2/1 Non forcing

(Courtesy of Bob Crosby)

The line that “Bridge is a game of suits” is attributable to the bidding genius Benito Garozzo. From my own experience, saying that he is correct is an understatement. A good suit is a fertile source of tricks in Bridge. One of my most significant systemic changes over the years is playing a 2/1 not forcing to game when the suit was rebid. This understanding was after a major opener so the forcing NT was cleansed to being more of a NT bid. This cured the disgusting habit of hiding good 6 card suits with a forcing NT bid so never recovering after that. Believe it or not, this is a hand from a Spingold with the partnership being Rodwell and Meckstroth.

void AQxxx AJxxx Kxx

Jxx K10 xx AQ109xx.

Rodwell opened 1, Meckstroth hid his nice 6 card suit with a forcing NT. Rodwell rebid 2 so Meckstroth giving partner maximum leeway due to their “style” bid 2. Rodwell giving maximum leeway to Meckstroth due to his style, passed 2 and that’s where they played it.

7 is a lucky make as the breaks were very favourable. What a difference when partner responds 2 non forcing to game instead of the hideous forcing 1NT. 7 is probably not reachable but you get to 6 without breathing hard. This was during the 90’s where the Bridge World was in a constant battle with the “modern bidders”. These “modernists” had to bend over backwards all the time to give maximum leeway to their partners due to their horrendous opening bids and overcalls. The so called “modern style”

Here is a direct quote from Jeff Rubens of the Bridge World in discussing the leeway Meckstroth and Rodwell gave each other on this hand. “If you are one of those who enjoy sneering at modern garbage bidding, this last deal of the quarter is going to be worth the price of a year’s subscription, at least.”

I personally hate “modern garbage bidding” with its undisciplined element and giving partner leeway all the time as it destroys the partnership element of the game of Bridge. This “leeway” relegates Bridge to single handed poker status. I feel “modern bidders” are getting Bridge and poker confused. One of the games is played single handed but not the other one.

Giving leeway to garbage bidders undermines constructive bidding. This is why you must make a choice when you buy into modern garbage bidding. Leeway is a synonym for distrust in the game of Bridge. Trust is tantamount to good partnership bidding. Giving up trust and discipline is just big a sacrifice to play a destructive style of Bridge unless you are a pro in weak fields.

Anyway, taking good 6 card suits away from the clutches of the forcing NT was one of the best systemic changes I have ever made. Getting to good games, slams and partials notwithstanding, this left the jump bid for something much better after a forcing NT. The fit showing jump after a forcing 1NT emerged to show a fit for partners 2nd or even 1st suit. This understanding fixed a number of problem hands that existed within the forcing 1NT structure. By playing the 2/1 non forcing to game you have combined the best of the Goren standard 2/1 with good suits along with 2/1 as a game force for most auctions.

Novices or players who think like novices, do not buy into this obvious bidding advantage. They were taught that totaling HCP’s is the only way to bid. A 2/1 must total 13 HCP’s or more so they are too dogmatic to change to take advantage of the obvious advantage of showing a source of tricks by promoting good suits to be a 2/1. It comes back to the same old thing in bidding theory. The game of Bridge and bidding is about trick potential and taking tricks not totaling HCP’s. Novices cannot seem to get their mind around this simple concept. They remain perpetual beginners in the game of Bridge choosing totaling HCP’s over other hand evaluation concepts.

2/1 forcing to game except when suit rebid came about for a good reason. Experts do not buy into new ideas on a whim, there must be payback to alter something as fundamental as 2/1 forcing to game. This style does not mean you revert to Standard American so a 2/1 shows 10 HCP if not forcing to game. No, no and no. You still bid 1NT with 10 HCP’s. A 2/1 shows a suit, a rebid shows just a suit so not a scattered bunch of HCP’s. Bridge is a game of suits, so identify the suit by a 2/1 and rebid it to show a lack of HCP’s. Identifying suits is a fundamental hand evaluation skill. This concept only comes about after a major suit opener as we have the dreaded forcing 1NT bid to contend with.

Take this hand, for example, which allows rescuing partner rather than the forced idea that you do not try to "improve partials". This concept of not improving partials in forcing NT auctions comes from the inadequacy of having 2/1 forcing to game.

You hold x xx xxxx KQJ109x

Partner opens 1 so you bid a forcing 1NT. Partner bids 2 so the IMP concept of not “improving partials” comes into play. If you bid 3, it shows invitational values or you just pass 2. Two hearts goes down 3 vulnerable and 3 makes for 110. 10 IMPS thrown away. If you play 2 with a rebid of 3 non forcing to game, hands like this can be weak "rescue bids". Bidding a new suit after a forcing NT can never have invitational values or else you would have bid 2/1 in the first place and rebid your suit non forcing.

