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Puppet Stayman Over 1NT

Partner opens 1NT and you hold:

 

♠ AJ4 ♥ KJ43 ♦ Q985 ♣ 42

 

Do we have a game? Yes. Do we have a major-suit fit? Maybe: if partner has 5 spades or 4 hearts. Stayman will only find a potential heart fit; we’d like to be able to find a 5-3 spade fit as well. Enter Low Information Puppet Stayman, or LIPS.

 

Responder uses LIPS  when they have a game-forcing hand and want to know whether opener has a 5-card major. They will have at least one 3-card major. Their common shapes in the majors are 4-3, 3-3, and 3-2. They never use LIPS when 4-4 in the majors; use regular Stayman instead.

 

The bid most commonly used for LIPS is 3♣, though many pairs are starting to use 2NT, as it leaves a little more room and doesn’t give the opponents a lead-directing double of 3♣. For now we will assume the LIPS bid is 3♣.

 

Opener has three responses to 3♣:

  • 3♦: No 5-card major. Could have a 4-card major (or not)
  • 3♥: 5 hearts
  • 3♠: 5 spades

Over 3M, we treat things just like over 2-level Stayman:

  • To set trumps, responder bids the OTHER MAJOR
  • Bidding a minor is natural and GF
  • 4NT is Quantitative (for RKB, set the suit by bidding the other major)

 

Over 3♦, responder can bid 3M to show 4 cards in the other major. Opener now bids 4M or 3NT.

 

Opener Responder
   
1NT 3♣1
3♦2 3♠3
4♥4

 

 

  1. 5-card Stayman
  2. No 5-card major
  3. Responder has 4 hearts
  4. Opener also has 4 hearts

 

If 3♣ Gets Doubled

Pass denies a club stopper, answering shows a club stopper. After Pass, responder can redouble to re-ask.

 

 

Puppet Stayman Over 2NT

Puppet Stayman is an alternative to regular Stayman used over a 2NT opening (or 2♣ -2♦ – 2NT). Instead of asking if opener has a 4-card major, Puppet Stayman asks about both 4- and 5-card majors. Here’s how it works:

 

After 2NT – 3♣, if opener has a 5-card major he bids it. Without a 5-card major, he bids 3♦ to show at least one 4-card major. With no 4- or 5-card major opener bids 3NT.

 

After opener’s 3♦ bid, with one 4-card major responder bids 3 of the major she does not have. This allows the strong hand to be declarer if there is a fit. With both 4-card majors responder bids either 4♣ or 4♦. 4♣ shows slam interest, 4♦ means she is interested only in game.

 

When opener shows a 5-card major, bidding the other major is artificial and sets opener’s major as trumps, just like regular Stayman. Bidding a minor at the 4-level is natural and game forcing.

 

The big downside to playing Puppet Stayman is that responder cannot use Smolen. This is a large enough negative that many experts do not play Puppet Stayman. As an alternative, you can agree to play regular Stayman over 2NT, but that a 3NT response to Stayman shows 5 spades. Now you get 50% of the benefit of Puppet Stayman while still getting Smolen. After this 3NT bid, 4m is natural and 4♥ is a transfer to 4♠.

 

 

If 3♣ Gets Doubled

Pass denies a club stopper, answering shows a club stopper. After Pass, responder can redouble to re-ask.

 

 

Non-Serious 3NT

One of the great things about 2/1 is that we don’t have to jump around to show extra values. This gives us maximum room to describe our hands, helping us find our fits and investigate slams. The downside is that once we are in a GF auction, there is no way to show or deny extra values. This can lead to silly auctions, where both partners have minimums, but are “cooperating” with a slam investigation, in case their partner has a good hand. Consider an auction like this:

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1♠ 2♣

 
2♠ 3♠

 
4♣ 4♦

 
4♥ ?

 

 

Has either partner shown extra values? Or are they both cooperating in case partner has extras? It’s impossible to know for sure. What we really need is a way to differentiate a good hand from a reasonable hand that’s just cooperating – to show Serious slam interest vs. Non-Serious slam interest. If only there were a bid available in auctions like these that wasn’t being used that we could commandeer for this purpose.

 

There is such a bid – 3NT. Once we have found a major-suit fit we’re never playing in 3NT, so it’s an idle bid, situated perfectly right in the heart of our control-bidding auctions. Think about it – what would it have meant in the auction above if South bid 3NT instead of 4♣? Nothing. It’s a bid without a definition, so we can utilize it for our purposes of differentiating strength in control-bidding auctions at no cost.

 

Using a bid as important as 3NT conventionally means we have to be very specific about when this convention applies. Obviously if 3NT is a possible contract we absolutely cannot use 3NT conventionally. Here are the three rules for when this convention applies:

  1. We must have an agreed 8+ card fit in a major suit. (When our suit is a major, 3NT is not a possible contract; when our suit is a minor, 3NT is the most likely contract.)
  2. We must be in a game-force. (The convention never applies after we make a game try.)
  3. At least one hand must be unlimited (or have a wide enough range for slam to be in the picture).

When all three of these conditions are met (as in the example auction above), we can use 3NT to show a Non-Serious slam try. This means we don’t have significant extra values ourselves, we’re just willing to cooperate if partner has slam interest. (A 2 in my 1-5 slam rating system.) In contrast, skipping over 3NT and control-bidding at the 4‑level shows Serious slam interest – not just a minimum, but significant extra values and slam interest opposite a decent minimum from partner. (A good 3 or any 4 or 5.)

