Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - November 16, 2020 - 2NT Jacoby and Alerts

 

Question:  Does the 2NT bid by North call off Stayman or Jacoby?

Vic:

Stayman & Jacoby Transfer bids are options that are generated when one partners OPENING BID is No Trump. North in the above auction is NOT Opener. North is Responder. The No Trump bid by North does NOT generate Stayman or Jacoby Transfer options. 

The 2NT bid by North (Responder) in the above auction is a conventional bid called "Jacoby 2NT" (Oswald Jacoby was a busy & very respected bridge enthusiast). It is a conventional bid that can be used by Responder in reply to an Opening bid of 1H or 1S. It promises 4 card trump support & at least an opening hand & is forcing to game. There are a whole series of follow-up bids to learn for folks who decide to embrace the convention. The 3D bid above shows a singleton or void in Diamonds. The 4C bid shows 1st round control of Clubs. The 4H bid is a "drop dead" bid, suggesting they stop at game.  

A lot of the questions I get from your group suggest that many are not focusing on what hat people are wearing at the moment in any given auction. Is the person making a bid Declarer? Responder? Overcaller? Advancer? The rules are different for each. Focusing on who is who at the table is one of the very first things any new player should work on.  

Any bid that has a different meaning than a natural interpretation requires an alert. You & Doug made a natural interpretation that it showed a no trump hand. It did NOT show a no trump hand. So yes, it requires an alert. 

The 3D & 4C follow up bids require alerts as well. 

Playing on line, the alert is to be made AND AUTOMATICALLY EXPLAINED IN ADVANCE by the player who is poised to make the bid. Playing live, the partner of the person who makes the bid is required to say ALERT. They should then explain the bid, BUT ONLY IF ASKED TO. 

Also, identifying the bids as "Jacoby 2NT" bids is NOT considered an adequate explanation. It is wrong to expect the opponents to know Jacoby 2NT. "Explain" means to provide the details of what the bid actually means.

Ain't bridge a great game? But not for people who do not like to challenge their brains big time.