Saturday, November 11, 2006 7:00 AM
Hand Evaluation - Forcing Pass ( recognition )
PITBULLS:
Forcing pass recognition is a huge
part of partnership
Bridge. You look for the clues
that deem that our side owns
the auction. Interpreting
the bidding properly determines whether your side has “turned on”
forcing passes. Looking at Bridge from this “ownership”
perspective there are three types of auctions. Those auctions that you own , those owned by the opponents & those auctions
nobody does. The latter auctions define competing in Bridge. Ownership is a hand evaluation concept that needs to be
understood.
A Tormentee
held ♠KQ ♥Q1098x ♦AQxx ♣Ax , partner opens 1♥ & they overcall
2♣. You do not waste any time & jump to 4NT. Partner shows two key
cards but RHO surprises you by backing in 6♣. You have enough controls to
bid 6♥ , but you can bid 6♥ in a different way. Since you own
the auction
, partner interprets your pass as having enough for 6 , but leaving the final decision
up to you. Partner doubles & they go for 800 & your slam fails. If the
diamond finesse was on side , you would have made +980
but they go for 1100 so a pass is win , win.
The Tormentee did not invite partner to the
partner & unilaterally bid 6♥ for –50 as she did
not recognize the forcing pass
situation. This is an equal
vulnerability scenario where the opponents
must be extra careful with their sacrificing.
A
rare form of “pass & pull” came up recently with my partner & myself recently. The opponents
were not vulnerable , we
were. LHO opened a weak 2♠ bid
, my partner overcalled 3♥ & I held ♠xx ♥Kx ♦KJxxxx ♣xxx & raised to game
. This was passed around to the pass out seat but they decided to take the nv sacrifice. This action by the opponents
alone turns on forcing passes but
the vulnerability has already done
that. You double to warn partner
that the 5 level
is somewhat risky from your perspective , however ,
partner ignores your warning & bids 5♥ anyway. What does that mean
? This is a rare form of the “pass & pull” part of
forcing pass theory. Since he passed originally , by
bidding at the 5 level he is telling the table that 5♥ is virtually a lock
with his hand. I could even bid 6♥ , if I had suitable
cards.
Change
my hand to ♠xx ♥Kxx ♦KJxxxx ♣Kx , I would have made the forcing pass. You have two spades people would say . At the 5 level yes , I would double with my 2 spades to warn partner we are
off two fast losers but not at the
4 level.
I would pass saying I have good cards
with nothing wasted in spades. I
would prefer offensive action from my perspective. With the help of forcing
pass theory & the same hand he held , partner would have bid 6♥ which makes with any
lead. Forcing pass theory lets the opponents help you with your auctions rather than
just being a nuisance by intruding into your auction. With modern bidding & bidders , forcing pass theory gets elevated in importance.
Forcing
pass theory determines D.S.I.P.
theory. For all auctions that forcing pass theory does not apply , D.S.I.P. theory does. Playing D.S.I.P. theory , you
must know forcing pass theory inside &
out including what auctions
trigger forcing pass theory. This
is a bidding skill
that does not have to just in the realm of Bridge experts. Forcing pass theory
is a tool to ward off pesky
opponents. Using the opponents as stepping stones when they are out to destroy your auctions is quite satisfying J.