 

Control-bidding at the 3‑level does not show or deny Serious slam interest – it just shows some willingness to investigate slam. (Truly awful hands will just jump to game.) We cannot make our Serious vs. Non-Serious designation until the auction gets to 3NT, and we can’t skip over control-bids to get there faster, since partner will assume we lack a control in any suit we have a chance to show a control in and don’t. Sometimes you need to exercise a little patience.

 

When your partner makes a Non-Serious slam try by bidding 3NT, you should not look for slam unless you have significant extra values (and just need a good minimum from partner for slam to be good). If you have such a good hand – usually a 4 or a 5 on my slam-evaluation scale – you can continue control-bidding or use RKB. Most of the time you will just sign off in 4M.

 

When partner makes a Serious slam try, you should cooperate by showing any controls you have. Partner’s hand could be so good that all she needs to know is whether you have a control in one suit or not.

 

Examples:

 

Opener Responder
   
1♠ 2NT*

 
3♥*

 

 

North uses Jacoby 2NT and South shows heart shortness. North’s options are:

1.      Jump to 4♠. This shows a minimum hand with wasted values in hearts.

2.      Bid 3NT. This shows a Non-Serious slam try – a minimum, but with limited wastage and decent controls.

3.      Control-bid at the 4‑level. This shows extra values and Serious slam interest.

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1♥ 2♦

 
2♥ 3♥

 
?

 

 

We are in a GF, have set hearts as trumps, and both hands are unlimited, so Non-Serious 3NT applies. South’s weakest action is 4♥. She can bid 3NT (Non-Serious) or control-bid at the 4‑level (Serious). But both of these actions would deny a spade control, since she would be skipping over a 3♠ control bid. With a spade control, South must bid 3♠ – this takes priority over showing Serious vs. Non-Serious interest. If South bids 3♠, North now has the opportunity to show Serious vs. Non-Serious interest.

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1♣ 1♠

 
2♠ 3♣

 
3♠ ?

 

 

 

Non-Serious 3NT does not apply after a game try (such as North’s 3♣ bid). 3NT should be an offer to play. Unusual given the major-suit fit, but with both partner’s limited, slam is out of the picture.

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1NT 2♣

 
2♥ 3♥

 
3NT

 

 

Both partners are limited (North made a NF 3♥ bid), so slam is out of the picture and Non-Serious 3NT does not apply. This is an offer to play 3NT. Opener is probably 4333.

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1♠ 2♦

 
3♦ 3♥

 
3♠ 3NT

 

 

 

Diamonds is the agreed suit, so there is no Non-Serious 3NT. 3NT is an offer to play.

 

 

 

New Minor Forcing Part II

Bids at the 3‑level are generally invitational. There is one exception: a jump to three of the other minor is to play. (eg., 1♣‑1♠; 1N‑3♦) Because two of this minor would be NMF, responder needs a way to play in this suit when she has a weak hand with, say, 4 cards in her major and 6 cards in the other minor.

 

 

Opener Responder
   
1♦ 1♥

 
1NT 3♣

 

 

♠ 5 ♥ QJ65 ♦ 65 ♣ KJ9843

 

 

Bidding NMF and then bidding a new suit is forcing, usually a slam try.

 

Example:

 

Opener Responder
   
1♦ 1♠

 
1NT 2♣*

 
2♠ 3♦

 

 

Responder used NMF and opener showed a minimum with 3‑card spade support. Why is responder now bidding diamonds? Obviously she did not care about spade support (she has only 4 spades); she has a slam try in diamonds. She could not bid 3♦ over 1NT, since that would be invitational. Her hand might look like this: ♠ AKxx ♥ x ♦ KQJxx ♣ AJT

 

 

 

In Competition

 

If the only interference is a bid or double by opener’s LHO, and responder’s length in the major suits is not clear, NMF is on.

 

Examples:

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♣ 1♦ 1♠ Pass

 
1NT Pass ?

 

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♦ Dbl 1♥ Pass

 
1NT Pass ?

 

 

Responder’s major-suit length is not known (she could have a 4- or 5‑card suit), so NMF is on.

 

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♣ 1♥ 1♠ Pass

 
1NT Pass ?

 

 

Responder has 5+ spades (she would make a Negative Double with 4), so we don’t need NMF. 2♦ is natural and forcing.

 

 

If opener’s RHO bids or doubles, NMF is on.

 

Examples:

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♣ Pass 1♠ Dbl

 
1NT Pass ?

 

2♦ is NMF.

 

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♦ Pass 1♥ 1♠

 
1NT Pass ?

 

2♣ is NMF.

 

 

Additional bidding turns NMF off.

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♦ Pass 1♥ 1♠

 
1NT 2♣ ?

 

 

 

Partner RHO You LHO
       
1♣ 1♦ 1♥ 1♠

 
1NT Pass ?

 

No NMF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a complete list of auctions and what responder’s bids mean. (Any bids not listed are not defined as part of our system.)

 

1♣-1♠-1NT

 

2♣: To play. Opener must pass.
2♦: NMF.
2♥: Pass or correct (i.e., a weak hand with 5=4 or more in the majors that wants to play a major-suit partscore).
2♠: To play. Responder has no game interest and 5+ spades. Opener must pass.
2NT: Invitational and relatively balanced. 4 spades and < 4 hearts.
3♣: Invitational with a club fit.
3♦: To play. Opener must pass.
3♥: Invitational with 5‑5 in the majors.
3♠: Invitational with 6+ spades.
3NT: To play.
4♣: Gerber.
4♥: Pick a major suit game (usually at least 6‑5).
4♠: To play (game values, at least 6 spades).

