Bidding Conventions >

Soloway Jump Shifts


Soloway jump shifts are named for the late American expert Paul Soloway, winner of 5 Bermuda Bowl world championships and the top ACBL masterpoint holder at the time of his passing. They are an alternative to traditional strong jump shifts. Rather than showing a single-suited 17-19 points, a Soloway jump shift is made on three strong hand patterns: Balanced, single-suited, and double-suited with support for partner. With any of these hand types, responder jump-shifts into his longest suit.

Details of each hand type:

  1. With a balanced 18-19 HCP, responder jump-shifts into his longest suit. For example, after partner opens 1:

    KQ3
    K93
    AKJ8
    K76
    		 Bid 2.

    Playing certain methods like SAYC, your 3NT response may show a balanced 16-18 HCP. If playing Soloway, this treatment should be discussed by partnerships because 18 HCP balanced hands can be handled by either method.

  2. With a good 15-18 points and a one-suited hand, responder bids his long suit. For example, after partner opens 1:

    Q9
    AKJ852
    A4
    K52
    		 Bid 2.

  3. The final hand type is a two-suiter with a good 15-18 points. Over a minor-suit opening bid, responder needs at least 5-4 shape, with the 4-card holding being in partner's suit. Over a major-suit opening, responder must be at least 5-3, with the 3-card holding in partner's suit. For example, after partner opens 1:

    KQJ98
    Q963
    A4
    A6
    		 Bid 2.

Note that Bill Root and Richard Pavlicek, in "Modern Bridge Conventions", suggest 17+ points for Soloway jump shifts. The exact point range is up to partnership agreement, and requires discussion about how to handle 19+ hands.


Opener's Rebids

The jump shift asks opener to relay to the next-higher bid. Thus, if responder bids 2, opener should rebid 2. If responder bids 2, opener should rebid 2, and so on.


Responder's Rebids

After opener's relay, responder clarifies his hand pattern by one of the following bids:

  1. Bidding no-trumps at the cheapest level shows a strong balanced hand.

  2. Rebidding the jump shift suit shows the single-suited hand.

  3. Bidding partner's suit shows the two-suited hand without a singleton or void.

  4. Bidding a new suit shows the two-suited hand with a singleton or void in the bid suit.


Examples

OpenerResponder
QT2SAK6
HK6AQ75
DAJT96532
CAT5KQ8

Opener
1
2 (2)
6NT
Responder
2 (1)
2NT (3)
Pass

  1. Soloway
  2. Relay
  3. 18-19 balanced
  4. An educated guess with a combined 32-33 HCP


OpenerResponder
KT93SAJ5
HAJT3Q75
D8AKQ972
CAT529

Opener
1
2 (2)
3NT (4)
Responder
2 (1)
3 (3)
Pass

  1. Soloway
  2. Relay
  3. Strong one-suiter
  4. Signoff


OpenerResponder
AQT943SKJ2
HA6KQ752
DA758
C73AKJ8

Opener
1
3 (2)
4NT (4)
5NT (6)
7

Responder
3 (1)
4 (3)
5 (5)
6 (7)
Pass

  1. Soloway
  2. Relay
  3. 5 hearts, 3+ spades and diamond shortness
  4. 1430 Roman Keycard Blackwood
  5. 2 key cards w/out the queen
  6. Asking for kings
  7. 2 kings