Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:34 AM

Improving Forcing 1NT

PITBULLS:

I am from the school where a forcing 1NT after a major should have a ceiling of a bad 13 HCP’s . This implies that a leap to 3NT after opener makes a minimum rebid should be an impossible bid. Even with your bad 13 HCP & no fit, just bid 2NT. Partner knows the importance of bidding games , so she will put you in 3NT if that is the spot. If you have a huge fit with partners minor , we have other ways to show that , rather than leaping to 3NT. Fit showing jumps after a forcing 1NT response do that nicely.

Since a jump to 3NT is impossible by the forcing 1NT bidder , lets give it a systemic meaning. Quite often with a 8 or even a 9 card major fit , if you have soft values a 10 trick major game is just too high & 3NT makes. Why not make a leap to 3NT after responding 1NT, as implying a major fit & offering a choice of contracts ?

You can even get to tight slams this way. Jacoby 2NT promises 4 trump so with 3 trump and soft vales you bid a forcing 1NT. Partner rebids her major so you leap to 3NT offering a choice of contracts. You have ♠Q10x ♥AQxx ♦Qxxx ♣Kx and partner opens 1♠. I hate a 2/1 of 2♦ to show this hand so you respond 1NT. Partner rebids 2♠ so you bid 3NT. This has the effect of leaving room for a Q bid if partner is interested in a spade slam. Partner with ♠AKxxxx ♥Kxx ♦x ♣Axx Q bids 4♣ and you comply with 4♥. KCB gets you to +1430. Alternatively you can have the understanding that a 4 level Q bid after 3NT always shows a stiff. This will ferret out duplication of value.

Having this understanding means that 1♠-p-1NT-P 2♦/♥/♣-P-4♠ will have a different meaning. This means no soft vales and probably no secondary fit. A 1♠-P-1NT-P 2♠-P-4♠-P should imply controls rather than soft values and partner may bid KCB based on that hand evaluation. Another impossible bid is jumping to the 4 level in partners minor as you bypass 3NT.

1♠-P-1NT-P

2♣-P-4♣-P Why not play that bid as a fit showing jump ?

Partner opens 1♥ and you bid 1NT planning on jumping to show your limit raise values. ♠xxx ♥Axx ♦Qxx ♣KQ109 . However partner surprises you by bidding 2♣. Why not make a fit showing jump to 4♣ ? This says I have clubs and hearts in the limit raise range. Partner has

♠Ax ♥KQJ10x ♦Kx ♣Axxx and you get to your ice cold +1370 as you get pitches on the heart suit.

The forcing NT hides a lot of information especially with the 10-13 HCP range hands. Lets try to get some back with fit showing jumps & choice of contract bids. Maybe we can make the forcing NT a respectable bid !!