Conventions in depth

Jordan/Truscott 2NT

After an opponent doubles partner’s major opening, a jump to 2NT shows a limit raise or better with four-card support.

The problem it solves

Partner opens one heart or one spade, and the next opponent doubles for takeout. You may hold any of several very different hands: a weak hand with support that wants to obstruct the opponents; a good raise worth inviting game or more; or values with no fit. If every raise were natural, partner could not tell these apart. Jordan 2NT uses the jump to 2NT, which has little natural use here, for the good raise.

What the bid shows

The bid is artificial: it says nothing about wanting to play in notrump. It needs about ten or more support points. Partner then knows you have a real raise, with room below game to explore.

PartnerOpp.You
1♥Dbl2NT

Your 2NT is the Jordan bid.

Responder’s raises over the double

Because the good raise has its own bid, the other raises can be more precise:

Weak, with four-card support
Jump straight to three of the major: obstructive, not invitational.
A sound simple raise (about 6–9 support points)
Raise to two of the major, natural and constructive.
A limit raise or better, four-card support
Jordan 2NT.
Values but no fit (about 10 or more high-card points)
Redouble, showing strength and the inability to raise. This one is counted in high cards alone: with no fit there is no trump suit to ruff in, so short suits are worth nothing yet.

Opener’s rebid

Jordan 2NT hands the decision to opener, who now knows a good fit is there. With fewer than 15 support points, opener signs off at three of the major. With 15 or more, opener bids the game, or with slam in mind begins to explore. Responder, holding 13 or more support points, raises the sign-off to game.

Compared with Jacoby 2NT

Jacoby 2NT shows a game-forcing raise of partner’s major when the opponents are silent. After a takeout double, Jordan 2NT takes its place and shows a limit raise or better.

Where BidMaestro uses it

BidMaestro plays Jordan 2NT as a standard, always-on part of its bidding over a takeout double of a major opening. It is not a convention you switch on or off. Over a minor-suit opening the app does not use Jordan.

After the opponents double partner’s major opening, 2NT shows a raise of at least limit strength with four trumps. Because 2NT carries the good raise, the direct jump to three of the major stays purely pre-emptive.

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