[quiddity]

My grasp on jump shift auctions is shaky. After a sequence like

1H-1N(forc)
3D

I guess the preference to 3H is the default and 3N is to play, so:
What do I need (trumps/strength) to raise the minor?
What is 3S?
What is 4C?
What is a jump to 4H?
If I give preference to 3H and partner bids 3S, what is that?

[nigel_k]

I'm not 100% sure about this but I would say:

1. You should usually give preference with a doubleton honour but try to find some other call with a small doubleton.

2. You can raise the minor without much extra if you have the sort of cards that suggest playing the minor instead of NT, e.g. xxx xx QJxx Axxx. But if you have something like Qxx xx Jxxx KJxx then don't go past 3NT as 11 tricks will often be too many.

3. Normally 3♠ would show a stop. But here it's likely that responder will have club length and the key issue will be the spade stopper. So maybe 3♠ should deny a stop or show a partial stop at best.

4. 4♣ is natural with a six card or longer suit.

5. A jump to 4♥ should be three card support and minimum, i.e. a hand too weak for a constructive raise. If you have a limit raise, you have to bid 3♥ and catch up later.

6. Same as 3 above. Whatever it shows it should still be looking for the right game, not a cue bid.

[ONEferBRID]

This auction:
1M     - 1NT!
3m-jump

...apparently gives other folks fits as well...including yours truly....
since it has been posted in one form or another at least 4 times in the past month or so, I believe.

Nigel's advice is sound.

1H - 1NT!
3D - ??

5) One area that differs between folks is his point 5): the meaning of 3♥ vs. 4♥ .
My references say the opposite of Nigel: 3H = the minimum rebid with as little as 2 card support.
4H = 3 card limit raise-- a hand that would have jumped to 3H over a minimum rebid of say 2D.
Either way, you need prior agreement.

3) one novel use for a 3S! rebid is to show CLUBS -- = long ( not solid) suit, with no outside entries; ie. a hand in which the only trick taking power is the Cl suit.
Opener might just rebid 3NT with Club fillers ( say A Q x opposite K J x x x x )
or sign-off in 4C with the lead coming into him.
A 3NT rebid would have to show stop(s) in both black suit and no interest in the reds.

[ I won't mention my scheme just yet for Responder's RKC-"showing" with 4+ cards Diam because Josh will "get his shorts in a wad"... again ] .

[straube]

3H should show heart tolerance...small doubleton ok

3S should be choice of games. In effect you're bidding the opponents' suit. Say the auction had gone...

1H-P-1N (2S)
3D-P-3S

what would 3S be? Probably asking for a spade stopper. Opener will likely bid 3N with a spade stopper. If not, then he'll make a natural rebid trying both to describe his shape with economy in mind.

3N should show a spade stopper...not a club stopper. The focus is on spades and if you deny four spades and 2 hearts and not a great fit for diamonds, then it's assumed you have clubs stopped...whether you do or not.

4C is natural

4D shows at least four diamonds, pretty much denies 2 hearts and shows that you're more interested in a suit contract than NT. It's actually rather forward-going (implies you have a good fit or extra values) as you're looking for the 5-level at least. With a weaker hand or poorer fit you would have done better to bid 3S or 3N depending. Big difference between a raise of 3C and a raise of 3D. 3D is very likely to show a 4-card suit while 3C has a better chance of being a manufactured bid. 1H-1N, 3C-4C ought to show 5 clubs.

[mike777]

interesting in the b/i section we are told .....4d basically/pretty much denies 2h.....I did not know that.


As a b/i I would have bid 4d with most hands with 4d and only 2h.

Even with extreme hands such as xxxx in d and AK in hearts I have to confess I would think about bidding 4d.

[peachy]

3D gameforcing. Over that,
4H is 3-card limit raise. This is an exception to fast arrival if you otherwise have such agreed.
3H is either false preference with weak hand _or_ a 3-card LR that now has slam potential due to doublefit in diamonds or for some other reason.
Everything else is natural, except 3S bulky three cards.

[rogerclee]

I like:

1) Usually give preference with a doubleton, but obviously you can bid 3N too if you think your hand is great for no trump and you have no heart honor.

2) Shows doubt about 3N, bad spades.

3) Natural (4S thereafter would be a strong agreement of clubs)

4) 3 card limit raise, but not forcing, so tends to not be very prime.

5) Shows doubt about 3N, bad spades.

[jukmoi]

General principle: when there are two suits to bid under 3NT bid shows stopper. As in 1♦ - 1NT; 3♦ - 3♥♠ = stopper. When only one suit (as here) bid asks for stopper.

I have no rigid rule whether to support with small doubleton. It depends on if I like my hand for notrump or not.