is similar to Texas Transfers.

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♦ 1♠

 
2NT ?

 

♠ QJ8743 ♥ 53 ♦ KQ ♣ 874

Jump to 4♠.

 

♠ AQ9874 ♥ J3 ♦ K54 ♣ J4

Transfer with 3♥ and then bid 4♠, showing mild slam interest.

 

 

 

Transfers to a new suit are game forcing, so opener only accepts with a fit.

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♦ 1♠

 
2NT 3♦ Transfer to hearts. Opener bids 3♥ with 4, 3♠ with 3, 3NT with neither. Like NMF.

 

 

After the auction 1M – 1NT; 2NT, opener must accept all transfers, as responder could be signing off in any suit.

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♥ 1NT

 
2NT 3♣ Transfer to ♦, opener must accept.

 

 

3♠ is always a transfer to clubs. It shows at least moderate slam interest.  There is no way to sign off in clubs. Opener bids 3NT with no interest in a club slam, 4♣ otherwise.

 

 

The transfer bid is alertable, as is opener’s acceptance if it is forced. You do not announce these transfers as you do over a notrump opening.

 

 

After the transfer, new suits are generally natural and game forcing, and the auction proceeds normally.

 

If a transfer bid is doubled, accepting the transfer shows a fit, passing denies one. If opener passes and the double passes around to responder, redouble asks opener to accept the transfer.

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♣ 1♠

 
2NT

 

P

 3♥          (X)

 

XX

 Transfer to spades.

 

Pass = no fit in spades.

XX = please bid 3♠ anyway.

 

 

 

Wolff Signoff

One downside of standard methods after opener’s 2NT rebid, like New Minor Forcing, is responder has no way to sign off in a partscore other than 2NT. We define all bids as forcing over the 2NT rebid, as finding the right game or slam is more important than finding the perfect partscore. So this auction, which looks like it might be a signoff, is in fact a slam try:

 

Opener Responder
   
1♦ 1♠

 
2NT 3♠

 

With a weaker hand with only interest in game, responder would bid 4♠. The 3♠ bid sets spades and shows interest in slam. Opener is encouraged to control bid with an appropriate hand.

 

But what does responder do if she wants to sign off in 3♠? She has to either pass 2NT or bid 4♠. Such is life. But Bobby Wolff wasn’t satisfied with this state of affairs, so he invented a way for responder to sign off: the Wolff Signoff.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

After the 2NT rebid, regardless of which minor was opened, responder can bid an artificial (and alertable) 3♦ as a checkback bid. This is just like NMF: it asks opener to show 3-card support for responder’s major or 4 cards in the other major. It is game forcing.

 

3♣ is a relay to 3♦, used for a signoff. After opener follows instructions and bids 3♦, responder can pass if she wants to play 3♦, bid her suit to sign off, or bid 4♣ to sign off if that was opener’s suit. Both the 3♣ and 3♦ bids are alertable.

 

This 3♣ relay is very much like Lebensohl: it gives responder two ways to make her 3-level bids, one showing strength and one signing off.

 

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♣ 1♥  

 
2NT 3♥ Slam interest

 

♠ A54 ♥ KQT873 ♦ K6 ♣ J4

 

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♣ 1♥

 
2NT 3♣* Forcing 3♦

 
3♦* 3♥ Signing off

 

♠ 432 ♥ QJ985 ♦ J653 ♣ 2

 

 

This is the basic structure, but there is one wrinkle: what does it mean if responder bids something other than one of the previously-bid suits after the 3♣ relay?

 

Opener Responder
   
1♣ 1♥

 
2NT 3♣

 
3♦ 3♠

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1♣ 1♥

 
2NT 3♣

 
3♦ 3NT

 

 

The standard meaning for these bids is they are slam tries in a minor. The “other” major – the one responder did not bid on the first round – corresponds to the “other” minor – the one opener did not open. 3NT corresponds to opener’s minor.

 

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♣ 1♥  

 
2NT 3♣* Forcing 3♦

 
3♦* 3♠ Slam try in diamonds

 

♠ 5 ♥ AT54 ♦ AJ652 ♣ Q98

 

Opener Responder  
     
1♣ 1♥  

 
2NT 3♣* Forcing 3♦

 
3♦* 3NT Slam try in clubs

 

♠ KQ5 ♥ AQ65 ♦ 6 ♣ QT873

 

 

If 3♣ is doubled, redouble suggests playing in 3♣ redoubled. Accepting the 3♦ relay shows a club stopper; passing denies one.

 

 

Gambling 3NT

The Gambling 3NT is a specific type of preempt. It is an opening bid of 3NT that shows a solid (headed by at least AKQ) minor suit of at least 7 cards. It also denies an outside ace or king. Here is a model example:

 

♠ 93 ♥ J4 ♦ AKQJ873 ♣ 83

 

The idea is that we want to take advantage of the preemptive nature of this type of hand, while also acknowledging that this hand is too strong for a preempt. It has 7 sure tricks! That’s two away from game in notrump.

 

The expectation is not necessarily that we are going to play the hand in 3NT. Responder has a very good picture of opener’s hand and can judge whether to

 

  1. Pass it out in 3NT and hope to take 9 tricks
  2. Pull to 4 of responder’s minor
  3. Pull to 5 of responder’s minor
  4. Look for slam

 

 

Here are responder’s options:

 

Pass     Responder wants to play 3NT

4♣       This is pass or correct: opener will pass with clubs and bid 4♦ with diamonds. Responder has no interest in game.

4♦        This is a slam try asking opener if they have a singleton anywhere. With no singleton opener bids their suit at the 5-level. With a singleton in a major opener bids it. With a singleton in the other minor opener bids either 5♣ (when their suit is diamonds) or 4NT (when their suit is clubs and they have shortness in diamonds).

4♥/4♠  These are to play. Responder will have at least a 6-card suit and think this is the best contract.

5♣       This is pass or correct. Responder thinks game in opener’s minor is best.

 

 

 

Examples:

 

3NT     ?

 

♠ QJ98 ♥ AQ63 ♦ 83 ♣ K42

Pass. Partner’s suit is clearly diamonds, and you expect to be able to provide the two additional tricks necessary.

 

♠ J53 ♥ A9843 ♦ 63 ♣ Q83

4♣. You know there is basically no chance of making 3NT, so you want to play in 4 of partner’s minor. You know partner’s suit is diamonds, but 4♦ has a different meaning. So you bid 4♣, and partner will correct to 4♦.

 

♠ AQ653 ♥ 83 ♦ AKJ3 ♣ 98

5♣. You don’t want to play in 3NT with no heart stopper, but 5♣ has a good chance to make.

 

♠ 65 ♥ AKQT63 ♦ 8 ♣ AQJ4

4♥. The most likely game.

 

♠ 9873 ♥ AKQ ♦ AK98 ♣ 54

4♦. If partner has a singleton spade, you expect 6♣ to make. If not, you’ll play 5♣.

 

♠ AK9874 ♥ A5 ♦ 987 ♣ A9

6♦. Partner has 7 tricks, you have 4, that’s 11. You expect to get one more either from a ruff or setting up the spades.

 

 

2NT – 3♠ Minor Suit Slam Try

After a 2NT opening we need a way for responder to show a strong hand with one or both minor suits. We can’t use four-way transfers like we can over 1NT, since 3NT is needed for another purpose. You know, to play in 3NT. Almost every bid available is taken: 3♣ is Stayman, 3♦, 3♥, 4♦, and 4♥ are transfers, 4♣ is Gerber. The only bid left is 3♠. So that’s the bid we use to make a slam try in a minor suit.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

Responder will have either a one-suited hand (6+ in her minor) or a two-suited hand (at least 5-5 in the minors) with at least some slam interest. She bids 3♠. This is a relay to 3NT – opener has no choice in the matter, he must bid 3NT. This is basically to get out of the way so responder can show her hand. Both the 3♠ and 3NT bids are alertable.

 

After opener bids 3NT, responder shows her hand by either: 1) bidding her suit with the 1-suited hand or 2) bidding her short suit with the two-suited hand. (With 5-5 shape, you’ll always have a singleton or void in one of the majors.)

 

Examples:

 

♠ A6 ♥ 4 ♦ AQ98543 ♣ T62

 

Opener Responder
   
2NT 3♠
3NT 4♦

 

 

♠ 9 ♥ A5 ♦ KJ983 ♣ KQ874

 

Opener Responder
   
2NT 3♠
3NT 4♠

 

 

What does opener do? With a negative hand – i.e., a hand not interested in slam – opener makes one of two negative bids:

  1. 4NT (This is to play)
  2. 5 of responder’s minor

 

If opener likes slam prospects, he control-bids. Now that both partners have shown slam interest, we cannot play in 4NT, so 4NT becomes RKB.

 

Examples:

 

Opener Responder
   
2NT 3♠
3NT 4♣

 

♠ KQJ ♥ AQJ3 ♦ KQJ4 ♣ J4

About the worst hand you could have. Bid 4NT.

