Jacoby 2NT Adv. Nov. Intro

Jacoby 2NT (intro)

The Jacoby 2NT response is a GAME FORCING RAISE of a One of a Major Opening:
1- 2NT! shows at least four card heart support and at least 12 support points
1- 2NT! shows at least four card spade support and at least 12 support point.

Why use it?

Playing Standard American WITHOUT Jacoby 2NT, one might have to bid either a terrible suit or jump to game to show a game raise.
(i.e.AT32 QJ4 QJ3 QJ2)
- How do you show that hand to partner?
Would you start with 2 or 2? Would you jump to 4?
Wouldn't you jump to 4 with QJ765 74 643 543?
How would your partner know which hand you had?

You might still be interested in slam and have a long bad suit
(i.e.AKT4 86543 A2 K2)
- Do you really want to advertise that heart suit on the way to a slam try? - Wouldn't you rather have AKT4 AK543 32 32 for such a bid?
-For long bad suits, you might benefit by bidding Jacoby 2NT to ask for shortness. If partner has a singleton or void in your long but terrible suit, your odds of a slam on as little as 26 HCP increases greatly.

It lets your partner know you have four card trump support and points enough to be interested in penalizing the opponents if they compete.

The trump suit is established for keycard asking.

Your partner can quickly give you an idea of what she has.

You can re-evaluate the value of your High Cards:
Your Kings, Queens and Jacks are worth less opposite partner's shortness.

When partner opens 1	and you respond 2NT
partner's rebid of 3 shows club shortness
partner's rebid of 3 shows diamond shortness
partner's rebid of 3 shows 16+ points, no shortness
partner's rebid of 3 shows spade shortness
partner's rebid of 3N shows 14/15 points
partner's rebid of 4 shows a club suit (5+ cards) with at least 2 of the top 3 honours
partner's rebid of 4 shows a diamond suit (5+ cards) with at least 2 of the top 3 honours
partner's 4 rebid shows a minimum opener, no shortness

In other words:

if partner's rebid is a NEW SUIT at the 3 level, she has a singleton or void there
if partner's rebid is a NEW SUIT at the 4 level, it's five cards long with at least 2 of the 3 top honours
if partner's rebid is the TRUMP SUIT at the 3 level, she has 16+ points with no shortness
if partner's rebid is 3N, she has 14 or 15 points
if partner's rebid is the TRUMP SUIT at the 4 level, she has a minimum opener

In yet other words:

partner's new suits at the three level almost aren't there
partner's new suits at the four level are good second suits
other bids show point ranges: the lower the bid, the better the hand

Caution!!! When you start a new convention with partner, you might in the long run gain, but you will probably forget a couple of times that you're playing it. ~~Kids, don't try this at home.~~ Try this at home.

With four card TRUMP support for your partner's 1/1 opening, and points enough for game, consider using the Jacoby 2NT convention

-Jacoby 2NT is off after interference (you might agree on exceptions).
- Att: Openers - Don't show a singleton King or Ace as shortness. Show your points instead!

Responder Rebids:
-The lower/longer you bid, the more you have. Weak hands should end the auction early: Remember - you promised enough for game.
If you have nothing else to show, jump to game.
-If partner has jumped to game (shown a minimum), you must have at least 19 support points to consider further bidding.
-Cuebid if you have more than an opener and there is still room. What is your cheapest ace?
-Rebid 3NT to find out about the A.
-If you've chosen to cuebid, you've shown more than an opener and if you have little more than an opener, again, jump to game. You might still have another Ace you haven't shown.

Opener's Later Bids:
-If you've shown shortness and partner doesn't jump to game, show your void by bidding the suit again at the four level.
-Otherwise, cuebids show extra values.

Talk with partner about how much extra you should have for every bid and who is showing who what.

To Next Page

Rebidding after Partner shows a singleton/void

Partner You
1
3! 2N
?

!Singleton or Void in Clubs

3 = 14+ and the A
3 = 14+, the A and probably not A
3 = 14+, the A and probably neither A nor A
3 N = 14+, asking for club void (probably undisclosed ace[s])
4 = 14+, the A, neither A nor A
4 = 14+, diamond void
4 = 14+, heart void
4 = 12-13, minimum Jacoby 2NT response

Rebidding after Partner shows a Second Suit

Partner You
1
4
2N
?

4 = 14+, cuebid, probably one of top three club honours
4 = 14+, cuebid, probably one of top three club honours
4 = minimum Jacoby 2NT response

To Home Jacoby 2NT Adv. Nov. Intro

Jacoby 2NT (review)

Why use it?