 


1♦-1♠-1NT

 

2♣: NMF.
2♦: To play. Opener must pass.
2♥: Pass or correct (i.e., a weak hand with 5=4 or more in the majors that wants to play a major-suit partscore).
2♠: To play. Responder has no game interest and 5+ spades. Opener must pass.
2NT: Invitational and relatively balanced. 4 spades and < 4 hearts.
3♣: To play. Opener must pass.
3♦: Invitational with a diamond fit.
3♥: Invitational with 5‑5 in the majors.
3♠: Invitational with 6+ spades.
3NT: To play.
4♣: Gerber.
4♥: Pick a major suit game (usually at least 6‑5).
4♠: To play (game values, at least 6 spades).

 

1♣-1♥-1NT

 

2♣: To play. Opener must pass.
2♦: NMF.
2♥: To play. Responder has no game interest and 5+ hearts. Opener must pass.
2♠: Forcing, 5 spades, 6+ hearts. (With only 4 spades, use NMF.)
2NT: Invitational and relatively balanced. 4 hearts and < 4 spades.
3♣: Invitational with a club fit.
3♦: To play. Opener must pass.
3♥: Invitational with 6+ hearts.
3♠: Does not exist.
3NT: To play.
4♣: Gerber.
4♥: To play (game values, at least 6 hearts).
 

1♦-1♥-1NT

 

2♣: NMF.
2♦: To play. Opener must pass.
2♥: To play. Responder has no game interest and 5+ hearts. Opener must pass.
2♠: Forcing, 5 spades, 6+ hearts. (With only 4 spades, use NMF.)
2NT: Invitational and relatively balanced. 4 hearts and < 4 spades.
3♣: To play. Opener must pass.
3♦: Invitational with a diamond fit.
3♥: Invitational with 6+ hearts.
3♠: Does not exist.
3NT: To play.
4♣: Gerber.
4♥: To play (game values, at least 6 hearts).
   

 

 

 

New Minor Forcing

When you have a balanced hand with 12‑14 HCP and no 5‑card major, you open one of a minor and then rebid 1NT (unless you have 4‑card support for partner’s major suit, of course). This rebid is very descriptive, but sometimes responder needs a little more information. Specifically, responder often needs to know a) if opener is maximum or minimum and b) what her shape in the majors is.

 

So responder needs a forcing bid that will ask opener for this information. Responder can’t rebid her suit or opener’s suit; those bids are non-forcing. (e.g., 1♣‑1♠; 1NT‑2♠. This means “I have a minimum hand with at least 5 spades and want to play 2♠.”) So we use two of the other minor (i.e., the minor opener did not bid) as an artificial asking bid; we call this New Minor Forcing (NMF). For example: 1♣‑1♠; 1NT‑2♦. 2♦ is NMF. NMF does not exist in the auction 1♣-1♦-1NT. After 1♥ – 1♠; 1NT, either minor can be used like NMF. NMF is alertable.

 

When should responder use NMF? When she has at least an invitational hand (i.e., 11+ points) and wants more information from partner. Usually what she will want to know is one or more of the following:

 

  • Does opener have 3‑card support for my major?
  • Does opener have 4 cards in the other major?
  • Is opener a minimum (i.e., 12 HCP) or a maximum (14)?

 

Don’t use NMF if you already know what the final contract should be; if you don’t care about the answer, don’t ask the question. For example, if you hold ♠ AK95 ♥ K62 ♦ Q63 ♣ Q42 and the bidding goes 1♣-1♠-1NT, there is no need to use NMF: you know you want to play in 3NT, so just bid it! Also, if the only question you care about is whether opener is a maximum or minimum, don’t use NMF: bid 2NT. This is natural and invitational.

 

Opener’s 1NT rebid does not initiate NMF; responder initiates NMF. The mistake most people make as opener is they think of NMF as a telling bid: “Partner is saying she has 11+ points and 5 cards in her suit.” NMF is an asking bid; opener has limited her hand, so responder is the captain. She is asking questions, and all opener has to do is answer them.

 

 

Answering NMF

As opener, answering the questions partner is asking with NMF is relatively simple.

 

The first question is about strength: are you a minimum or a maximum? Opener has limited her hand to 12‑14 HCP, so 12 HCP is a minimum and 14 HCP is a maximum. With 13 HCP, opener must decide whether to treat the hand as minimum or maximum. The factors on which she should base this decision are shape (a 5‑card suit is grounds for an upgrade, 4333 warrants a downgrade), spot cards (9s and 10s are better than 2s and 3s), type of honors (aces and kings are better than queens and jacks), and fit with partner.

 

The second question is about shape in the major suits. Opener has three priorities when describing her shape, in this order:

 

  1.  Support partner’s major with 3‑card support.
  2.  Bid the other major with 4 of them.
  3.  Bid NT.

 

Opener has to answer both questions at once, so with a minimum she bids at the 2‑level, and with a maximum she bids at the 3‑level.

 

Opener Responder
   
1♣ 1♠

 
1NT 2♦*

 
?

 

 

♠ QJ3 ♥ AQ6 ♦ K54 ♣ 8743

2♠. Minimum with 3 spades.

 

♠ QJ3 ♥ AQ6 ♦ K54 ♣ Q743

3♠. Maximum with 3 spades.

 

♠ Q3 ♥ AQ62 ♦ K54 ♣ J743

2♥. Minimum with 4 hearts but without 3 spades.

 

♠ Q3 ♥ AQ62 ♦ K54 ♣ K743

3♥. Maximum with 4 hearts but without 3 spades.

 

♠ Q3 ♥ AQ6 ♦ K54 ♣ J7432

2NT. Minimum without 3 spades or 4 hearts.

 

♠ Q3 ♥ AQ6 ♦ K54 ♣ QJ743

3NT. Maximum without 3 spades or 4 hearts.

 

 

 

NMF After a 2NT Rebid

NMF also applies after a 2NT rebid by opener. (e.g., 1♣-1♥-2NT). The only difference is that responder is no longer interested in whether opener is a minimum or maximum. (We don’t want opener jumping past 3NT!) So opener just answers about her shape in the majors – 3‑card support for partner, then 4 cards in the other major, and NT without either.

 

 

Other bids After 1m-1M; 1NT

Because all forcing hands go through NMF, other bids are either to play or invitational. Suits at the 2‑level (other than the NMF bid) are to play. This is an important point. 1♣‑1♠; 1NT‑2♥. 2♥ is non-forcing, even though it is a new suit by responder. Why? Because with invitational or better values responder would use NMF. Responder might have a hand like this:

 

♠ KJ632 ♥ QJ52 ♦ 63 ♣ 95

She has no interest in game and wants opener to pick a major.

Unusual 2NT

A jump overcall of 2NT does not show a strong balanced hand. With this hand, you double and then bid notrump, showing a hand too strong to have made a notrump overcall. Since a notrump overcall shows 15-18 HCP, the double-then-bid-notrump sequence shows at least 19 HCP.

 

Instead, a jump overcall of 2NT shows a two-suited hand, at least 5-5. This is the Unusual 2NT, a cousin of the Michaels Cuebid. Where Michaels focuses on the majors, the Unusual 2NT focuses on the minors. Specifically, it shows the two lowest unbid suits. Over a 1M opening, 2NT shows the minors; over a 1m opening it shows hearts and the other minor.

 

 

 

An Unusual 2NT bid is always at least 5-5. Strength is less important than shape and suit quality. While you can be quite strong for an Unusual 2NT, it is usually a weaker hand; it is useful to think of it as a preempt, so take vulnerability into account.

 

 

(1♠) – 2NT

♠ 8 ♥ 32 ♦ KQT84 ♣ AJ984

 

(1♣) – 2NT

♠ Q8 ♥ QJT84 ♦ AQ842 ♣ 8

 

 

When 1m “could be short,” we still treat it as a real suit and show the two lowest unbid suits.

 

Unusual 2NT only applies in direct seat. In the balancing seat (e.g., [1♠] P [P] 2NT), 2NT shows a strong balanced hand with 19-21 HCP. This is because a 1NT overcall in the balancing seat is lighter than in the direct seat – about 11-15 HCP. So double-then-notrump is 16-18, and the jump to 2NT is 19-21.

 

The Unusual 2NT does not apply over a weak-2 opening; a 2NT overcall after a weak-2 is a strong (16-18) balanced hand.

 

You can also use the Unusual 2NT in the sandwich position to show the two unbid suits.  For example:

(1♣) – P – (1♥) – 2NT – spades and diamonds.  This is usually weaker in high cards and more distributional than a double, which would also show the unbid suits.

 

 

What do you do when you have spades and a minor after a 1m opening?  Overcall 1♠ and, if you can, bid your minor later.

 

 

Michaels Cuebids

Michaels Cuebids use a cuebid of the opener’s suit to show a two-suiter – at least 5-5. When the opening bid is a minor, the cuebid shows both majors; when the opening bid is a major, the cuebid shows the other major and an undisclosed minor.

 

(1♣) – 2♣: Both majors

(1♦) – 2♦: Both majors

(1♥) – 2♥: Spades and a minor

(1♠) – 2♠: Hearts and a minor

 

Michaels Cuebids only apply after a natural opening bid. After, say, a Precision 1♣ opening, 2♣ is natural, not Michaels. Same with a strong 2♣ opening, a Flannery 2♦, etc. A 1m opening that could be only a doubleton, like a Precision 1♦, is considered a natural bid, so the cuebid is Michaels.

 

Michaels applies any time only one suit has been bid. Here are some examples of Michaels auctions:

 

 

1♣ 2♣ Both majors
1♣ Pass 1NT 2♣ Both majors
1NT Pass 2♦* 2♥ Spades and a minor
1♥ Pass Pass 2♥ Spades and a minor
2♠ 3♠ Hearts and a minor
1♠ Pass 2NT* 3♠ Hearts and a minor
1♥ Pass 3♣ (Bergen) 3♥ Spades and a minor

 

 

Michaels does not apply when the opponents have bid two suits. In this auction, all bids are natural, including bids of their suits. If you want to show the other two suits, either double or bid 2NT. (If you are a passed hand, you can also use 1NT.)

 

 

(1♣)  P  (1♥) 2♥ Natural
2♣ Natural
Dbl Takeout, at least 4-4 in diamonds and spades
2NT At least 5-5 in diamonds and spades

 

 

What Does a Michaels Cuebid Look Like?

A Michaels Cuebid is always at least 5-5. You want to have good suits, with your strength concentrated in your suits. Just how strong you need to be is dependent on the level to which you force the auction and vulnerability. There is a big difference between (1♣) 2♣, which only forces to the 2-level, and (1♠) 2♠ which forces to the 3-level. When vulnerable, you want to have good suits, especially intermediates like tens and nines.

 

 

Here are some examples:

(1♣) – 2♣ None vul

♠ KJT73 ♥ AT984 ♦ 83 ♣ 5

 

(1♠)-2♠ All vul

♠ 8 ♥ KQJ84 ♦ AQT953 ♣ 5

 

(1♥)-2♥ Unfavorable vulnerability

♠ AKJT8 ♥ 6 ♦ AQ ♣ AJT94

 

(1♠)-? All vul

♠ 84 ♥ K9432 ♦ AQ743 ♣ 3

Do not bid 2♠. Your suits are not good enough to force to the 3-level vulnerable.

