August 2008 - 44

PLAY BRIDGE

Why Play 2/1?

Lynn Berg

Second in a six-part series.

1NT forcing
Getting used to the idea that a 1NT
response to a one-of-a-major opening is forcing may take some time.
Remember, 1NT is forcing only by an
unpassed hand - and only when the
opening bid was in a major suit. The
forcing 1NT is used in a variety of
situations:
❖ With any hand that qualifies for
1NT in your standard (non-2/1)
bidding system.
❖ With a three-card limit raise of
partner's major-suit opener.
❖ With hands that have 10-plus HCP,
but aren't good enough to insist on
game. Remember, a 2/1 response
is forcing to game.
❖ With some game-going hands
when you want to put on the
brakes.
It may be hard to remember that
you have to bid again if your unpassed partner responds 1NT to your
major-suit opening, especially if you
have a balanced minimum, such as:
K J 9 4 2 Q 8 7 A 3 2 K 9.
In the past, you would have passed
with a hand like this, but now you
must bid again because 1NT is forc44

ing for one round. Remember that the
forcing 1NT is in blue on the convention card, so you must Announce it to
the opponents by saying, "Forcing."
So, how do you respond to the forcing bid?
❖ With the hand previously shown,
take a deep breath and bid 2.
Your partner should take into account that you might have had to
bid a three-card suit.
❖ If you have a six-card major, rebid
it.
❖ If you have opened 1 and also
have four hearts, now is the time
to tell partner. Bid 2.
❖ With a balanced 17-18, raise to
2NT.
There is one great advantage from
responder's point of view that 1NT
is forcing for one round. Say partner
has opened 1 and you have this
hand:
8 9 5 K Q 9 7 6 5 4 J 8 3.
If you are not playing 2/1 and 1NT
is not a one-round force, you bid 1NT
with a silent prayer that partner won't
pass. Too often, you end up playing
1NT. If partner makes another call
after 1NT, you have a shot at playing
diamonds. If partner held the first
hand shown, he would bid 2 and
you would pass happily. If partner
bids anything else, your diamond bid
is a giant red flag, asking partner to
pass now!
You can also use 1NT sometimes to
indicate a hand with intermediate values. Partner opens 1 and you have
10-12 points and three-card support.
Start by bidding 1NT, planning to
give partner a jump raise next time.
You have a plan for this hand, as well:
6 A K J 9 7 3 Q 8 2 7 5 3.

You respond 1NT to partner's 1
opening. After the expected minorsuit rebid, jump to 3.
I don't mean to suggest that there
won't be times when you wish you
had your old agreements back, but on
the whole, 1NT forcing is useful and
effective.
Users of 2/1 may be reluctant to use
this tool even when it is technically
correct. Consider this hand when
partner opens 1:
K 5 2 A Q 8 Q 7 5 Q 8 7 6.
You want to make sure that you get
to 4, but why bid 2? Instead, use
a forcing 1NT and then jump to the
heart game. Your message to partner
includes the warning that your hand
has flaws and you want to put on the
brakes. Partner shouldn't get excited
just because you have bid game. Now,
consider:
K 2 Q 8 5 9 7 6 A K J 6 3.
This hand is also 13 points with
three-card support for partner's
hearts, but it has slightly better shape
and a superior club suit. Most of the
time, partner will pass your gamelevel bid. Occasionally, though,
knowing that you not only have three
hearts and an opening hand but also
excellent clubs, partner may want to
move toward slam.
What if your partner opens a major
in third or fourth seat? Now 1NT is
not forcing. Partner will know that
you have no more than two-card support. With three-card support, you
will make a single raise or use reverse
Drury, the modern version of a very
useful convention.
If you plan to modernize your bidding system to include 2/1, start by
getting used to the idea that 1NT in
response to a major by an unpassed
hand is forcing for one round.
r
Bridge Bulletin
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2008
