Your call

Playing matchpoints. Both you and the Opponents are vulnerable.

Here is your hand:
♠QJ
♥JT76
♦AKQ4
♣QJ4

Your RHO opened the bidding 1♠. What is your call?

Show Answer

How about Double? Get Partner to pick the suit to play in?

You can't overcall 1NT even though you have a perfect 1NT opening bid. That promises a stopper in the suit the opponents opened.

You also can't overcall 2♦. That promises at least a five card suit.

But you also hate to say "Pass" on the hand. You'll never play in a contract if you "Pass" with these hands.

If you "Double" Partner will compete and maybe you will scare the Opponents away from their ♠ contract. Maybe not, but at least you gave it a shot.

Game - Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing or Game Forcing in a Standard American 2 Over 1 Auction

Let's play a game. The name of the game is "Standard American 2 Over 1: Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing or Game Forcing?"

I will give you a bid and you have to tell me whether or not it is a Non-Forcing bid (Partner is allowed to say Pass to the bid), a One Round Forcing bid (Partner must bid at least one more time but the partnership is not forced to game) or a Game Forcing bid (both Partners MUST bid until game is reached.)

This post concentrates on Standard American bridge in a 2 Over 1 auction. This is NOT talking about the "2 Over 1" system. In that system, once anyone in the partnership makes a 2 over 1 bid the partnership is forced to game. So ALL (or some people just play most) 2 over 1 bids are game forcing. The 2 Over 1 in this case just means that Opener opened at the 1 level and Responder bid a new suit at the 2 level without jumping. Things are different when Responder bids a new suit at the 2 level because they promise at least 10 HCP. When Responder responds at the 1 level they only promise 6 or more HCP so things are different.

So here is a reminder of what bids Opener can now make that are NON-forcing:
Raising Responder's suit 1 level
Bidding 2NT

Bids that Opener can now make that are GAME forcing:
Opener makes a reverse
Opener bids a new suit at the 3 level
Opener jumps to bid a suit at the 3 level

All the rest of the bids Opener can bid are ONE ROUND forcing.

You might be wondering about that reverse statement. You are probably thinking you didn't think reverses were forcing to game. This is true in a NON 2 over 1 auction. When Opener makes a reverse bid in a 2 Over 1 auction the partnership IS forced to game. When Opener makes a reverse bid in a NON 2 Over 1 auction the partnership is NOT forced to game. The difference is that responder made a 2 over 1 bid to show they have 10 or more HCP. A reverse is now GAME FORCING.

To be extra nice I am giving the auctions in order. This should hopefully make it easier to answer. I will shake them up in another post to make it more difficult.

Hand 1

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2♦

Is Opener's rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 2

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 3

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 4

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 5

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 6

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 7

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 8

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♣
3♠

Is Opener's rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 9

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 10

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 11

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 12

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 13

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 14

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 15

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♦
3♠

Is Opener's rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 16

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 17

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 18

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 19

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 20

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 21

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♠	2♥
3♠

Is Opener's rebid of 3♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 22

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2♦

Is Opener's rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 23

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 24

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 25

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 26

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 27

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 28

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♣
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 29

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 30

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 31

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 32

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 33

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 34

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♥	2♦
3♥

Is Opener's rebid of 3♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 35

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2♦

Is Opener's rebid of 2♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 36

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2♥

Is Opener's rebid of 2♥ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 37

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2♠

Is Opener's rebid of 2♠ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 38

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
2NT

Is Opener's rebid of 2NT Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 39

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
3♣

Is Opener's rebid of 3♣ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?





Hand 40

This is the auction:

Opener	Responder
1♦	2♣
3♦

Is Opener's rebid of 3♦ Non-Forcing, One Round Forcing, or Game Forcing?

Bidding in a Standard American 2/1 Auction

Let's try more of those rebids by Responder.

This one I will walk you through since I have not taught you very many of the implications covered here. Bridge is complicated enough!

This is my hand:

Hand
♠KJ54
♥-
♦K76
♣AQJ987

Partner opened 1♦. My turn to bid. What do you think I will bid?

Here I will bid 2♣. This shows 10 or more HCP (which I have) and says I have at least 4♣ (which I have).

This does NOT deny having a 4 card major. If I bid a major later on (which I probably will) it just shows I had more ♣ since I bid them first. Which is true.

So now let's look at what happens when Partner bids. 2♣ is a FORCING bid so I KNOW Partner will bid again.

So say Partner bids 2♦. This is a FORCING bid for me. I MUST bid again. Once I bid a new suit at the 2 level I am committed to bidding again unless my Partner raises my suit 1 level OR bids 2NT. So that means if Partner had bid 3♣ I would be allowed to Pass or if Partner had bid 2NT I would be allowed to Pass. Any other bid from Partner and I must bid again at least once.

However I am happy to do that. Believe it or not Partner's bid does not deny having 4♠. If Partner in this auction was to bid 2♠ instead of 2♦ this is a GAME FORCING bid. We must go to game even if I have my minimum 10 HCP. So Partner with a minimum opening bid might not be able to tell me about their 4♠.

So after my Partner's 2♦ bid I will bid 2♠. This does several things.

1) It tells Partner we are going to game. A reverse bid by Responder is GAME FORCING. This allows me to stay lower in the bidding in order for us to find a fit.
2) It tells Partner I have 4♠. That is all I need in order to bid the suit.
3) It tells Partner my ♣ are longer than my ♠. If they were the same length I would have bid my ♠ first.
On this auction if Partner were to now bid 2NT I will bid 3♦.

Is 3♦ forcing on this auction?

Absolutely! I made a game forcing bid with 2♠. We are not in game. Partner MUST bid again. Who knows what will happen now but I have shown my hand.