You hold x xxx xx AKxxxxx

Partner opens 1 so with your nice flat hand, you bid 1NT. Partner passes and has a singleton club. You get lucky so only go for –200. Meanwhile 3 makes for +110 and another 8 IMP loss. A direct 3 non forcing to game jump gets you out of this predicament.

In forcing NT theory, good single suited hands with invitational values are described by bidding 1NT first followed by leaping in your suit. Playing 2/1 with rebid suits not forcing to game, all these bids can be fit showing jumps instead. As I have said previously, hearts over spades is very useful to play as a 2/1 non forcing if rebid. Initial identifying of a suit and finding a fit quickly cannot be overestimated in order to reach close games or slams.

Partner holds x AKQxxx xxxx xx

You hold AJ109xx xxxx x AK, and open 1. Partner bids 1NT, you rebid 2. Partner bids 3 so you bid 4. +680. Our auction is 1 - 2 (non forcing if suit rebid) with a 4 splinter bid. Getting to +1430 is easy with a 2/1.

You hold xx x Axxxxx AJ10x

Partner opens 1, you bid 1NT. Partner rebids 2 with AKxxx xxx KQxx x. It is great to have 4 as a fit showing jump instead of a suit. You now get to +1370 in diamonds, which is not biddable with other methods.

Forcing 1NT with the band aid bids which were invented to compensate for the rigidity of 2/1 being forcing to game do not make any sense. World class experts have already converted to 2/1 non forcing if suit rebid so it is recommended that you do also.

This style is also applicable with 2/1 in competition. All 2/1 bids in competition are forcing to game except if suit rebid. You show suits in competition, not 10 HCP’s. HCP’s can be shown with negative doubles and other means. A 2/1 is either a decent suit or forcing to game. A very nice understanding to have, for established partnerships.

I noticed that in Bridge World Standard 2001, the experts polled recommended that 2/1 should not be forcing to game if the suit is rebid. In the era of making 4th suit noises to force to game it is easy to make sure the game force is flashed if you have a strong 2/1 suit. There is no reason to be so rigid with 2/1 when you have a good re-biddable suit. This concept only applies after a major opener because we must contend with the dreaded forcing NT response. The purpose of this 2/1 treatment is to rescue nice 6 card suits from the clutches of the forcing NT.

The Standard American fix hands i.e. 10-12 HCP with a minor and partner opens a major are almost impossible to describe playing forcing NT. With a heart opener, we have the idle spade bid to get the message across that we have a minor hand in that HCP range. After a spade opener it is impossible to show these hands and confusing auctions result. When I played with Subash, I asked him how he handled these problems hands. He replied he has given up and plays 2/1 non forcing to game if the minor suit is rebid. You note that standard convention cards have a tick mark for partnerships who play it that way.

When 2/1 was just in its growing pain stage multi decades ago, Vish and I decided that 2, 2 and 2 over a spade opener and 2/ over a heart opener was not forcing to game if the suit was rebid. This worked well so we could go to the two level with just a good heart suit and rebid it. This meant that the forcing 1NT did not have to go into contortions to jump in hearts. Vish and I assigned splinters to the bids instead. Same with strong minor hands. Since we would have bid 2/1 anyway and rebid our suit, jumps in the minor were splinters instead of suits and clarified a lot of auctions.

Bridge is a game of suits. Hiding a good 6 card suit within the forcing NT structure is just plain bad Bridge. By pulling these hands outside of the forcing NT, it frees jumps to mean splinters or fit showing jumps depending on the partnership preference. The forcing NT is a bad bid, so allowing good 6 card suits to escape its clutches is a good idea. Less 3NT contracts get wrong sided that way and tight games in the other major are reached.

You hold xx x AKxx Q109xxx

Partner opens 1 and you bid 1NT. Partner rebids 2 so now what? A 3 splinter would be a nice bid to make. Playing 2/1 in hearts as non forcing to game, the bid can not show hearts.

You hold xxx QJxx x AKxxx

Partner opens 1 and you bid 1NT. Partner rebids 2 and would you not like to splinter to 3? Playing 3 as strong and natural is impossible or else you would have gone the non forcing 2/1 route.

Scott and I had a disaster against the Cabays last night.

My hand xx xx AKQxxx xxx

Scott opened 1 and I bid a forcing NT. Stan bid 2 and Scott bid 2. Lisa bid 3 which I doubled. Lisa then bailed to 4 and Scott and I had a forcing pass misunderstanding and they played it there.

Meanwhile we are cold for 7 as Scott held Axxxx AKQx Jxxx void.

Now play 2/1 non forcing to game if suit rebid. 1 - 2 and then a 5 Exclusion bid or some sort of club splinter 6 or 7 diamonds is reached. No forcing 1NT contortions.