 

 

Some people advocate a “Mini/Maxi” approach to Michaels Cuebids, where the cuebid is either significantly weaker than an opening hand or significantly stronger. With an opening hand you would bid your hands naturally. I don’t like this agreement; if I’m going to play a convention, I want to be able to use it. This is something to discuss with your partner.

 

 

Responding to a Michaels Cuebid

The general rule is that you are going to choose to play in one of partner’s suits, the one where you have the best fit.

 

With a weak hand and a poor fit, you want to take a preference at the lowest level possible.

 

LHO Partner RHO You
       
1♣ 2♣ Pass ?

 

♠ 96 ♥ 4 ♦ QJ8642 ♣ J985

Bid 2♠. Don’t muddy the waters with 2♦. Partner said to pick a major – do it.

 

With a weak hand and a fit you should make a preemptive jump.

 

LHO Partner RHO You
       
1♥ 2♥ Pass ?

 

♠ JT65 ♥ 432 ♦ 8 ♣ Q7652

Jump to 3♠.

 

After (1M) 2M, we use 3♦ to show a good hand and a fit for partner’s major.

 

LHO Partner RHO You
       
1♥ 2♥ Pass 3♦

 

♠ QJ4 ♥ 54 ♦ AQJ98 ♣ K54

With a minimum hand, overcaller will retreat to his major; with a good hand he will bid his minor at the 4-level.

 

 

After (1m) 2m, with a good hand and a fit for one (or both) of partner’s majors, bid 2NT. With a minimum, partner will bid 3♥, which you can pass or correct to 3♠. With extras, partner will bid his singleton.

 

 

 

When partner makes a Michaels Cuebid over a major, you do not know what his minor suit is. There are two ways to ask. With a weak hand that has no game interest, bid 3♣. This is a “pass or correct” bid – partner will pass with clubs and bid 3♦ with diamonds.

 

LHO Partner RHO You
       
1♥ 2♥ Pass ?

 

♠ 53 ♥ K732 ♦ JT65 ♣ Q87

Bid 3♣; you will play in partner’s minor.

 

 

With a stronger hand, you bid 2NT. This asks partner both about his suit and his strength. With a minimum, partner will bid his minor, which you can pass. With a better hand, partner will show his minor by bidding the corresponding major: hearts shows clubs and spades shows diamonds.

 

 

RHO You LHO Partner
       
1♠ 2♠ Pass 2NT

 
Pass ?

 

♠ 6 ♥ KJ873 ♦ QJ873 ♣ 43

With a weak hand, bid 3♦.

 

♠ 6 ♥ KQJ83 ♦ AQJ83 ♣ K3

With a strong hand, bid 3♠, to show diamonds. (3♥ would show a good hand with clubs.)

 

 

 

Occasionally you will use this bid with a fit for overcaller’s major but interest in game if you fit the minor.

 

 

RHO You LHO Partner
       
1♠ 2♠ Pass 2NT

 
Pass ?

 

♠ KJ65 ♥ 9843 ♦ 3 ♣ KQ65

If partner miraculously has clubs, you’d like to be in game with the double fit. If not, you’re happy enough in 3♠. You can find out with 2NT.

Jordan

How do we show a strong raise when partner opens 1M and the opponents double? Jumps in competitive auctions are preemptive, so we can’t bid 3M. There’s no suit to cuebid.

 

The solution is Jordan: we define 1M (X) 2NT as a 4-card raise with invitational or better values, i.e., it’s a hand that would have responded either 3M or 2NT if they hadn’t doubled.

 

If you have a strong hand with only 3-card support, you start with a redouble, showing your 10+ HCP, and then support partner’s major on the next round.

 

Examples:

The auction starts 1♠ (X) ?

 

♠ QJ65 ♥ AT87 ♦ Q4 ♣ Q87

A perfect invitational Jordan 2NT bid.

 

♠ K65 ♥ AJ2 ♦ K874 ♣ J96

Start with XX; you need 4 spades to bid 2NT.

 

♠ K963 ♥ 64 ♦ Q432 ♣ 974

Jump to 3♠, preemptive.

 

♠ AQ63 ♥ 83 ♦ KJ654 ♣ AK

Bid 2NT. There is no upper limit to Jordan.

 

 

Opener’s Rebid

This is pretty simple: with a minimum hand that does not want to accept a limit raise, opener bids 3M. With a hand that does want to accept, she bids 4M. Bids below 3M are natural game tries. Bids above 3M but below 4M are splinters.

 

Examples:

The auction begins 1♥ (X) 2NT (P); ?

 

♠ Q65 ♥ KQ873 ♦ A2 ♣ J65

You have a minimum; bid 3♥.

 

♠ 72 ♥ AQT53 ♦ KQJ3 ♣ K4

You want to accept the invitation: bid 4♥.

 

♠ 32 ♥ AQ632 ♦ A7 ♣ KJ32

Make a natural game try of 3♣.

 

♠ AJ9 ♥ AQJ95 ♦ KJ54 ♣ 2

Splinter with 4♣.

 

 

Advanced Jacoby 2NT

Very few experts use standard Jacoby 2NT anymore. Opener’s responses are too limited and can give away too much information when responder has no slam interest. The modern trend is to pack multiple meanings into the same bid and use a relay to complete the description. So instead of three bids to show shortness, you have one bid that says, “I have a singleton somewhere,” and then responder can ask where it is.

