Bridge Tip # 6

Before  playing with a new partner or even someone with whom you have played make sure you both know what you are playing and how you treat various situations. A common example is  whether you regard secondary jumps as forcing or nonforcing (1C – P- 1H – P -1S followed by responder’s bidding 3C, 2NT, 3H or 3S). Another is whether a jump raise of opener’s one of a major by responder is the same with no competition as it would be   if there is a a minimum overcall overcall.

When Bob   Goldman or  Mike Lawrence  and I played them all jump raises invitational except 2NT which  we played forcing. I now commonly play them all as invitational. I play 1S – 2C -P- 3S as still invitational. Many play the jump raise in competition as preemptive, and a few would play it as forcing. I don’t like using negative doubles with a fit in opener’s suit because the opponents may preempt and force the  opener to make a decision without knowing responder has support.