In some bidding auctions, the opener will often rebid 1 No Trump to indicate a minimum/maximum range of 12-15 high card points and that both partners have still not found a fit in any suit. A minimum/maximum range of 12-15 high card points indicates that the partnership generally opens a strong No Trump of 16-18 high card points. If the partnership employs a No Trump range of 15-17 high card points for a No Trump opening, then the range of the minimum/maximum would show 12-14 high card points.
The responder, therefore, finds it useful to have a low-level forcing bid available, in order to inquire about opener's support for responder's suit, or to make responder's description of his own hand more accurate.
According to the partnership agreement, some bridge players will use a 2 Club rebid by the responder as the only forcing bid after a 1 No Trump rebid by the opener. And other bridge players will use a 2 Club rebid by the responder as the Stayman convention after a 1 No Trump rebid by the opener.
A third method of treating this situation, which is becoming popular, is the use of the unbid Minor Suit as a forcing bid by the responder.
Assume the following auction:
|
North |
|
South |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 NT |
|
2 |
The rebid by the responder of 2 Diamonds is artificial and forcing. The Third Bid of North, the opener, depends greatly on the partnership agreement.
One possible partnership agreement following an opening of 1 Club is:
|
2 |
minimum hand with three Hearts | |
|
2 |
minimum hand with fewer than three hearts, or natural if the 1 NT rebid may have concealed a 4-card Spade suit | |
|
2 NT: |
maximum hand, but fewer than three Hearts | |
|
3 |
a natural bid, a 5-card suit | |
|
3 |
maximum hand, less than three Hearts, no Diamond Stopper | |
|
3 |
maximum hand with three Hearts |
:A second possible partnership agreement, following
the bid of 1 Spade by the responder, is, as in the following example:
|
North |
|
South |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 NT |
|
2 |
|
2 |
a natural bid, a 5-card suit | |
|
2 |
a natural bid, a 4-card suit | |
|
2 |
minimum hand with three Spades, but does not deny a 4-card Heart suit | |
|
3 |
maximum, less than three Spade, no Club Stopper | |
|
3 |
maximum hand with three Spades |
We would also like to present another variation of New Minor Forcing which is used by many bridge players in their partnership agreements.
In conclusion, many bridge players use the bid of the other Minor suit on invitational hands, and other bridge players use the bid of the other Minor suit as game-forcing. However you wish to employ this Treatment, be certain that it is part of the partnership agreement.
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.