BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

What would you bid next on the above hand? Thinking back to our previous examples, you might think you have nothing more to show than rebiddable hearts by rebidding 3 ♥ . But the quality of your hearts makes all the difference this time.

What you have is a solid and self- supporting heart suit, and you don’t really mind if responder has a fit for you or not. You must tell him this by making a jump bid which, in this case, will be 4 ♥ .

inexperienced players are apt to think that this jump to what is, after all, a game contract is a shut-out bid, telling partner you can play only in a game in hearts.

This is not so. Once responder knows your trump suit is solid and self-supporting, he could go on to a slam even with a void in hearts, and it is very important to remember what this jump bid in a forcing situation means.