Jump Shifts in SAYC

[JimJam0910]

My understanding is that a Jump shift by responder is strong - 17+ points and at least 4 cards in bid suit.

 

May players seem to believe it is weak. I can only find convention descriptions which confirm it as strong.

 

Does anyone have any views?

 

Can anyone explain the value of a weak jump shift?

[helene_t]

Jump shifts are certainly strong in SAYC (at least if opps don't interfere. They might be weak over an overcall and are probably weak over a double).

 

Weak jump shifts are easy to play and they are nice to have when they come up since otherwise it's a dilemma whether to pass or to respond with say Kxxxxx and out. You can also play intermediate jump shifts (4-7 or 8-11) but they are more complicated because to make the worthwhile you have to make use of the negative inference from not having made a jump shift.

[blackshoe]

Scenario: you play SAYC (yuck!), your opponents play 2/1. RHO opens, you pass, LHO jump shifts, RHO alerts. "Explain, please". "Weak". This works out well for them. About the third time this happens, your partner says "let's play weak jump shifts". You agree. You are no longer playing SAYC, but neither one of you realize that. :)

[rbforster]

I like strong jump shifts playing 2/1 or Std, at least if you aren't playing special raises like Bergen. Your weak jump shift is often preempting partner rather than the opponents, especially after the first opponent has passed. If you're playing some limited opening system (Polish/Precision/etc), now it's much less likely you're preempting partner and weak jumps make more sense.