Friday, October 15, 2004 6:00 AM

Hand Evaluation – Jump Q Bids

PITBULLS:

There are not enough bids in Bridge to describe solid suits. The gambling 3NT opening or overcall is a good descriptive bid. If opened , there is a solid suit with no outside controls. If overcalled there is a solid suit with a stopper in the opponents suit. What are some other bids that show solid suits ? At unfavourable vulnerability ( vul vrs nv ) a normal pre-empt shows a solid or semi-solid suit or else bidding to the 3 level would be suicidal against nv opponents.

What if you had a solid suit but no stopper in the opponents suit ? This is where the jump Q bid comes into play. In the balancing , direct or sandwich position , a jump Q shows a solid suit & asks partner to bid 3NT if he holds a stopper in that suit. Partner can have outside cards for this bid and quite often does. If you do not have a stopper in that suit & a natural major to bid , you can introduce that suit. The reason is that you are forced to the 4 level anyway so you might as well describe your hand along the way.

The jump Q bid is extremely helpful in making your T/O doubles disciplined so equal level conversion can work. You never make a T/O double with a very strong single suiter if you can help it Not making a T/O double with a single suited hand at any level makes the equal level conversion concept work better. With the equal level conversion concept , when you double & convert partner’s bid at the same level , a 2^nd suit is shown. At the one level make very strong overcalls with one suited hands to make equal level conversion work. If the rank of the suits force you to the 2 level or higher & you have defensive strength with many HCP’s ( no solid suit ) , rules are made to be broken. You make a T/O double & when partner makes a bid you convert or jump to a higher level. This shows a single suited hand too strong to overcall at the two level but without a solid suit. Same idea with the rare double with a single suited hand you could have bid at the one level. If game might be missed , double & convert at a higher level by jumping. You have the added inference your suit is not solid or you would have chosen a jump Q bid.

♠Ax ♥AQ ♦AKx ♣QJ1098x , they open 1♠. Overcalling 2♣ with this hand is ludicrous bidding. You double & partner bids 2♦. You bid 3♣ which is at a higher level so you show the strong single suited hand without a solid suit. If they had opened 1♥ & partner responds 1♠ after your double, you simply bid 2♣ as you never make an equal level conversion double of one major without the other one. If your club suit were solid with this many HCP’s , choose a jump Q bid rather than a double ♠xx ♥AQ ♦Axx ♣AKQJ10x . Bridge is a game of suits so use tools to show solid suits !!

Part of this jump Q bid treatment for strong one suiters is to play “coded minors” to show controls in responders hand. Since you are not playing this hand in 3NT & are forced to the 4 level in a minor anyway ( sometimes even a major) the lower ranking minor shows zero or one controls and the higher ranking minor 2 or more controls. This assists the jump Q bidder in making a game or slam decision. It is like a “pre Blackwood” so sets the stage for partner to use Blackwood.

1♠-3♠-P-? ♠xxx ♥Axxxx ♦xxx ♣xx You bid 4♦ to show your 2 controls so partner with ♠x ♥Kx ♦AKQJxxxx ♣Kx bids 5♦ or even Blackwood. Over 4♣ showing zero controls he just retreats to 4♦ .

When the opponents open a weak 2 bid , a Q bid at the 3 level follows the same one suiter principles directly or in the balancing. Bid 3NT with a stopper but if you do not have a stopper show your controls via coded minors.

Showing a solid suit is the best way to get to 3NT . The auction goes 1♥-P-1♠-? And you are in the sandwich position with ♠QJx ♥x ♦AKQJxxx ♣Jx . You have a choice of jump Q bids. Make a jump Q in the suit that you require the stopper so partner will bid 3NT . The make quite often or end up being a cheap sacrifice. In the balancing spot , the jump Q bid can be a very good hand with 9 tricks available , if partner has a stopper in openers suit. Vulnerability dictates how close to 9 tricks the jump Q bidder has. If favourable vulnerability , the jump Q bidder can just be describing a solid suit for pre-emptive reasons. At unfavourable vulnerability , there is usually 9 tricks available if partner has a stopper in the opponents suit.

If partner has initially bid a suit , the opponents have bid a suit , a jump Q bid is of course a splinter. 1♦-1♥-3♥ is a singleton heart . If we had wanted to grope for 3NT, the western Q bid would be used after making a natural bid of some sort. The THRUMP double or the western Q bid double is another way of showing a solid suit . 1♥-3♠-X ♠x ♥xx ♦AKQJ10xx ♣Jxx . The 3NT double ( Thrump ) invented by Bergen asks partner to bid 3NT with a spade stopper. A 4♦ bid with these hands is lame by driving you to an 11 trick contract going down when 3NT is cold.

Bridge is a game of suits . A solid long minor equates to excellent 3NT games making. The more bids you have that describe solid or semi-solid suits the better off the partnership will be. Sometimes the opponents open with you holding a long solid major too strong to pre-empt to 4 of a major. Having a jump Q bid as natural in a major is a waste of a good bid. You need a bid to describe a super jump to game in a major. I held ♠AKQ1098xxx ♥x ♦KQx ♣void , they opened 1♣. Leaping to 4♠ pre-emptive is a silly bid & a T/O double is worse. You bid 3♣ , partner bids 3NT. You bid 4♠ so that describes a NAMYATS type 4♠ bid. If partner shows controls instead of bidding 3NT , you may be off to a spade slam.

What are jump Q bids after a T/O double either at the one level or two level ? The same thing as the bid describes a solid suit somewhere. Experts add a wrinkle that the jump Q bid denies a control in the bid suit. 1♠ by the opponents , you double with ♠Ax ♥QJxx ♦xxx ♣AKxx . Partner holds ♠xx ♥Ax ♦AKQJ10x ♣QJx so she bids 3♠. Partner bids 3NT with a stopper so you try 6NT.