Friday, November 08, 2002 6:39 PM

Forcing NT - Part Quartre

PITBULLS:

This e-mail will discuss strong jump shifts and jump rebids after a 1NT response . This is mostly review but these treatments should be well understood as misunderstandings are always in the -12 IMP range or worse .

Luckily we have a generalization to help us out in these sequences . The rarified atmosphere of the 4 level is always for Q bidding after a jump rebid or jump shift . Partner who has just made a jump rebid or a strong jump shift is not interested in hearing about your silly suit at the 4 level . At the 3 level your bid is natural and shows a suit . At the 4 level , your Q bid can be an implied Q bid which means it can be in support for either of partners suits .

O.K. the forcing NT can quite often show a 3 card limit raise in partners major . How do you show that hand after partner makes a jump rebid or a strong jump shift ? Two schools of thought on that one but I treat a simple preference as a weak bid and jumping to game or Q bidding shows the limit raise . This prevents dangerous slam tries at the 5 level and gives partner the room to bid 3NT over a forced weak 2 card major preference.

1♠ 1NT

3♥ 4♠ ( limit raise )

1♠ 1NT

3♠ 4♣ ( slam try with limit raise )

Qx KQxx KQxx xxx Partner opens 1♠ and you bid 1NT . partner bids 3♥ . You can not bid 4♥ as you too strong . You are not strong enough to take control of the hand so you bid 4♦ …

Since we are on the subject of jump shifts be sure to shade jump shifts a little for 5-5’s and 6-4’s over 1NT .

AKJxx AKJxx xx x This is a strong jump shift not a 2♥ rebid . Your points are all in your suits and

headed by Aces & Kings

AKJxxx AKJx xx x This is also a strong jump shift due to your 6-4 and rich in controls .

Do not put too much strain on your simple rebid with overly strict requirements for a jump bid . It is better to jump shift and then “back pedal” . Missing vul games in IMPS is a no no .

When you open a heart and partner bids a forcing NT you always have spades as an idle bid . With some of my old partners I used the bid to show a minor two suiter . At the 3 level it takes a Q bid away though .

1♥ 1NT

2♥ 2♠ ( minors )

1♥ 1NT

3♥ 3♠ ( minors )

O.K. special consideration is needed when partner jump shifts in a minor . A direct raise to 4 of a minor is constructive as you can not Q bid at the 3 level and you should suppress your minor fit and bid 3NT with a minimum . You should never leap to a 5 of a minor game in these auctions . This is because partner can be making a phony jump shift in a minor to describe a major suited hand too strong for a jump rebid . A return to the major at first opportunity describes those type of hands.