 

Pretty much everyone uses a 3♣ rebid by opener to show a minimum hand. This could include a singleton or a 5-card suit. It’s just any hand in the 12-13 HCP range. You can still use 4M to show an absolute piece of garbage (a 1 on my 1-5 scale).

 

All of opener’s other bids show extra values – a good 14+ HCP. Here is a relatively simple and pretty common scheme of opener’s bids:

 

 

3♦: Shortness somewhere. Responder asks with 3♥ and opener shows his suit low-middle-high. So 3♠ shows club shortness, 3NT shows diamond shortness, 4♣ shows shortness in the other major. I actually like these bids to be specifically singletons; with voids, opener shows them low-middle-high starting with 4♦.

 

3♥: Extra trump length, no shortness (6322 or 7222). If responder wants to know the exact shape, she can ask with 3♠. Opener now shows his tripleton, low-middle-high-none. So if spades is our suit, 3NT would show 6223 (low tripleton), 4♣ would show 6232 (middle tripleton), 4♦ would show 6322 (high tripleton), and 4♥ would show 7222 (no tripleton).

 

3♠:  5422 shape. Responder can ask with 3NT and opener shows the 4-card suit low-middle-high. So 4♣ shows clubs, 4♦ shows diamonds, 4♥ shows the other major. When opener shows a 4-card suit, we can play there at the 6-level, so after a keycard ask, a bid of 6 of opener’s 4-card suit is an offer to play.

 

3NT: 5332 hand with 18-19 points – the hand that was planning to rebid 2NT. There isn’t room to always do this safely, but if responder wants she can ask for opener’s doubleton, low-middle-high, with 4♣.

 

4-level bids. 5-card suit, control in doubleton.

 

 

 

After opener’s 3♣ rebid, showing a minimum, responder will often sign off in game. If she wants more information, she can ask for shortness with 3♦. Opener’s responses are none-low-middle-high. He can show voids low-middle-high starting with the fifth step. So after 1♠ – 2NT; 3♣ – 3♦:

 

3♥:       No shortness

3♠:       Club singleton

3NT:    Diamond singleton

4♣:      Heart singleton

4♦:       Club void

4♥:       Diamond void

4♠:       Heart void

 

 

Some pairs define the 2NT bid not as game-forcing, but as invitational or better, i.e., they bid 2NT on all the hands that would make both a 3M Limit Raise and a 2NT Jacoby Raise playing standard. This doesn’t change much, except opener never jumps to 4M with a minimum hand. When opener shows a minimum, responder can bid 3M to indicate the Limit Raise hand. Opener can still accept the invitation – just because you have a minimum in high cards doesn’t mean you wouldn’t accept a Limit Raise.

 

 

Jacoby 2NT

Jacoby 2NT is a game-forcing raise of partner’s 1M opening bid. It is used as a slam-exploration tool, and has the advantage of keeping the auction at a low level on game-forcing hands. It is alertable.

 

Requirements for a Jacoby 2NT Bid

A Jacoby 2NT bid must be made by responder at her first call after her partner has opened 1M. It does not apply if there is a bid or a double by the opponents after opener’s 1M bid. (See In Competition below.) Responder will have 12+ HCP (enough to force to game) and at least 4‑card support of opener’s major. There is no upper strength limit. Usually responder will have a relatively balanced hand. With an opening hand and only 3‑card support, responder cannot raise immediately (because the forcing raise promises 4‑card support). With 3‑card support, responder must make a two-step raise: she starts by making a game-forcing 2/1 bid (step 1) and then shows her support by raising opener’s major at her next call (step 2).

 

Examples (partner opens 1♠):

♠ QJ85 ♥ A92 ♦ KQ7 ♣ J75

A minimum 2NT raise.

 

♠ A8653 ♥ K3 ♦ A6 ♣ 9432

This might be only 11 HCP, but such good controls and 5‑card support call for a GF.

 

♠ AQ62 ♥ A86 ♦ AQJ7 ♣ A7

No upper limit on strength for Jacoby 2NT!

 

♠ KQ93 ♥ 75 ♦ AJ62 ♣ J62

Not strong enough to force to game – this is an invitational hand. Make a Limit Raise of 3♠.

 

♠ KQ7 ♥ Q5 ♦ KJ86 ♣ AQ96

With only 3‑card support, you cannot use Jacoby 2NT. You need to make a two-step raise: start with 2♣ to set a GF, then support spades at your next call.

 

Opener’s Responses

Opener has a prescribed set of rebids in response to a Jacoby 2NT raise. They are designed to help you investigate slam effectively. After 1M-2NT:

 

  • Bidding a new suit at the 3‑level shows shortness (singleton or void). This is alertable.
  • Bidding a new suit at the 4‑level shows a second 5‑card suit (usually a decent suit).
  • Rebidding your suit at the 3‑level (3M) shows a balanced/semibalanced hand (i.e., no singletons or voids) with extra values (16+ HCP).
  • Rebidding your suit at the 4‑level (4M) shows a balanced/semibalanced hand (i.e., no singletons or voids) with a dead minimum and poor slam potential. I like to limit this to a maximum of 1 keycard.
  • Rebidding 3NT shows a balanced/semibalanced hand (i.e. no singletons or voids) that falls somewhere between 3M and 4M. (i.e., a minimum [12‑15 HCP] but with at least some positive slam value, and usually 2+ keycards.) This is alertable.

 

When opener is 5‑5, he will have a choice of responses (since with 10 cards in two suits you must have shortness in one of the other suits). Generally, it is best to show the side suit rather than the shortness. This tells partner a lot more about your hand. Only show the shortness if the side suit is very bad – only one (or none) of the top four honors. I prefer to require opener to have a control (ace or king) in his doubleton. That way responder knows whether she can safely ask for keycards. So lacking this control, opener must show shortness.

