What Should 2NT Mean by Partner After Your Two-of-a-Major Weak Jump Overcall and by Opener after Responder’s Two-of-a-Major Preemptive Jump Shift?

 

By Mike Savage

 

     What should 2NT by partner mean after your jump to the 2-level in a major? There are two similar but different instances when this might happen. The first is when the opponents open, your partner makes a weak jump overcall of 2H or 2S, the next hand passes and you now bid 2NT. The second is when you have opened the bidding, the next hand passes and your partner makes a preemptive jump-shift to 2H or 2S, the next hand passes and you bid 2NT. What should 2NT mean? There is a consensus that it shouldn’t be natural but should show a fit and be conventional, asking partner to further define his hand. There may be other methods used in some partnerships but here are some good guidelines as to what 2NT by advancer (partner to the 2H or 2S bidder) should ask for.

     When your partner has made a weak jump overcall of 2H or 2S, he could have a variety of hands ranging from having a very good suit when vulnerable to having a poor suit when not vulnerable. Only partnership agreement and good bidding sense will define the playing strength permitted or required by such a bid. To more accurately define a 2H or 2S bid, 2NT can be used to ask the same question it does over a weak 2-bid – but asking for suit quality and strength here seems better than asking for a feature. Partner has made a weak jump overcall of 2H or 2S (followed by a pass):

1x-2H or 2S--2NT = Ogust – asking partner to categorize what type of preempt he has

                                   Responses: (given the circumstances and vulnerability)

                                   3C = Bad hand/bad suit

                                   3D = Good suit/bad hand

                                   3H = Bad suit/good hand

 

     When your partner has made weak jump shift in a major (especially non-vul), classically he shows a 6-card suit without the values to bid one of the suit. Therefore if opener already knows responder has a bad hand and a bad suit (supposedly less than KQxxxx), 2NT is better used to ask him if he has any shortness. Knowing if and where partner has shortness may enable opener to bid or not bid close games.

Partner has made a weak jump-shift response of 2H or 2S (followed by a pass):

1x-p-2H or 2S-p-2NT = Asks partner if he has a singleton or void.

                                         Simple response structure: Easiest on memory

                                         3C = Shows a stiff or void in clubs

                                         3D = Shows a stiff or void in diamonds

                                         3H = Shows a stiff or void in hearts (after 2S)

                                         3S = Shows shortness in hearts (after 2H)

                                                  Best to only show spade shortness with at least the heart K or Q

                                         Advanced response structure: Better but more memory intensive

                                         3C = Shows no shortness or shortness in clubs

                                                  3D = Asks which?

                                                            3H = No singleton or void

                                         3D = Shows a stiff or void diamond

                                         3H = Shows a stiff or void in the unbid (other) major

After a vulnerable weak jump-shift using 2NT as Ogust, asking suit quality and strength, may be best.

     What 2NT should mean over 2H or 2S is up to individual partnership agreement but it is highly recommended that it should not be natural but asking for a more precise definition of partner’s hand.