Introduction to New Minor Forcing

Fred E. Ferguson

Hilton Head Island, SC

After an opening bid of one in a suit and a response of one in a suit, a rebid of 1Nt shows a balanced hand with 12 to 14 hcp (1Nt Rebid).¹ New Minor Forcing (NMF) is a conventional bid used specifically after an opening bid of one of a minor (1m); a response of one of a major (1M) and a 1Nt Rebid as in the following four bidding sequences: 1♣-1♥–1Nt; 1♣‑1♠–1Nt; 1♦-1♥–1Nt; and 1♦-1♠–1Nt.² NMF should also be used over a 2Nt Rebid sequence of 1m‑1M–2Nt.

The notrump rebids are special in that by the time opener defines a notrump hand both opener and responder have already made natural suit bids. The system bids³ used after opening notrump bids to find suit fits and define minimal, invitational and forcing hands are no longer available.

In standard bridge, after a 1Nt Rebid, there are no natural invitational bids available in suit contracts. With a weak hand (6-10 hcp) responder can make a 2-level bid⁴ in search of a better part-score and with game forcing values (13+ hcp) responder can make a 3-level bid as game forcing. With 11-12 hcp responder must use judgment to downgrade her hand to a 2‑level bid (under-bid) or upgrade her hand to 3‑level bid (over-bid).

The bidding has been 1♣-1♥–1Nt: what would you rebid with each of these hands?

Example 1: Standard Bridge Bidding

♠ 32

♥ KQ1032

♦ Q32

♣ 432

♠ A2

♥ KQ1032

♦ Q32

♣ 432

♠ A2

♥ KQ1032

♦ Q32

♣ K32

With hand No. 1 (7 hcp) you bid 2♥, not only not forcing, but telling partner to pass. (You get to do that when you are captain.)

With hand No. 3 (14 hcp) you bid 3♥, absolutely game forcing (GF). Partner has either 2 or 3 hearts (needs 2 to bid 1NT and can’t have four or would have bid 2♥ instead of 1Nt). With three, opener will bid 4♥, and with 2, opener will bid 3Nt. Either should be a great contract.

With hand No. 2 (11 hcp) the trouble is that you are not allowed to bid 2½♥, as invitational to game. You have three choices. One, you can bid 2Nt, invitational to 3Nt. If your partners are as uncooperative as mine, she'll hold hand A below. You'll get a diamond lead and lose five diamonds and the ♣AK when 2♥ is a virtual lock. Two, had you upgraded this hand and bid 3♥, partner would have gone on to four. Down 1 if you are lucky.

Three, you could have taken a pessimistic view and bid 2♥. But partner might hold hand B. With hands A & 2, you can make 2♥, maybe three. With hands B & 2, 4♥ is cold. You need to be able to bid 2½♥, as invitational, so partner can tell you if he holds hand A or hand B.

♠ KQ4

♥ AJ4

♦ 54

♣ Q7654

♠KQ4

♥AJ4

♦ 54

♣ A7654

New Minor Forcing is used by responder after a 1Nt Rebid (following a minor and a major suit bid) to make certain invitational and forcing bids. The bid of the other minor (om) is artificial, Alertable!, and forcing for 1 round, showing that responder has an invitational hand (11 hcp) or better with 5 of her previously bid major and asks opener if he has 3-card support for the bid major.⁵

Most conventions are subject to different usage and interpretations; NMF is no exception. While the principles of NMF can be extended to other bidding sequences and can be used to show other types of hands, this Introduction to NMF is limited to the fundamental principles of NMF. In application, it is imperative to discuss and have a partnership agreement on the application of NMF.

A response to NMF will allow opener with one bid to show support, size and distribution. Most responses to NMF come in pairs; opener makes a minimal bid with a minimal hand of 12 to a bad 13 hcp and jumps with a maximal hand of a good 13 to 14 hcp.

After a 1Nt Rebid sequence of 1m‑1M–1NT, a NMF bid of 2om shows a game invitational hand or better and asks opener if he has 3-card support for the bid major.

