Jacoby
What is Jacoby? A bid of 2NT over 1 of a major from Partner, showing a good raise in Partner's major. It should have 7 or less losers generally, unless the bid is made after an initial pass, when it could possibly have 8 losers. It will NEVER have a flat 4-3-3-3 hand with the 4 cards in Partner's Major but equally, shouldn't have a singleton or void, when you should use a splinter instead of the 2NT bid.
| You | Partner | |
| 1H | 2NT | 2NT guarantees (if not a passed hand) 4+ hearts, and a game force. |
| 3C** | 3S | 3C is a trial bid, and asks for help in clubs - 3 small clubs will generally deny help! 3S is a very good hand, probably a cue bid in spades and will therefore offer help in the club suit |
| 3NT | 4H | 3NT must be 15-19 points, otherwise, you will bid 4H. 4H is NOT a sign off, if you wanted to sign off, you wouldn't have bid 3S in the first place! |
| Etc.Etc | 7H |
** A possible use of the 3C bid.
The hands might be:
| You | Partner |
| ♠ K Q | ♠ A x x |
| ♥ K Q 10 8 2 | ♥ A J 7 5 |
| ♦ A K 8 | ♦ 7 4 |
| ♣ 8 4 2 | ♣ A K J 6 |
On these hands, you can make 7H!!
Jacoby/Trial Bid/Splinter
| You | Partner | |
| 1♠ | 2NT | |
| 3♣ | 4♦ | 3♣ is a trial bid, and 4♦ is a splinter (probably a singleton), with help in the club suit also. Note: 1♠ .. 2NT .. 3♣ as a sequence is forcing to game, so 4♦ cannot meaningfully be anything but a splinter |
Normal Jacoby sequences:
| a) | 1♥ | 2NT | |
| 3♥ | 4♥ | Simply bidding game | |
| b) | 1♥ | 2NT | |
| 3♣ | 4♥ | Whatever the 3C bid meant, 4H shows a minimum, and is NOT forcing | |
| c) | 1♥ | 2NT | |
| 3♣ | 3♥ | Seeing as 2NT is forcing to game, this 3H bid must be stronger than the 4H in the above sequence. It is giving West the opportunity to make a cue bids. | |
| d) | 1♥ | 2NT | |
| 3♣ | 3♥ | ||
| 4♥ | The 4H bid shows no additional values, and is to play. | ||
| e) | Pass | ||
| 1♥ | 2NT | ||
| 3♥ | Pass | The 2NT bidder can pass, when he/she has already passed on the first round! |