August 8, 2003 2:20 PM

Forcing 1NT Dilemma

PITBULLS:

        With opening bids getting lighter and lighter in the majors , the range between an opener and a strong jump shift has widened. The sequence 1♠-1NT-2♥ is now a serious problem . Do you pass 2♥ with your 4 card fit and a minimum ? If partner has a dog then your pass is correct. If partner has an intermediate 5-5 then you have missed a vul game. Missing vul games hurt so you start to stretch with your 3♥ raises ( obligatory raise ) and start to blow partials.

Subash Gupta has come up with a solution. With a 1 spade opener only , play a 3♥ jump by opener as invitational and 2♥ a real minimum. To do this , he introduces an artificial jump shift to 3♣ which solves a lot of other problems also. This jump shift shows 3 types of hands. (1) One is the spade suit hand too strong to rebid 3♠ . This hand has always been a problem  in Standard American . (2) Forcing to game spades and hearts (3) a normal forcing to game spade club hand.

    The 3♣ bid forces a relay to 3♦ and opener describes her hand type. 3♠ is a broken suit giving a contract choice of 3NT . 3♥ shows a spade - heart strong jump shift and 3NT shows the legitimate spade club strong jump shift. This treatment leaves a 3♥ jump as invitational and a 3♠ jump to show a good suit . Quite often partner has bid 1NT with a limit raise hand with 3 card support. If you have a weak spade hand , you spurn the relay and jump directly to game. if you have the limit raise hand , accept the 3♦ relay and then jump to 4 spades.

A	A	A	K
J	K	x	x
x	x
x
x
x

This hand is impossible to bid with standard methods. It is too strong to rebid 3♠ and bidding 4♠ is ludicrous. The 3♣ bid to the rescue and you have the option of playing 3NT.

A	A	x	x
K	Q	x
x	J
x	x
x	x

1S-1NT and you can bid an invitational 3♥ .

Although only defined for a spade opener, a 3♣ bid is useful after 1♥-1NT . This allows the strong heart hand to be shown and the 1♥-INT-3♥ strong suit inferences to be shown. This treatment now has all the major hands clarified.

A major jump rebid is invitational with a good suit . A hand too strong for a jump rebid is shown by a 3♣ bid and a relay to 3♦ by partner and the major suit clarification. A 4♥/♠ bid shows a long suit with no outside controls . A one opener and a jump to game shows a 4♥/♠ opener and outside controls.

If you have a 4 opener that comes to 9 tricks , open 2♣ and rebid 4 of a major ( all Namyats hands ) .