J
- Jacoby transfers, or simply "transfers"
- A convention initiated by responder following partner's notrump opening bid that requests opener rebid in the suit ranked just above that bid by responder, i.e. a response in diamonds requests a rebid in hearts and a response in hearts requests a rebid in spades; other responses may carry other meanings; designed to make the stronger hand declarer.
- Jacoby 2NT
- By agreement, a forcing raise of a major suit opening bid, used in conjunction with limit jump raises. Opener is requested to rebid in a suit where he holds a singleton so that responder can better evaluate the fit.
- Jam the bidding
- (Slang) To preempt.
- Jettison
- The discard of an honor, often by a defender, and usually to unblock a suit.
- Josephine
- An alternative term, popular in Europe, for the grand slam force. The convention was developed by Ely Culbertson, and popularized in a late 1930s Bridge World article by Josephine Culbertson.
- Journalist leads
- Opening lead convention, mainly against notrump contracts, designed to show both what the leader has, and to request specific partner actions in return.
- Jump bid
- A bid made at a level higher than the lowest level at which that suit could be legally bid.
- Jump overcall
- An overcall made at higher than the minimally legal level: for example, 1♥ - (2♠). In the 1930s, jump overcalls were treated as strong bids. They are now more frequently treated as weak, preemptive bids.
- Jump preference
- A preference to partner's first-bid suit, made at a level higher than the minimally legal level. In the following sequence, 3♥ is a jump preference: 1♥ - 1♠; 2♦ - 3♥. For many years, the jump preference was treated as invitational except in support of opener's minor, when it was treated as forcing. As of 2001, however, most experts treat all three-level jump preferences as invitational following opener's one-level new suit rebid: e.g., 1♣ - 1♦; 1♠ - 3♣
- Jump raise
- A raise of partner's suit one level higher than the minimum legal raise. For example, 1♥ - 3♥ or 1♦ - 1♥; 3♥
- Jump rebid
- A rebid of one's original suit, one level higher than necessary, usually showing a six-card suit: for example, 1♦ - 1♥; 3♦. The range of strength shown by a jump rebid is a matter of partnership agreement: some treat it as a one-round force, others (particularly if playing Kaplan-Sheinwold and the rebid suit is a minor) play it as only a little weaker than a game-forcing opening bid.
- Jump shift
- A jump bid of a new suit.
- 1) As a rebid by opener (e.g. 1♥ – 1♠; 3♣) or responder (e.g. 1♥ – 1♠; 1NT – 3♣), it indicates extra strength
- 2) As direct response (e.g. 1♥ – 2♠): usually, a very strong hand. However, another treatment (weak jump-shifts, requiring prior partnership agreement) uses the bid preemptively to show a weak hand and a long suit.
Read more about this topic: Glossary Of Contract Bridge Terms