Sunday, January 07, 2007 1:01 AM

Hand Evaluation – Minors ( Jump Raises )

PITBULLS:

Most of us play inverted minors as limit raise or better. This “two in one” bid leaves the direct jump raises as pre-emptive. What do we mean by pre-emptive ? It does not mean all the hand ranges below a limit raise in the minor as there is nothing pre-emptive about those hands. The healthy hands ( HCP’s ) are handled with a 1NT bid. Partner opens 1♣ , you have ♠Jxx ♥Kxx ♦xx ♣KJxxx this is certainly not a pre-emptive 3♣ bid as you respond 1NT. Take away the king ♠Jxx ♥Jxx ♦xx ♣KJxxx so it becomes a pre-emptive 3♣ bid.

The purpose of the pre-emptive jump raise in the minor is two fold. You immediately describe your 5^th trump & you pre-empt the opponents to the 3 level. You have diminished partner’s defensive ability by having so many trump , so let’s make it difficult for the opponents. What if you have 5 or more trump & a 4 card major ? In my opinion , this depends on how strong you are. When you have a decent hand under a game force , always bid your 4 card major. There are ways to show invitational hands in partners minor later in the auction.

What about weak hands with a 4 card major & 5 or more trump ? Our preference is to ignore the 4 card major & pre-empt. This bid is disgusting to match point players, but in IMPS you describe your 5 trump right away & impede the opponents. I held ♠x ♥AJxx ♦xx ♣xxxxxx , partner opened 1♣. Do you respond 1♥ or bid 3♣ ? 3♣ is the best tactical bid in IMPS as you up the auction right away. When you respond 1♥ , you will never buy this hand in 2♣. There are opponents lurking who are short in clubs. Also partner never reads you for a 4-5 so you always seem to play in your Moysean instead of your nice minor fit. Why not just support partner right away & get your one bid over with ? In general , when your hand is only worth one bid make it right away.

You have ♠Qxxx ♥xx ♦xx ♣KJxxx , partner opens 1♣. You essentially have a hand that is only worth one bid & a preference. You will not buy this hand in 2♣ & most systems cannot even play 2♣. Say you respond 1♠ , partner bids 1NT. You have two choices of passing 1NT or bidding 2NT as a relay to 3♣. Playing at the 2 level in clubs is impossible. Playing XYZ , you cannot play a club contract at the 2 level. You may as well take a slight risk of missing your spade fit & bid 3♣ going in. What if partner does have a game going hand with spades ? There is nothing wrong with her bidding 3♠ & you bidding 4♠. A pre-empt is just that . A hand that is weak with 5 or more trump. A 4 card major does not change the obvious.

Over a T/O double, I prefer that a jump raise in the minors show invitational values. Right siding the 3NT is so important in these auctions as the T/O doubler is behind the opening bidder. I prefer to pre-empt by using the 2NT bid as we will never be in a 3NT contract anyway. When you have a big fit with partners minor , remember there are opponents who want to get to their 4 of a major game.

There are fix hands with this structure. What do you bid with a 5 card minor fit with partner , HCP’s just under a limit raise & a singleton so 1NT is not an appropriate bid. Over 1♣ with these hands holding a 4 card major or even a 3 card diamond suit , bid that instead of a jump raise. After a 1♦ opener you may have to make an underbid or oberbid. ♠x ♥xxx ♦AQxxx ♣Q10xx I would stretch & bid 2♦ rather than 3♦. Change this hand to ♠x ♥xxx ♦AQxxx ♣Jxxx & would make the underbid of 3♦. Bidding 1NT or a heart with this hand is repulsive.