It shows a big trump fit and values for game (the ninth trump is IMPORTANT!)
It establishs a Game Force.
You probably don't have an excellent other suit to bid first. (Yikes! AKT4 Q54 QT3 Q32 )
It enables a series of established question asks and responses.
Points in other suits can be re-evaluated.

After the Jacoby 2NT response, opener considers these three questions, in order

1) Do I have a good five card side suit with two of the top 3 honours? (i.e. AKxxx or AQxxx or KQxxx) IF SO, I bid it at the four level.
if I ain't got one, then 2) Do I have shortness in a side suit? (i.e. singleton or void?) IF SO, then I bid it at the three level
if I ain't got shortness neither, then 3) How many points did I open with? *Minimum? (i.e. 12-13 points that partner expects for my major opening) Skip Bid to game now! Partner needs 19+ to dare bid again. Slam is very unlikely. Extras? (i.e. 14-15 points includes that Queen or King more than was needed to open) Bid 3N. Slam still has a chance. Lots?* (i.e.16-22 points, definitely interested in slam) Bid 3 of the major. Slam odds are very good.

Jacoby 2N:

partner's new suits at the three level almost aren't there
partner's new suits at the four level are good second suits
the other bids show point ranges: the lower the bid, the better the hand

Other Points:

Jacoby 2NT is off after interference (you might agree on exceptions).

Openers: Don't show a singleton King or Ace as shortness. Show your points!

The more bids you make, the more you should have.

Cuebids show extras. You might still have another ace you shouldn't show.

None Vul
Dealer: North
Board 1
Q T 8 7 6
K 2
A
A K J T 9
A
J 6 4 3
K 4 2
8 7 6 5 4

W N

S E
4 3 2
Q T 9 8
J 9 8 7 6 5
- - -
K J 9 5
A 7 5
Q T 3
Q 3 2

West

Pass
Pass
Pass
North
1
4
4 N
6
East
Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass South
2 N!
4
5

!Jacoby 2 No Trump is alerted:
-If asked, explain: "Game Forcing Raise with at least 4 trumps.
4 promises five clubs with AK or AQ or KQ
4 shows a minimum
4 N asks for keycards
5 shows two of five keycards. (here the A and the K)
Keycards are: the Aces and the King of Trump.
6 is to play

Jacoby 2N (b)
page 1 Summer 2001

Here slam is doomed if West is alert.
Declarer showed five clubs. There are three in dummy. You have five.
That's all of them: thirteen in a suit. Partner has none!
Partner probably has AT LEAST two spades. When in with the A, lead a club for partner to ruff.

Serenity Poem

God Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the Difference.

NS Vul
Dealer: East
Board 2
7 6
Q J T 9
Q 8 7 2
Q T 6
Q T 9 5
8 7 6 5 4 3
K
A K

W N

S E
A K J 8 4
- - -
A 5 4 3
5 4 3 2
3 2
A K 2
J T 9 6
J 9 8 7

West

2 N!
4
5
5 N
North

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

East
1
3 !
4
5
7

South
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass

2 N is Jacoby 2 No Trump.
3 is Heart shortness..
4 shows the A
4 is a Heart void
5 is second round control of clubs and extras.
5 is the A
5 N is the Grand Slam Force telling parter:
-bid 6 of the suit if you have one of the top 3 trump honours
-bid 7 of the suit if you have two of the top 3 trump honours.

Jacoby 2N (b)
page 2 Summer 2001

A trump lead is often right when the opponents are in small slam.
This contract can be made on a cross-ruff.
On a trump lead, it can still be made by setting up the heart suit.

EW Vul
Dealer: South
Board 3
A 2
K Q T 4
A 2
Q 6 5 4 3
Q 9 7 6
J 3 2
Q 7 6
K J 2

W N

S E
T 8 5 4
8
T 9 8 5
A T 8 7
K J 3
A 9 7 6 5
K J 4 3
9

West

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
North

2 N!
3
4 N
6
East

Pass
Pass
Pass
All Pass South
1
3
4
5

3 is a singleton or void
3 is a cuebid (A)
4 shows a minimum and DENIES a club void
4 N asks for keycards
5 shows one of the Aces or the King of Trump

Jacoby 2N (b)
page 3 Summer 2001

If you chose to lead a club, which one would you lead?
Declarer told you she has only one and it isn't the A or K.
Partner knows that too, so here you might try either the strange looking K or J.

Did you guess at what partner had opened with?
What were her twelve or thirteen points?
She could have had any of these point cards: KQJ AJ KQJ J
Worst case scenario seems to be: KJx AJxxx QJxx J
Partner probably has both kings though, and slam is a good bet.