 

For hands without a singleton or void, opener has three bids: 3M, 3NT, 4M. These are in order of strength – remember, the stronger your hand, the lower you like to keep the bidding, so you have more room to explore a slam. By far the most common of these bids is 3NT. The 4M bid should be quite rare. Jacoby 2NT is a slam exploration tool whose purpose is to keep the bidding low so that you can look for slam without getting past 4M. A 4M rebid by opener defeats this purpose, and so should only be made with a flat minimum hand with no slam potential. (A 1 on my 1-5 slam evaluation scale.) When considering slam potential we are mostly talking about controls (good) vs. quacks (bad). That’s why I like to limit the 4M bid to 1 keycard. There’s nothing worse as responder than having a great hand, starting with Jacoby 2NT, and hearing opener jump to 4M. How bad is her hand? Should you push on, or just give up? When the 4M bid is very rare and narrowly defined, responder has no problem – she only continues on with a moose.

 

Examples:

You open 1♥ and partner makes a Jacoby 2NT raise.

 

♠ 8 ♥ AQ973 ♦ QJ73 ♣ QJ6

Bid 3♠ to show your shortness. Your hand is a minimum, but you always show shortness when you have it.

 

♠ A74 ♥ KQ743 ♦ KJ8 ♣ 72

A balanced minimum, but with good controls this is a 3NT bid (not even close to a 4M bid).

 

♠ 7 ♥ AQT63 ♦ A6 ♣ KJ953

A textbook 4♣ bid, showing your 5‑5 shape.

 

♠ K4 ♥ AKJ52 ♦ AQ93 ♣ 65

3♥, showing a strong hand (16+) with no shortness.

 

♠ Q5 ♥ AJ863 ♦ Q72 ♣ QJ3

This is what a 4♥ bid looks like! Balanced, minimum, poor controls, only 1 keycard.

 

♠ AK ♥ KQ842 ♦ J7543 ♣ 3

With such a poor diamond suit, this is the time to show club shortness instead (by bidding 3♣).

 

♠ AQJ7 ♥ AK985 ♦ 4 ♣ KQ3

Bid 3♦ to show your shortness. There is no upper limit here. Surely you will drive to slam with such a strong hand, but you still start by showing your shortness. If partner shows interest (i.e., she doesn’t have too many wasted values in diamonds) you could have a grand.

 

♠ Q5 ♥ AK652 ♦ KQ873 ♣ 3

Without a control in your doubleton, bid 3♣ to show shortness rather than showing the 5-card ♦ suit.

 

 

The Rest of the Auction

Nothing fancy happens after opener’s rebid. This is a control-bidding situation (you have set a major suit as trumps and are in a game-force), so responder assesses her interest in slam and bids accordingly. 4NT by either partner is Roman Keycard Blackwood (with opener’s major agreed as trumps).

 

When opener shows shortness, responder should evaluate slam chances based largely on her holding in opener’s short suit. She should get excited about holdings like Axxx or xxx because they contain no wasted values. Only slightly more than minimum game values (about 28 HCP) are needed to look for slam when there are no wasted values opposite shortness, so even with a minimum responder should be aggressive looking for slam with these holdings.

 

Conversely, holdings with considerable wasted values opposite partner’s shortness – like KJx, KQxx, QJxx – significantly diminish slam prospects. Not only are these cards “wasted” opposite partner’s shortness, but they are honors that could have been somewhere else, where they would have been helpful, filling in partner’s other suits. So the ♣ K opposite partner’s singleton club is not just unhelpful because it’s opposite shortness, but also because it’s not the ♦ K, which would have been incredibly valuable opposite partner’s ♦ AQxx. Wasted values in partner’s short suit means the hands do not fit together very well, and when hands do not fit together extra values are required for a slam.

 

Responder conveys interest in slam by control-bidding. To show a lack of slam interest (generally based on wasted values opposite opener’s short suit), she jumps to 4M. Even with a minimum, if you have a good holding (i.e., minimal wasted cards) opposite opener’s shortness, you must communicate this by making at least one control-bid. Just knowing that your values aren’t in his short suit might be enough for opener to drive to slam (if he has some extra values). Remember, when the hands fit well together (minimal wasted values), slam can often be made on much less than the normal 33 HCP; when the hands fit poorly (wasted values), slam usually requires more strength than normal.

 

 

When opener shows a second 5‑card suit, responder needs to upgrade any honors she has in that suit. Queens and jacks nearly double in value when they are in partner’s suits. At the same time, responder knows that opener has only 3 cards in the other two suits, so she should treat them both like short suits and devalue slow (i.e., non-ace) values there. Quacks are especially poor cards in these suits. Kings are harder to evaluate, since they could be useful if opposite partner’s doubleton. Aces are always valuable. This concept is known as In and Out Valuation. Honors (particularly secondary honors like queens and jacks) are very valuable in partner’s suits, but of very little value outside of them. Aces (and to a lesser extent kings) retain their value outside of partner’s suits, though honors in partner’s suits are always more valuable than ones outside.

 

To show a good hand (i.e., one that fits well with partner’s) responder control-bids; with a poorly fitting hand she returns to 4M. There will be limited room (and sometimes no room) to explore slam below 4M when opener jumps to show a second suit. When the hands fit together well, responder needs to be willing to go past 4M, even with a minimum. Remember that opener promises controls in both of the other suits, so you can feel confident asking for keycards if the fit is good.