 

♠ KQ ♥ KQJ65 ♦ KQJ ♣ QJ6

Again, quite poor, but you’re not excited about playing in notrump with only 1 spade stopper. Bid 5♣.

 

♠ AK52 ♥ AK ♦ AT98 ♣ K65

A fantastic hand. Control-bid 4♦.

 

 

 

Additional agreements:

Some people reverse the meanings of responder’s 4♣ and 4♦, so that opener ends up as declarer more often. So responder bids clubs if her suit is diamonds and diamonds if her suit is clubs. Too much headache for me! Just like after a natural 4m bid, opener can sign off in either 4NT or 5m or make a forward-going move by control-bidding at the 4-level.

 

In a regular partnership it also makes sense to include a meaning for responder’s 3♠-then-4NT sequence (i.e., 2NT – 3♠; 3NT – 4NT). I like this as showing some 22(54) hand. (i.e., 2-2 in the majors and 5-4 either way in the minors). Some people use it to show a 6511 hand with singletons in both majors. You need to establish whether 4NT is forcing in these situations. (Usually no if you define it as the 5422 hand, yes if it’s the 6511 hand.)

 

 

If 3♠ is doubled:

XX shows the ace of spades

3NT shows the king of spades

Pass denies a spade control.

 

The auction can now proceed normally.

 

 

1NT Gets Doubled

It’s relatively rare that opponents play a double of 1NT as penalty, but some still do. And everyone does after a 1NT overcall. It’s important for responder to have a way to run from a doomed 1NT contract. The weaker the hand, the more responder wants to play in a suit contract.

 

There are several schemes a partnership can employ here. The simplest is to leave systems on, meaning responder can use Stayman and Transfers. However, we don’t want to have to go to the 3-level when responder has a minor suit. So we use redouble for that hand: redouble means, “I have a minor suit (at least 5 cards) and want to play there.” Opener bids 2♣ and responder either passes or corrects to 2♦. Both the redouble and the 2♣ bid are alertable.

 

 

Another option that gives a little more flexibility is to use DONT. As you recall if you know DONT, all suit bids show a two-suited hand, with that suit and a higher-ranking suit. If opener wants to know the unknown suit (i.e., they prefer whatever the second suit might be to the known suit), they simply bid the next suit up. A double (in this case a redouble) shows a one-suited hand; opener bids 2♣, which responder will pass or correct to their suit. All of the bids in DONT are alertable: both responder’s initial bid or redouble and opener’s pass-or-correct bids.

 

This approach is a little better, since it lets responder run with 2-suited hands. Usually for DONT we need at least 5-4 in our suits, but in this circumstance, since we’re just trying to escape, responder could be only 4-4.

 

 

Examples:

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1NT Dbl ?

 

♠ 987 ♥ QJ984 ♦ 87 ♣ 432

If playing systems on, use 2♦ to transfer to hearts. If playing DONT, redouble to show one suit, and then bid 2♥ after opener relays to 2♣.

 

♠ 9872 ♥ Q987 ♦ 652 ♣ 43

Playing systems on, use Stayman. Playing DONT, bid 2♥, showing both majors.

 

♠ Q987 ♥ 54 ♦ 873 ♣ J642

Playing systems on, you’re a bit stuck. You have to pass. Playing DONT, you can bid 2♣ showing clubs and another suit.

 

 

1M – 3NT

What is a 3NT response to a 1 of a major opening? There are three common agreements. There is no standard, so this is something you must discuss with your partner.

 

My preference is to use two-tiered splinters, which use the 3NT bid to show a stronger splinter hand. See that article.

 

The most common treatment is that 3NT shows a 4333 hand with 3-card support and 13-15 HCP. This bid is alertable. Opener is invited to either pass or bid 4M.

 

Example:

 

♠ QJ6 ♥ KJ5 ♦ KJ65 ♣ K98

 

 

The third agreement is using 3NT to show a “Good 1-4” raise. This means a hand with 5-card support but more strength that would be expected for a normal preemptive raise to the 4-level. Basically we’re talking about 5-card support and a trick or so outside. You might hear this referred to as a “Bridge World Standard 3NT,” since that is the meaning assigned in Bridge World Standard. This bid is alertable.

 

Example:

 

1♥        ?

 

♠ 9 ♥ Q9874 ♦ 9874 ♣ J43

A classic raise to 4♥.

 

♠ 9 ♥ Q9874 ♦ A874 ♣ J43

A “Good 1-4” 3NT raise.