Weak vs. Strong Jump Shifts

One person prefers a strong jump shift (and uses a double jump to show a long suit with few hcp).

Two people use the jump shift conventionally but stated that they would recommend others to use a weak jump shift. So, lets say that 9 of 10 people prefer the WJS. Their main points are:

  • Benefits of a WJS outweigh any benefits that a SJS might offer
    • Opener is warned that Responder’s hand will contribute more in his suit
    • Regardless of Opener’s strength, without a fit, game is unlikely opposite a WJS
    • A WJS preempts the auction for the opponents
  • Hands for a WJS occur more often than those for a SJS
  •  A SJS uses up too much bidding space (bid strong hands slowly)
  • One benefit for a SJS is that it shows game+ values for less experienced players
    • Experienced players use forcing bids

To wind this up, I’m going to include Nelson Brown’s email because it is fairly representative of the other responses, it provides substance to my bullets, and it also extends his regards to the club:

“I strongly favor weak jump shifts because they give me the option of showing more kinds of hands without pre-empting the auction for our side. If I'm strong I want to take up as little bidding space as possible so that we can find the right contract, but if I'm weak I'd like to make life difficult for my opponents to get into the auction and find their fit.

“For example if my partner opens one club and I have a weak hand (less than seven high card points), but I have six or seven of a major I can show that hand at my first opportunity and partner knows that I am weak and will bid accordingly. Furthermore, my two bid makes it difficult for my left hand opponent, who probably has some values, to get into the auction. So, I've succeeded in pre-empting the auction for the opponents while giving my partner an accurate picture of my own hand. The opponents may have a fit in the other major and I've made it difficult for them to find that fit.

“Let's say that partner opened with 14 points, right hand opponent passed with 7 points and four hearts and I've bid two spades with 5 points. Left hand opponent, with 14 high card points and a five card heart suit must work out what to bid in order to get into the auction and will be left to guess whether to double, pass or bid at the three level not knowing what partner has. Opener might have 18 or 19 points and partner only 3 or 4, they can't know for sure. So, they might miss their part score.

“Let's say with the same hands I bid only one spade. There is no way that my partner can assess my values and I have no effective re-bid that will describe my hand. If I bid again, partner will think I have a good hand, but if I don't, partner will never know that I have a six or seven card suit. Meanwhile the opponents will find their heart fit and probably wind up making a part score, or maybe even a game if the cards sit right

“Weak jump shifts are particularly effective if you incorporate them into a 2 over 1 system as I have with all of my partners. It makes for a very powerful bidding system in which you can describe a wide variety of hands without misleading your partner and creating maximum difficulty for your opponents. I hope everyone in Clear Lake is doing well.

“Give my best regards to all. See you in a couple of months. Nelson Brown”