 

 

When opener shows a balanced hand, the partnership will likely need the full 33 HCP for a slam; light slams only occur when one or both partners have some shape. If opener shows a minimum (by bidding 3NT or 4M), responder should give up on slam unless she has significant extra values. When opener bids 3M she is unlimited, so responder should cooperate by control-bidding unless she has a dead minimum with poor controls. Signing off in 4M by either partner always shows a minimum with poor slam prospects.

 

 

 

Examples:

The auction begins 1♠-2NT; 3♦ (diamond shortness)

 

♠ KQ76 ♥ AJT4 ♦ 643 ♣ K2

You have a minimum, but with great controls and, most importantly, no wasted values in diamonds, you should be very optimistic about slam chances. (A minimum from partner like ♠ Axxxx ♥ KQx ♦ x ♣ Axxx makes 6♠ basically cold.) Communicate this via a 3♥ control-bid.

 

♠ AQ43 ♥ Q9 ♦ KQ54 ♣ 873

Your hand just got a lot worse! You had a minimum to begin with, and now big chunk of your values are wasted opposite partner’s singleton diamond. Jump to 4♠ to let partner know that you don’t have the hand she’s looking for.

 

♠ AJ83 ♥ AKT4 ♦ KQ2 ♣ K3

You have wasted values in diamonds. But your hand is so strong that you still have good slam prospects. Think about it this way: imagine your diamonds were xxx instead of KQx. Would you still have bid 2NT? Absolutely! You’d still have 15 HCP. And if you had that hand and heard partner show diamond shortness, you’d be pretty excited. So you should be at least as excited with this hand. Control-bid 3♥.

 

The auction begins 1♠-2NT; 4♣ (5 clubs)

 

♠ AJ54 ♥ KQ6 ♦ QJ7 ♣ 843

Your hand is awful considering the auction: a minimum, no fitting honors in clubs, and lots of quacks in partner’s short suits. Show your lack of enthusiasm by bidding 4♠.

 

♠ AJ93 ♥ A54 ♦ A83 ♣ Q5

Not much more than a minimum, but this hand is excellent: aces in the side suits and quacks in partner’s suits. A normal minimum from partner like ♠ KQxxx ♥ xx ♦ x ♣ AKxxx makes for a great slam. Control-bid 4♦, and plan to follow up with RKB if partner doesn’t.

 

♠ AQ64 ♥ KQ5 ♦ AKJ2 ♣ 87

Not a great fit, but with so many extra values slam still has to be in the picture. Control-bid 4♦.

 

The auction begins 1♥-2NT; 3NT (decent minimum)

 

♠ A5 ♥ KQ84 ♦ QJT5 ♣ KJ3

You have a pretty good hand, but partner’s hand is balanced and limited to 15 HCP. She’d need an awfully perfect hand for there to be a slam. You could make one move (with a 4♣ control-bid) and then sign off, but the practical bid is just 4♥.

 

♠ QJ6 ♥ AQ74 ♦ KQ98 ♣ 42

No chance of slam. Sign off in 4♥.

 

♠ AJ83 ♥ KQ75 ♦ Q5 ♣ AKJ

You still have good slam hopes. You can’t use RKB because you don’t have a control in diamonds. So make a control-bid of 4♣ and see what partner does.

 

Passed Hand Bidding

Jacoby 2NT does not apply by a passed hand (since a passed hand can’t have the values to force to game). You can use Drury to show a maximum hand with a fit by a passed hand.

 

In Competition

Jacoby 2NT is OFF in competition. This means that if partner opens 1M and RHO doubles or bids, 2NT is no longer Jacoby. If RHO bids a suit, 2NT is natural and invitational: i.e., 11‑12 HCP and a stopper. With a good hand and support, you would cuebid. If RHO doubles, 2NT becomes Jordan (a 4‑card raise with invitational or better values). While Jordan is similar to Jacoby 2NT – they both show 4‑card support for partner’s major – it is its own convention and needs to be thought of separately. Opener does not respond to it the same way she does to Jacoby 2NT. (A 3M bid, for example, needs to show a minimum, since Jordan is not GF.) Do not make the mistake of thinking you can add Jordan to your repertoire without any discussion just because you understand Jacoby 2NT.

 

 

If the opponents bid over 2NT, X is penalty and 3NT is shortness in their suit (you’re never playing 3NT when you have a 9‑card fit in a major). 4M is the weakest bid – a balanced minimum with poor defense. Pass is more forward going, suggesting more defense and/or playing strength. A new suit at the 3‑level is still shortness. New suits at the 4‑level are control-bids. These agreements are not standard, but I think they are best. The 3NT bid is alertable.

 

 

 

Examples:

The auction begins 1♠ (P) 2NT (3♦)

 

♠ KQT52 ♥ 6 ♦ A43 ♣ KJ64

Bid 3♥, showing shortness.

 

♠ AJ984 ♥ KJ2 ♦ 3 ♣ KQ87

Bid 3NT, showing shortness in their suit (diamonds). This is alertable.

 

♠ KJ965 ♥ KQ5 ♦ 87 ♣ K43

Bid 4♠. You have a minimum with no slam interest and no interest in defending 3♦ doubled.

 

♠ AJ652 ♥ AQ54 ♦ 84 ♣ K2

Pass. You have a decent minimum (you would have bid 3NT had RHO passed).

 

♠ KQJ65 ♥ A3 ♦ A2 ♣ QJ98

Bid 4♦, a control-bid. You have a good hand and have some slam interest. The 4♦ control-bid pinpoints your lack of a club control, so partner will know to sign off if she also lacks a control in clubs.

 

♠ AJ743 ♥ 2 ♦ AQ84 ♣ K65

RHO might have just stepped in it! Make a penalty double.