Stage 2 Conventions by Neil Rosen Fit-showing Jumps WHEN I started out on the tournament based on opening values, remember), then 3. They allow opener to defend higher scene (nearly thirty years ago!) I remem - the odds of having a nice 16+ HCPs hand level contracts if he has no fit with ber playing an early tournament with a are remote indeed. Therefore the need for the second suit, i.e. the lack of a university friend of mine who had cut his a strong jump shift after an opposing take- ‘double-fit’ often leads to defending teeth almost exclusively at the rubber out double is almost negligible. in high-level decision making. bridge table. On an early board he passed, The possible uses for a jump in a new then over my 1 t opener he jumped to 2 ´ suit after a take-out double can be: Extending the method: to show ‘a maximum pass’. I remember Fit-jumps in Competition thinking at the time what a total waste of a) Strong – 16+ HCP with a very good time – not to mention bidding space – this suit (very rare, as stated above). Hopefully my readers (both of you!) will was. b) Weak – classically a six-card suit, be understanding both the need and the I quickly realised that a much better use similar to a weak two opening; 5-9 reasons for describing the hand more fully of the bid was to play it as a fit-showing HCPs approx. once a fit for your side has been found. jump (‘fit-jump’ for short!). c) A fit-showing jump (my recommen - You gain a huge amount while losing very, The requirements for such a bid, i.e. dation!) – four-card support, decent very little by adopting these methods in jumping in a new suit as a passed hand, are five cards at least in suit shown with my view. to hold at least five-cards in the suit 9+ HCPs approx. It is very important I believe the principle of fit-jumps can be jumped into plus four-card support for to note that these bids have no upper extended to encompass all ‘in competition’ partner’s opened suit (9-11 HCPs approx.) limit, i.e. they show a raise to at least scenarios. Thus holding: the level committed to by the jump. Here are the most common: After you have pas - I urge you to add these fit-showing jumps a) We open and the opponents overcall: ´ 9 2 sed initially, if partner to your armoury. They are even more im - ™ A J 8 5 opens 1 ™ you can portant than using them as a passed hand. Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 t K Q 10 7 2 jump to 3 t, a fit- 1t 1´ ? ® 5 4 jump, beautifully des - Reasons for Fit-jumps cribing this hand. after a Take-out Double 3®/3 ™ from you are both fit- showing bids. Reasons for Using the Bid 1. In any competitive auction they help partner to judge whether to bid or b) We open and the opponents double: 1. A jump shift needs 16+ HCPs – defend. Knowledge of a ‘double-fit’ clearly impossible as a passed hand. will lead partner to bid higher later, Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 2. The fit-showing jump describes a whereas otherwise he may defend. 1t Dble ? decent suit in the suit jumped into. With our example hand from This allows for greater defini tion for earlier, after this start to the auction: 2™/2 ´/3 ® are all fit-showing bids. game- or slam-making decisions. 3. It follows from point 2 above that a Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 c) The opponents open and we overcall: reasonable suit is required to enable 1™ Dble 3t partner to be able to appreciate key Oppo 1 Partner Oppo 2 You fitting honour cards. E.g. K-Q-10-x-x, If the opponents now get together in 1® 1™ Pass 3t A-J-10-x-x, K-J-10-x-x are good hold - spades, it is much easier to make an ings, whereas Q-x-x-x-x or A-x-x-x-x informed decision whether to bid on The 3 t bid is fit-showing (prom ising are not. or not if opener knows more about four hearts and at least five dia - responder’s hand. monds). Fit-jumps after Similarly in the following auction an Opposing Take-out Double 2. They aid partner if you end up def - with both opponents bidding: end ing. In particular, they may guide Clearly if partner opens the bidding and him in his choice of opening lead as Oppo 1 Partner Oppo 2 You RHO makes a take-out double (usually well as finding a key switch if required. 1® 1™ 1´ 3t 44 English Bridge June 2013 www.ebu.co.uk This is still an ‘in competition’ situ- ation, hence the 3 t bid is a fit-jump. Fit-jumps vs Splinter Debate Top Table Ben Green There will be occasions when you need to decide whether a bid is a fit-jump or a BEN GREEN was extremely successful splinter. For example: as a junior player, and repeatedly repre - sented England in international events. Oppo 1 Partner Oppo 2 You 1™ 2t 2™ 4® His most recent success on the national scene was winning the 2013 Premier I recommend that you should always have a fit-jump available so here 4 ® would Grand Masters Pairs with John Holland. indeed be a fit-jump and not a splinter. Ben was the Coach of the England Open Contrast this with the following auctions: Team that came fourth at the 2012 Euro - Oppo 1 Partner Oppo 2 You pean Cham pion ships, and will fulfil that 1® 1™ Pass 3t role again at this year’s Bermuda Bowl. Oppo 1 Partner Oppo 2 You When did you start playing bridge? What are your favourite bridge books? 1® 1™ Pass 4t Grandma taught me on a family holiday The Expert Game (Terence Reese), Why when I was 12, but it wasn’t until three You Lose at Bridge (S.J. Simon), Bridge 3t in the first auction is a fit-jump, years later that I first went to a bridge with the Blue Team (Pietro Forquet) – all whereas in the second 4 t is a splinter. So a club; I played with anybody and every - classics. body, week in week out, and gradually jump to the four level is only a splinter if a What are your hobbies? improved. fit-jump was available at a lower level. Cooking, playing badminton, exploring In summary the use of fit-jumps in How often / where do you play? London (I have only recently moved com petition will improve your partner- A couple of times a week at the Acol there), swimming, going out with ship bidding and judgment immensely. Bridge Club in London; I also practise friends. They allow real discussion between two on BBO twice a week with my regular What do you like and what would you partners rather than just blithely guessing partner, John Holland. then often being forced to ‘re-guess’ later. change in bridge? One example hand from real life: Do you always play with the same I love bridge, I wouldn't change the game partners / team-mates? What do you at all. I enjoy the pressure, especially in expect of them? World and European Championships. Love All. Dealer North. I play with a variety of partners and team- What’s the bridge success (so far) ´ 8 mates. I expect them to try their best – closest to your heart? ™ K Q 7 4 that's all that one can ask for. Winning the 2012 Spring Foursomes, t A J 8 6 5 What do you do for a living? coming back from a long way down to ® A 7 2 Management consultant and bridge pro - win on extra boards. Before that, reach - ´ K 10 6 3 ´ A Q 7 5 4 fessional. ing the Gold Cup final in 2007. ™ 9 6 N ™ 3 W E t Q 4 S t K 9 7 2 ® K J 10 8 3 ® Q 9 5 ´ J 9 2 ™ A J 10 8 5 2 NGS NEWS t 10 3 TOP OF the Juniors in the National Grading ® 6 4 Scheme, currently an ‘Ace of Spades’ with a grade of 68.61, is Shivam Shah. He has played remarkably few boards in rated West North East South events, approximately 1100, so his grade is 1t 1´ Dble only just ‘mature’. Most of these events are 3®1 4™ 4´ All Pass n EBU ones and Shivam has played in them 1 o Fit-jump s n e with various partners, consistently achieving s a H r good results. Despite holding only 11 HCPs East has an e t e P For the latest developments in the NGS, easy (and successful) 4 ´ bid. This is partly : o t see Barry Capal’s Blog on the website. Type helped by the singleton heart but also the o h key fitting club honour, allowing 4 ´ to be P http://goo.gl/WTKpv into your browser. bid over the making 4 ™ contract. r www.ebu.co.uk June 2013 English Bridge 45.