- Jump bid in a different suit to that bid by your partner, providing that you have at least 4 cards in the reply suit. Jump bidding means that you make a bid at a level one higher than that allowed by the rules. So, assuming that your partner bid 1 Heart, if your reply suit was spades, you would bid 2 Spades, but, if your reply suit was diamonds, you would bid 3 Diamonds.
- Make a game bid of 3 No Trumps, 4 Spades, 4 Hearts, 5 Clubs or 5 Diamonds. To decide whether you should make a game bid, you need to understand about 'bidding targets'.
- Make a slam bid of 4 Clubs or 4 No Trumps, 4 Spades, 4 Hearts, 5 Clubs or 5 Diamonds. To decide whether you should make a game bid, you need to understand about both 'bidding targets' and 'slam bidding'.
Example 1
Here you have an ace, 2 kings, a queen, and a doubleton, giving you 13 points.
First let us assume that your partner opened the bidding with 1 Diamond. Then you jump bid in a different suit by replying with 2 Spades, because spades is your longest suit. Spades is higher ranking than diamonds, so a jump bid involves going to the 2 level.
Now let us assume that your partner's opening bid was 1 Spade. Then you should make a game bid by bidding 4 Spades, because you can support your partner's suit, and you have sufficient points to go straight to game.
Example 2
Here you have an ace, 2 kings, 2 queens, and a doubleton, giving you 15 points.
First assume that your partner opened the bidding with 1 Club. Then you should make a game bid by bidding 3 No Trumps, because you have a flat hand and your weak suit is that bid by your partner, so together you can expect to have cover in all suits.
Now suppose that your partner had bid 1 Diamond. Then you could do a game bid in diamonds by bidding 5 Diamonds, as you have support for your partner's diamonds, and you and your partner have sufficient points between you to go to the 5 level. To show your spades by bidding 2 Spades, a jump bid, would also have been legitimate. The weakness in clubs now prevents you bidding no trumps.
Note
Strictly speaking, the value of the above hand for the No Trump contract is 14 points, since you should not count distribution points for a No Trump contract. However, in this case the outcome of the bidding is the same.
Example 3
Here you have 2 aces, 2 kings, 2 queens, and a void, giving you 21 points. With 6 hearts and 3 Honours in them, you want ultimately to be in a heart contract whatever your partner has. As you know what contract you want to end up in, all that has now to be decided is whether you should go for a game or a slam bid. As together you and your partner have sufficient points for a slam, you should look for this by bidding 4 No Trumps (Blackwood convention) if your partner bid 1 Club, or otherwise 4 Clubs (Gerber convention).
Note
You should be looking for a slam bid if you and your partner have 30 or more points between you. There are too many points to be lost by not going for it to be faint-hearted about this !