Table 1: Opener’s Responses to NMF

Opener Holds:	3^rd Bid:	Comments:
3-card support ♠/♥ & 12-bad 13 hcp (min)	2♠/♥	With 3-card support of responder’s major and minimal values, opener raises responders suit to 2♠/♥ and
3-card support ♠/♥ & good 13-14 hcp (max)	3♠/♥	with maximal values jumps in responder’s suit to 3♠/♥.
2-card support ♠/♥ & 12-bad 13 hcp (min)	2NT	With 2-card support of responder’s major and stoppers in unbid suits (unbid major and new minor suit) opener bids 2NT with a minimal hand and
2-card support & good 13-14 hcp (max)	3NT	3NT with a maximal hand.

Otherwise, opener bids to describe his hand … not covered in this paper.

New Minor Forcing is alertable! Responses are natural. NMF is not used in competition.

As we have seen, NMF is used to show that after the bidding sequence 1m‑1M–1NT‑2om responder has an invitational hand (11 hcp) and asks opener to further describe his hand. However, with a really good hand (13+ hcp) responder should also use NMF as a temporizing bid for game or slam try without having to jump and preempt the partnership. All game forcing hands and slam invitational hands should use NMF as a forcing bid!

Responder uses NMF with one of two kinds of hands. In both circumstances responder is asking opener to further define his hand. Responder has either:

· invitational values (11-12 hcp) – and is inviting to game or

· game forcing values (13+) – and is temporizing.

But what happens if responder does not use NMF? The fact that something does not happen at the bridge table can often give as much information as when something does.

By not using NMF, responder does not have game forcing values, however, responder may still have an invitational hand, but will need to invite opener by jumping to the 3-level.

After bidding a 1Nt Rebid sequence of 1m-1M–1NT, the following are invitational.

Table 2: Responder’s Other Invitational Bids

Responder Holds:	2^nd Bid:	Comments:
11 hcp & 5♦/♣ (unbid minor) or 5♥ (unbid major)	Jumps in 3♦/♣ or 3♥	With and invitational hand and five cards of unbid minor 5♦/♣ or unbid major 5♥ responder jumps in the unbid minor/major
11 hcp & 6♠/♥ (bid major)	Jumps in bid major. 3♠/♥	With an invitational hand and good 6 card suit and asks opener if he has maximum hand. With maximum hand opener can raise with 2 supporting trump or bid 3NT.

A jump in the new minor suit 1♣ ‑ 1♠/♥; 1NT - 3♦ might show a game forcing 2 suited hand (♠KJ975 ♥6 ♦AKQ73 ♣83), but partner does not need to jump to make a forcing bid. A NMF bid and rebid of unbid minor should show the same hand.

After a NMF bidding sequence and opener’s 3^rd bid to describe his hand, responder should know the size (min or max) of opener’s hand and should have a good understanding of opener’s distribution, suit fit, outside stoppers, etc. Responder knows much of opener’s hand, but opener does not know if responder has a game invitational 11 hcp or a slam try 17 hcp. Responder now has the options of passing; or calling off the bidding, if it does not add up to game; continuing the exploration for game; or making a forcing bid (any bid at the 3-level after a NMF is game forcing) for slam try.

Remember Bridge should be fun!

See Root & Pavlicek: Modern Bridge Conventions (ISBN 0-517-88429-1) pp. 61-66; Seagram: 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know (ISBN 1-894154-07-X): pp. 165-172; and Blubaugh: New Minor Forcing (Indianapolis). Thanks to my friends and partners Marty Nathan and Peggy Gibson for their help and review of this document.

New Minor Forcing (NMF) 4 of 4 – NMF

¹ See 1 Notrump Rebid (NMF 3 of 4).

² While the principles of NMF can be extended to other bidding sequences, this paper is limited to the fundamental principles of NMF.

³ See Systems On (NMF 2 of 4).

⁴ In standard bidding, a new suit rebid by responder is not forcing after opener has rebid 1NT.

⁵ Ibid #2.

Fred E. Ferguson | fred@oneNT.com | 843.363.6416 | Hilton Head Island, SC