You hold xx xx AKQxxx Axx

Partner opens 1. O.K. now you do want to force to game. 1 - 2 - 2 - 3

What’s so difficult to come up with a 3 bid to force to game? Partner will give preference to diamonds if she has 3 so its almost like rebidding 3 anyway. You are not giving up much and you solve an unsolvable forcing 1NT bidding fix.

2/1 is forcing to game unless responder rebids her suit. This 2/1 agreement is standard among expert players as the forcing NT is overburdened with too many hand types. In my opinion, there is one other situation where a 2/1 is not forcing to game. This sequence occurs where opener rebids her suit 3 times in succession. In this specific auction, responder may pass even though the 2/1 was originally forcing to game. 3 strikes and you are out so to speak.

AQ98xx xx Ax Qxx opposite x Jxx KQxxx AKxx

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3	Pass
3	Pass	?

3NT with no heart stopper or 4 on a singleton are your options. How about pass with the 3 strikes you are out rule.

Qx xxx AKQJ10x xx

Kxxx Jx xx AKQxx

1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	2	Pass
3	Pass	?

These hands come up quite often. A 2/1 where we have no fit with openers suit and the bidding has identified a glaring fault for 3NT. Your options are to bid 3NT without a stopper or play in an identified misfit. I think 2/1 should be allowed one escape hatch with opener bidding her suit 3 times.

Some players have the understanding that 4 of a minor is a “pseudo game” so 2/1 auctions can end there also. I do not buy into this though. 4 of a minor quite often is KCB let alone not forcing to game. With a minor agreed fit, 4 of either partner's or responder's major is a choice of contracts though, if you are afraid that 5 of a minor is just too high. All other 2/1 auctions are a game force, as per the “book”.

Do not be overly strict with your decision to make a 2/1 bid. Yes, they are forcing to game but use hand evaluation and not rote rules via HCP’s in making your decision. Good two suited hands are difficult to describe after making a forcing NT. Stretch and bid a 2/1 with these hands. This is the best lie when game or slam is the goal as it is with IMPS. Qx KQJxx QJ10xx x and partner opens 1 so do you bid a forcing NT? No, bid 2 as getting your two suits in will be very difficult after bidding 1NT. You also must show invitational values after your forcing NT bid which is all but impossible.

Remember that the spade suit buries the heart suit. When you have an invitational hand in hearts, bid a 2/1 rather than a forcing NT. x Q10987x Axx Axx and partner bids 1. Do not bid a forcing NT with this hand. Bid 2 which will simplify the auction. Yes, you may blow a partial, but in IMPS this 2/1 increases your chances of getting to a slam or good game. My partners and I play a 3 rebid as an out but even if you do not, choose the aggressive route in IMPS anyway.

A 2/1 as unconditionally forcing to game puts the partnership in a straight jacket and goes against the “Bridge is a game of suits” philosophy. A forcing 1NT to describe nice 6 or 7 card suits is sick bidding, so you can never catch up after you have probably wrong sided the NT. Even if you do not play a simple rebid of the suit as an out, quite often the best lie is to make a 2/1 in the first instance. xx xxx AKJ109xx x is a 2 bid after a 1 opener so not a forcing 1NT. Just keep bidding diamonds until partner gets the message.

Re-evaluate and promote your hand to a 2/1 when you have a fit for partner. Q10x Axx KQxxx xx, partner opens 1. At one table they bid a forcing NT and then jumped in spades. They reached 4 for +710. Zia bid 2 so partner splintered in hearts. They reached 7 which made for a huge pick up. The spade fit promotes this hand to a 2/1.

When you have an exceptional suit even with a 4 card fit for partner, choose a 2/1 rather than some conventional bid that shows a strong major raise. When partner bids a 2nd suit, then make a jump preference to show the 4th trump. A suit is the 1st on the pecking order to describe to partner as a suit is the greatest source of tricks.

A 2/1 in competition does not need 10 HCPs. A nice suit will do nicely. AQJ10xx is a 2/1 in competition even though you do not have HCP’s. As my partner says, this hand evaluates to 10 HCP’s. As long as you rebid your suit, you have not deceived partner. You have in effect made a negative free bid.

When partner opens, you have a 6-4 with a 4 card major with invitational values make the best lie of a 2/1. Axxx xx x KQJxxx. Partner opens a red suit. This is a 2 bid and not a 1 response. You are only making a tiny lie and in my opinion responding a spade with these hands is a big lie. You can never recover by bidding like this. You can not invite and show your 6 card suit in any standard bidding system. IMPS vs Matchpoints again.

Good advice is do not be a slave to the HCP system nor to a 2/1. Rules are made to be broken. You just need to know when to do it. Playing IMPS is a good excuse to take the aggressive route.