Theory and Conventions

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Creating forcing situations

This is something of a revision page, pulling together various themes from elsewhere.

One of the earliest lessons after moving on from the ranks of the beginners is not to jump to game too quickly.  This is particularly the case if either the optimum strain is not obvious, or if there is still the possibility of bigger and better things.

Equally you will have become aware of those occasions when it is of paramount importance that you bid rapidly to dizzy heights before the opponents find their contract.  This will be most likely when a suit-fit has come to light, linked with poor defence against some other denomination.

Sometimes it is not clear in which of these categories a given hand belongs - such is the magic of the game.

On many more hands, you will have to take it slowly as you do not yet know how far you wish to go, but you aren’t ready just yet to shut up shop and go quietly.

It is to cover some of these situations that certain bids or certain sequences are described as forcing, so that you may remain confident that partner will not leave you stranded.  It is vital that you understand which bids constitute your ‘forcing’ armoury, and also that you and your partner are agreed on just how forcing these bids are (in particular - one-round force or game-force).

If you or your partner opened with 1NT, 2NT or an artificial 2NT sequence

then these forcing situations are created initially by responder’s use of either Stayman or a transfer bid.  The continuations are to be found in the appropriate sections.

If you opened with a strong two-level bid

then that is in itself forcing for at least one round.  There will be various options for maintaining a forcing situation in the subsequent auction.

You or your partner opened one of a suit

Fit auctions

The most important situations here are when you locate an immediate major-suit fit (at least 4-4 or 5-3).

On these hands we have agreed that various direct raises are either weak or invitational but are always non-forcing.

If you need to make enquiries then there are a number of ‘support’ options which can be found in the sections on responder’s first bid and on opener’s rebid.  Each of these will be associated with a number of trial bids, cue-bids, or something similar - all of which maintain a forcing situation.

It is possible to play the 2NT bid by advancer (facing partner’s overcall) as a support bid in a similar manner, except that it is only forcing ‘to the three-level or higher’ .

This method is not unknown but it is far from universal, and should be agreed specifically with partner if you wish to go down this route.

Far more common is to use the unassuming cue-bid to show good support for partner and to return 2NT to its more natural interpretation.  The options are to be found in the section on advancer’s first bid.

Non-fit auctions

I am only referring at this point to those auctions in which the final denomination is either not clear to responder, or is in any case not that already agreed by partner.  It is possible that a good suit fit is still there, waiting to come to light.

Responder’s first bid constitutes the first opportunity to make a wait-and-see forcing move, and that waiting move, facing partner’s opening one of a suit in first or second seat, will usually be a change of suit at the lowest level.  Frequently he will do no more than pass or show simple preference with his next bid, but on other occasions there might be a big hand just waiting to learn more.  Notice that it is never necessary to make a jump bid in a new suit or in no trumps as a first response just to keep the bidding alive.  Such bids will be reserved for more specific hand-types, usually with a fit and showing either a shortage or a strong side-suit.

Forcing on opener’s rebid

Jump in a new suit

This bid is usually used by opener on his rebid.  It is unconditionally forcing to game.  Typically it shows a hand of about nineteen points.

This bid can also be used at any point later in the auction, provided that it does not qualify as a splinter bid because the simple bid of the suit would have been forcing.  Note however that if you have adopted fit-jumps as I recommend, then it cannot be used in response to the opening bid nor in response to partner’s immediate overcall.

New suit (third suit)

With up to about eighteen points opener will not be quite strong enough to force to game when responder changes suit at the one-level with possibly no more than six points.

If the hand is balanced or single-suited then it will be easy for him to give some indication of the strength with his rebid.

It is with two-suited and semi-two-suited hands that there is a potential difficulty.

The problem is solved by moving the onus to responder.

Opener’s non-reverse rebid in a third suit covers hands of anything from about eleven to eighteen points.

If his first response was at the one-level then responder should treat opener’s rebid in a new suit as ‘all but forcing’.

That is to say, he can pass with six points (or a miserable seven) but with anything more than this he must find a further bid facing a possible eighteen points.

Frequently this will involve a ‘false preference’ as a means of keeping the bidding alive.

Even if the partnership finishes in two of opener’s first suit on eleven points facing eight and a 5-2 fit it might not be the end of the world.

If the first response was at the two-level then opener’s rebid in a new suit should be played as forcing for one round.

Reverse bid

If opener’s rebid constituted a reverse then how forcing it is will depend upon the partnership agreement.

Playing a traditional strong reverse (minimum sixteen points or so), such a bid following a first response at the one-level will be a one-round force and following a response at the two-level it will create a game-forcing situation.

Playing the alternative non-strong style of reverse, a reverse bid following a one-level first response will be ‘all but forcing’ as above, and following a first response at the two level it will be forcing for one round.

Very occasionally, such bids will have to be made on a non-genuine suit.

When opener holds seventeen or eighteen points in a hand unsuitable for a jump in his first suit, a rebid in no trumps, or a strong reverse then he might not be strong enough for game facing a one-level response.

First of all he should make an ‘all but forcing’ bid in a new suit, and provided that partner finds a rebid he should then make a further bid.

If partner fails to make a rebid then he has six or a miserable seven points at best, and game is unlikely to be missed.

If partner can dredge up anything at all then your further bid will show your seventeen or eighteen points, and will usually define your hand-shape precisely.

If this further bid is in no trumps or in a previously bid suit it will not be forcing but it will be highly encouraging and responder will usually accept the invitation with eight or more points.

The Opponents join in

Once the opponents have joined in then space has been lost, but alternative bids have been created.

A simple change of suit by responder is still available as a forcing bid.

2NT is still available as a good raise if partner’s suit was a major, or if the opponents doubled.  However, this bid is now usually played as ‘forcing to three of partner’s suit or higher’ in the contested auction rather than game-forcing.  Without this agreement you will find yourself short of bidding space and alternative bids.

A jump in the opponents’ suit is available as a splinter bid.

Double will frequently be available as a constructive though not quite forcing option.

As a simple method, a lowest-level bid in the opponent’s suit can be used as an all-purpose force.

However, it should be noted that when used as a first response, or by advancer at his first opportunity, it is more useful to keep this as some kind of support bid for partner.

Note that it is no longer mandatory to make a first response with only six points.  Partner will have the opportunity to bid again.  In this situation, if you don’t have anything to say then don’t say it.

The auction continues

In general, by the time we reach this point we will frequently be searching for a slam and the continuations will be specific to that situation.

New suit following suit agreement

Once a suit has been agreed then any bid in a new suit will be at least a one-round force.

It might be played as natural, or as any type of trial-bid according to the partnership agreement and the auction to date.

Fourth suit forcing

If a fit has not been established then three suits will have been bid and the fourth suit will be available as a forcing option.

The most common option will be to play it as a request to partner to bid in no trumps if holding a stop (or perhaps a partial stop) in the fourth suit.

But it is potentially a far more powerful weapon than this.

In particular, a bid in the fourth suit followed by a further bid either in responder’s suit or in one of opener’s suits will be forcing and stronger than any form of direct raise in that suit.

Frequently this will be the means of setting a suit as a precursor to a slam-try.

This page last updated 10th Dec 2019