SIMPLIFIED NEW MINOR FORCING

Contributed by: Mr. Martin Gellman

The addition of Mr. Martin Gellman to the New Minor Forcing convention is presented due to the understanding of certain partnership agreements. The idea behind this simplified form is readily understood and should be made available to the bridge players, who use different interpretations of the auction to mean different things. A convention is only good as its understanding by two bridge players and the application thereof.

Very often two bridge partners start a bidding sequence, with no interfering overcalls or preempts by the opponents, of one of the Minor suits. The partner bids 1 Spade, the opener rebids 1 No Trump, and the partner rebids the other unbid Minor suit.

For example:

Opener

Responder

1

1

1 NT

2

According to the partnership agreement, there are several options open to the opener, but the options supplied by the Simplified New Minor Forcing by Mr. Martin Gellman are as follows:

With a 4-card Heart suit and minimum values, the opener rebids 2 Hearts.
With a 4-card Heart suit and maximum values, the opener rebids 3 Hearts.

The next bid by the responder then sets the contract and the auction is over.

If the responder rebids, in the above example, 3 Diamonds or 4 Diamonds, depending on the rebid of the opener, then the auction is not over. The responder has, according to the understanding of the Simplified New Minor Forcing convention, begun a cuebidding sequence and opener may not pass.

With a 3-card Spade suit and minimum values, the opener rebids 2 Spades.
With a 3-card Spade suit and maximum values, the opener rebids 3 Spades.

If the opener does not have either a 4-card Heart suit nor a 3-card Spade suit, the opener has the following options:

1. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 Diamonds showing a minimum.
2. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 Diamonds showing a maximum.
3. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 No Trump showing a minimum.
4. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 No Trump showing a maximum.
5. If the opening was 1 Club and the opener does not meet the above requirements of a 4-card Spade suit or 3-card Heart suit, the opener will rebid 2 No Trump with a minimum or 3 No Trump with a maximum.

If the opener has both a 4-card Heart suit and a 3-card Spade suit, then the opener rebids simply 3 of the New Minor suit. In the example above, the auction would be as follows:

Opener

Responder

1

1

1 NT

2

3

The responder then bids 3 Hearts with a 3-card Heart support or rebid 3 Spades, depending on his values. The opener, not having shown his values yet, will end the auction with a minimum, or raise to game with a maximum.

If the auction has proceeded as in the following examples:

Opener

Responder

1

1

1 NT

2

Opener

Responder

1

1

1 NT

2

then the opener again has several options at his disposal to describe his holdings.

With a 3-card Heart suit and minimum values, the opener rebids 2 Hearts.
With a 3-card Heart suit and maximum values, the opener rebids 3 Hearts.

If the opener has less than a 3-card Heart support, then his options are the same as above in the other auction, which is here repeated:

1. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 Diamonds showing a minimum.
2. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 Diamonds showing a maximum.
3. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 No Trump showing a minimum.
4. If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 No Trump showing a maximum.
5. If the opening was 1 Club and the opener does not meet the above requirements of a 4-card Spade suit or 3-card Heart suit, the opener will rebid 2 No Trump with a minimum or 3 No Trump with a maximum.

These are the options open to the opener and responder with the Simplified New Minor Forcing convention, but it is highly recommended that the responder has values of at least 11 high card points or more before initiating the Simplified New Minor Forcing convention. Otherwise, the contract could get too high.

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.
Claus and Raymond Conventions Bridge Sites
Home Page I Glossary Home Page II