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April 27
New Minor Forcing
What are the problems?
- Does partner has a minimum or a maximum 1NT rebid and does she have 3-card support for our major.
- More complex problems
- Invite or force game in hearts when responder has five spades and four or more hearts.
- Decide between 3 NT or 5-of-minor.
- What is the best game with three possibilities?
- The game, slam, and grand slam decision.
These ideas apply to third-suit and fourth-suit forcing auctions.
The flavors of new-minor forcing:
- A natural flavor. Opener makes the most natural bid at the two level with a minimum and the most natural bid at the three level with a maximum. To help the defenders, proponents show four hearts before spade support.
- A Washington D.C. flavor. There are two or three bids available with a minimum, and exactly one bid with a maximum. The "maximum" bid depends on the previous bidding, and can be 2♠, 2NT, or 3♣. Hearts before spades.
- A Walsh flavor. Opener bids 2NT or jump raises with a maximum. After 1♣ -1♠ – 1NT-2♦, 2♥ is artificial and shows a minimum. Spades before hearts.
- Both-minors forcing. Both Minors Forcing. There is no "new" in this definition.
- 2♣ forces 2♦, perhaps to play 2♦. Most often to show an invitational hand in the major. No responder rebid after a 2♣ start is forcing.
- 2♦ is forcing to game.
A characteristic of natural, and to a lesser extent Walsh, is opener, who doesn't have much more to say, uses space to describe his hand, rather than leaving space for responder. In all flavors, a minimum continuation allows a stop at 2NT. If opener shows 3-card support at the two-level, responder can pass. Continuations above 2NT are forcing, and often suggest slam.
Robinson's explicit rules are complex. He gives examples. I think all of his examples can be solved with seat-of-the-pants bidding after the first four bids.
I am going to poll the group and present the new-minor style that people prefer. Votes for the natural style will be ignored. In this draft I assume the Walsh style wins.
- Minuses of new-minor forcing
- After a 1♣ opening and with 5-4 in the majors, you cannot invite in hearts.
- Can't stop at 3♣ or 3♦ when partner has a minimal hand.
- After a 1♣ opening, cannot stop at 2♥.
- Plus
- Avoid playing 2♣ or 2♦ if someone forgets.
New-Minor Forcing (Walsh Style)
The conditions are:
- (Zero to three passes.)
- The opening is 1♣, 1♦ or 1♥.
- (Possibly interference.)
- The response: 1♥, 1♠, or double.
- (Possible interference.)
- Opener's rebid: 1♠, 1NT, pass, double, or redouble.
- (Possible interference.)
- Responder rebids an unbid minor of 2♣ or 2♦.
Open | 1♣ | 1♦ | 1♥ | ||
Response | 1♠ | 1♥ | 1♠ | 1♥ | 1♠ |
Open Rebid | 1NT | 1NT, 1♠ | 1NT | 1NT, 1♠ | 1NT |
New Minor | 2♦ | 2♣ | 2♣, 2♦ | ||
Minimum | 2♠ = three spades 2♥ = other |
2♥ = three hearts 2♠ = other |
2♠ = three spades 2♥ = four hearts 2♦ = other |
2♥ = three hearts 2♦ = other |
2♠ = three spades 2♦, 2♥ = other |
Maximum | 3♠ = three spades Other = natural |
3♥ = three hearts Other = natural |
3♠ = three spades Other = natural |
3♥ = three hearts Other = natural |
3♠ = three spades Other = natural |
Examples
Common NMF hands are:
A. B. C.
♠ AQxxx ♥ Kxx ♦ xx ♣ ???
♠ AQxxx ♥ Kx ♦ xx ♣ ???x
♠ AQxxxx ♥ Kx ♦ xx ♣ ???
The question marks represent anything from x-x-x to A-K-Q. Responder's intent ranges from sign-off to slam interest.
I think a five-two fit scores better on average at 2-major than at 1NT or 2NT. If you think notrump is better, then bid 2NT over the forced 2♦ with five-card invites. At game I prefer notrump to the five-two major.
♠ Kxx ♥ KJxxx ♦ KJxx ♣ x 1♦ 1♥ 1NT (1♠) 2♣ 2♦ 2♥ (Pass)
Responder has to choose between diamonds and hearts. 3♦ would be forcing.
♠ AJxxx ♥ ???? ♦ xx ♣ xx 1♦ 1♠ 1NT ?
Depending on ?-?-?-? your next bid is:
- 2♥ to play hearts or spades.
- 2♣ as a prelude to inviting game or forcing game. After a 1♦ opening, you can invite game in both hearts and spades. After a 1♣ opening, you cannot.
♠ ???? ♥ xx ♦ x ♣ KQJxxx 1♦ 1♠ 1NT ?
Depending on ?-?-?-?:
- Bid 3♣ to play.
- Bid 2♣ and then 3♣ to force game. With NMF, you cannot invite in clubs.
No! No! No!
♠ AQxxx ♥ Kxx ♦ Qxx ♣ xx 1♥ 1♠ 1NT 2♣ 2♦ 2♥
No! 2♥ is forcing with slam interest. You cannot use new minor forcing this way.
♠ AQxxx ♥ KQxx ♦ xx ♣ Ax 1♥ 1♠ 1NT 2♣ 2♦ 2♥
Third-Suit and Fourth-Suit Forcing
Opener bids naturally. Treat third- and fourth-suit below 2NT as forcing to 2NT. Continuations above 2NT are game forcing and often show slam interest.
1♣ | Pass | 1♠ | Pass |
2♣ | Pass | ? |
2♦ is new-minor forcing. 2♥ is to play. But
1♦ | Pass | 1♠ | Pass |
2♣ | Pass | ? |
2♥ is fourth-suit forcing.
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