Pre-emptive Jump Raises

[pstansbu]

Playing with a new partner and we had limited time to agree things - we did briefly agree Preemptive Jump Raises (PJR).

 

MatchPoints and at adverse vulnerability partner opened 1♠ and RHO overcalled 2♥. I was holding (4 card Majors btw):

[hv=pc=n&n=sat974h865dj964cq]133|100[/hv]

I bid 3♠ (tempted by 4♠ as partner odds on to have a 5 card suit, but looking at vulnerability and having not discussed style / aggression I stuck with 3). In this case we did badly as opponents able to settle in 5♣ when they could make 12♣ and we could make 11♠. Most tables were left alone in 4♠

 

Partner did say that PJR should just be after overcalls, not opening bids - we didn't have time to go into our approach just then. Regardless of that, I thought I'd bring 3 questions:

 

• What are the pros and cons (and alternatives) of playing PJRs as responder?
  
• What should I have bid on the hand above (assuming PJR or other methods for that matter)?
  
• After a PJR are you generally bound to silence in the same way as after a pure pre-empt or might partner expect you to chip in at the high level?
  
  • In this case partner had a good think before passing 5♣ so I just passed.
    

[Zelandakh]

1. The pro is that you get to describe a hand type that you would otherwise not easily be able to show. The con is that your cue bid is needed for a good raise and is therefore not available for general values, which adds some light restrictions to other parts of the structure. All in all, I would recommend using them for Responder as well as for Advancer.

 

2. I think 4♠ would be about right.

 

3. As a general rule, you raise to the appropriate level and pass thereafter. You might occasionally take some further with an unusual hand or if the auction develops unexpectedly but that is rare. It might well be that your partner had found 5♠ even after your more cautious choice if they had understood it to be preemptive rather than a limit raise. After 4♠, I imagine your partner would have had enough information to have made the correct decision.

[neilkaz]

I would bid 4♠ here every day of the week. It should be preemptive. You can cue bid 3♥ to show a limit raise or better.

[SteveMoe]

 

• What are the pros and cons (and alternatives) of playing PJRs as responder?
  
• What should I have bid on the hand above (assuming PJR or other methods for that matter)?
  
• After a PJR are you generally bound to silence in the same way as after a pure pre-empt or might partner expect you to chip in at the high level?
  
  • In this case partner had a good think before passing 5♣ so I just passed.
    

 

Premptive jump raises are common over doubles and simple overcalls.

 

Pros

We take opponent's decision space away with relative safety at favorable and equal vulnerabilities.

4♠ is reasonable because your side has 10 trumps. They have at least 7 and might have 9-10 trumps (♥). Over 4♠ it will be difficult for them to reach the right strain, especially if other than ♥.

 

Cons

Risk of a bad score rises at unfavorable vulnerability. Your hand has one clear risk for the jump to 4♠ - you hold 3 small ♥ and they've bid the suit. This is where you might have 3 losers off the top in ♥, and 4 if they can score a trump or trump promotion. If partner is short in ♥ then that shortness and your ♣ shortness is very valuable - you will have fewer losers and might make 4♠. At the point 2♥ is bid to your right, you can't know which is true.

 

I would have bid 4♠ needing a good result on this one board. Otherwise I'd dial it back at this vulnerability and bid 3, representing this hand as a mixed or constructive raise rather than a preempt. (I disprefer preemptive raises when vulnerable, playing the 3-bid as mixed instead).

 

Yes - a preemptive bid by me limits my hand. (Some play that a future double means you have more defense than expected (and partner has shown values) - usually saying I'm doubling in case you want to defend partner, otherwise let's sacrifice).

[Zelandakh]

4♠ is reasonable because your side has 10 trumps.

You saw the part about playing a 4 card major system, rght?

[SteveMoe]

You saw the part about playing a 4 card major system, rght?

 

Nope-creature of habit :rolleyes: