Monday, July 18, 2005 5:49 AM

Forcing 1NT - Hearts

PITBULLS:

I think a forcing NT to a spade opener and hearts are not a good mix. 4♥ games are a desirable result so why hide the heart suit with a 1NT bid after a spade opener ?. This forcing NT with hearts wrong sides the NT and distorts auctions. Most players know the advantage of 1♥-P-2♠-P being a natural weak jump shift. There is also a tactical advantage of playing 1♠-P-3♥-P as a weak jump shift in hearts. The bid is descriptive and tactical. I also like 2♥ and a 3♥ rebid after a spade opener as non forcing to game also. This gets these hands out of the forcing 1NT structure. This is a good thing , believe me. 2NT rebids by opener , strong jump shifts , simple minor rebids all benefit from those hands not being around after a forcing NT .

Tom and I play jumps to a minor as any splinter so we do not need 1♠-P-3♥-P as a splinter. Playing the bid as a weak jump shift instead of a splinter reaps benefits. When partner opens a spade and you respond a forcing NT , the long heart suit weak or strong for all intents and purposes is out of there. Jumps in hearts can be defined as a splinter within the forcing NT structure if a minor is rebid by opener. A two heart bid after a minor rebid can be defined as something more useful than just wanting to play in hearts with a long weak heart suit..

Invitational hands with a 5 card heart suit will still exist in the forcing 1NT structure. After a spade opener and a club rebid , BART handles these hands very nicely. Taking weak heart hands out of the forcing 1NT framework will make BART extinct . What about a spade opener and a diamond rebid.? This leaves 2♥ to be BART as the weak heart hands have already been taken out of the equation. Like the other BART , 1♠-P-1NT-P 2♦-P-2♥ is an either/or bid. The bid shows an invitational hand in hearts or a strong diamond raise. With clubs rebid the same thing. 2♥ shows an invitational hand or a strong club hand. What remains for the 2♦ bid is up to the partnership.

The bid works differently than BART in that 2♥ is a relay to two spades. 2NT after the relay shows the invitational heart hand ( 5 card suit) and 3♦ shows the strong diamond hand. Finally a simple raise in diamonds can just be that – a simple raise in diamonds. Keep the balancers out or one last chance to do something constructive with the diamond fit or in the case of a club rebid , a club fit. As I am just inventing this , I have not worked out all the nuances yet.

Lets try an auction. X Axx Kxxxx Kxxx and partner opens 1♠. You bid 1NT and partner rebids 2♦ so you bid the 2♥ BART bid. As ordered , partner relays to 2♠ and you bid 3♦ . Partner holds J10xxx x AQxxx Ax

 and 6♦ for +1370 might be attainable or at least getting to your 21 HCP game . Do you move with this hand after a simple diamond raise ? +170 in diamonds does not warm the hearts of team mates anywhere.

Try the other sequence the invitational heart hand with a 5 card suit. x AQxxx xxx Axxx Q10xxx Kxx AKxx x . 1♠-P-1NT-P 2♦-P-2♥-P 2♠-P-2NT-P 4♥-P-P-P . Do you move in a standard auction after a 2♥ bid or even a demented jump to 3♥ with a 5 card suit ?