Opener's Jump Shift

[CharlieS]

Yesterday a silver life master informed me that a jump shift by opener was an invitational bid. I was a little flumoxed because I have always played that a jump into a new suit by opener is 200% forcing to game. PLEASE help me on this. I have surveyed the internet and a limited number of books at my disposal, and have not found anything to counter my game forcing intrepretation.

[paulg]

We had this discussion in another thread. Game forcing was the near-unanimous agreement.

 

Paul

[Walddk]

I don't know what standard is, but it's game forcing in my book. Example:

 

1♥ - 1♠

2♣ (roughly 11-18)

 

1♥ - 1♠

3♣ (19-21 and therefore game forcing)

 

I would think that is a common treatment and I would definitely be surprised if anyone passed my jump shift.

 

Roland

[brianshark]

You may assume it's game forcing playing with any pick-up partner unless agreed otherwise. While I'm sure there are people who think it's better played as invitational, possibly with merit too, they must surely face reality that game force is what anyone will expect absent agreement to the contrary.

[the hog]

Are you sure he didn't mean a jump rebid eg

1H 1S 3H

[CharlieS]

Are you sure he didn't mean a jump rebid eg

1H 1S 3H

 

Nope, an honest jump shift

 

EX:

 

1♦ - 1♠

3♥

[Gpm_bg]

new suit or same suit with jump

1♦->1♥/1♠

3♣/3♠/3♥->?

 

or 1♣/♦/♥->1♠

3♣/♦/♥->?

 

in both cases GF, but different distribution in the opening hand.

 

in some variants of precision club (somekind of splinter)

1♦-1♥/1♠

rebiding respectively 3♣/3♥ is single ♣/♥ and 4th♠ and obviosly GF

[helene_t]

1♦  -  1♠

3♥

That's a jump reverse, something different. Since 2♥ would allready be forcing and show (16)17+, 3♥ does not show a GF hand with 5+♦ and 4+♥. This jump is probably a splinter but may have some other meaning according to partnership agreement.

 

What is (usually, at least) refered to as opener's jump shift is

1M-1NT

3m

and

1♥-1♠

3m

etc.

[Finch]

If you aren't playing some form of limited openings (such as Precision), then opener can make various types of jump rebid after a 1-level response from partner.

 

1. A jump to the 2-level or to the 3-level in a suit lower than the one opened is natural and game forcing. This is what is usually referred to as a "jump shift". Examples are 1D - 1H - 2S, 1D - 1H - 3C. (1C - 1H - 3D is not included, as diamonds are above clubs).

 

2. After a 1-level response, a jump rebid to 2NT, a jump rebid in opener's suit or a jump raise of partner's suit are all strong but not forcing. (1C - 1H - 2NT, 1C - 1H - 3C, 1C - 1H - 3H).

 

3. A jump rebid in a new suit higher than the one opened is commonly (not universally) played as shortage, showing support for partner's suit. At the three level, this can be played as invitational values only when it is known as a "mini splinter". For example, 1D - 1S - 3H is often played as a singleton or void heart, 4-card spade support and a raise to 3S. Other people may play it as the same shape, but game forcing.

 

The difference between case (1) and case (3) is that opener's 2-level rebid in a lower suit than opened is not forcing: 1D - 1S - 2C can be passed if responder has a truly horrible hand with short hearts. That means opener needs 3C to show a hand that really, really does not want partner to pass. However, 1D - 1S - 2H is (nowadays) played by everyone as forcing (to give preference back to diamonds responder is forced to bid at the 3-level so opener must have a good hand) and is known as a reverse. As 2H is forcing, you don't need to jump to show a good hand, and can use the jump to show something else.

 

If partner's response was a 2/1 (responding in a new suit at the 2-level without jumping e.g. 1H - 2C) then, even not playing 2/1 game force, opener's jump rebids are unanimously played as game forcing (although different people will assign different meanings to the various jumps).

[SoTired]

jump-shift by opener is game-forcing.

reverse by opener is one round force.

that's it for opener

(jump reverse by opener has changed. used to be natural game-force, but modern style is invitational splinter)

 

Maybe the expert was referring to jump shift in new suit by responder (1H 1S 2C 3D or 1D 1S 2D 3H). Many play that invitational 5-5.

 

Maybe the expert was referring to a system with a big club.

 

Otherwise, I don't believe that a true expert would think a sequence like 1H 1S 3C is not 100% game-forcing.

[sceptic]

1♦ - 1♠

3♥

 

 

is that not a splinter?

[Gerben42]

Standard expert meaning (if it exists) is that this is a splinter. If you play with a naturalist it shows 6 - 5.

[mike777]

Are you sure he didn't mean a jump rebid eg

1H 1S 3H

 

Nope, an honest jump shift

 

EX:

 

1♦ - 1♠

3♥

Splinter, strong invite but you can pass. As others have said, most experts play this as splinter jump reverse. Wow that term sure sounds confusing.

[mikeh]

We should define some terms.

 

The player who said that opener's jump shifts were merely invitational is apparently a Silver Life Master: this means someone with 1000-2500 mps and sufficient 'coloured' points to qualify... this latter requirement is readily satisfied by playing in the lower brackets of regional KOs.

 

So while relative newcomers can be very good and merely have not played long enough to get the points to go beyond silver and others simply never played a lot of tournament bridge but were still expert (Jeff Rubens of the BW apparently has a modest number of points but is a renowned expert, as an example), most silver lms are not expert.

 

I think the poster encountered one of those players who mistake their own style with standard.