Josephine

Joesephine is named after Jo Culbertson, the wife of contract bridge’s Ely Culbertson

If you jump 5 in major this is a Josephine bid asking for trump honors, if these things occur:

• A major suit is agreed as trump and you bid 5 in the trump suit.
• Support partners major suit on the 5-level.

The responses are:

• Pass: 0/1 top honor in trump.
• 6 of your major = 2 top honors in trump.
• 5NT : 3 top honors in trump.

Josephine 5NT

A jump to 5NT after trump agreement is the Grand Slam Force, asking about the high honor cards in the trump suit. This version is the easiest to remember and safest because GSF rarely comes up.

• Bidding 6 of the trump suit denies 2 of the top 3
• Bidding 7 of the trump suit shows 2 of the top 3