All Bidding Systems include Forcing Bids which are Bids made by your Partner
which you are not allowed to pass. And finally can a Pass ever be forcing? Yes it can.
One of the major problems that beginners face is knowing when they are allowed to pass and when, whether they
like it or not,
they must make another bid.
Most partnerships can make their own rules but it is an essential part of a
sound partnership to have a firm agreement on which bids are forcing and stick to them.
The following are some guidelines when the opening bid is at the one level.
1 The main reason why it is necessary to have certain bids as forcing is to allow the partnership as
much room as possible to
find the right contract.
2 If your partner makes what you have agreed is a Forcing Bid and the opposition bid in between,
you are allowed to pass as your
Partner will now have another opportunity to bid. Thus if you do still bid you are in effect telling your
Partner that you are happy to
do so.
3 This is a large and complex area of Bridge bidding so at first it is best to assimilate the basics.
The following are the generally, but not universally, accepted
normal situations.
A Any limit bid is not forcing as it describes your hand fairly accurately and Partner can judge
that a Pass is the best response.
B Any first response in a new suit is forcing for one round unless of course you are a passed hand
where once again your Partner
can judge that even with a maximum, say 11 HCP, Pass is the best response.
The modern style is to play
any response by an unpassed hand as unlimited.
C Any rebid by Opener of a higher ranking suit at the one level than the opening one is forcing for
one round
For example: After an opening bid of 1 ♣ and a response by you
of 1♥ a rebid of 1 ♠ is forcing,
as this is generally played as showing a maximum of 18 HCP
so the only time you would be allowed to pass is if you had bid with 4 or 5 points because you only had one
or no Clubs (Everybody does it)
It follows , therefore, that if Opener bids 2 ♠ (known as a jump reverse bid)
in this sequence they are showing 19+ and this is of course Game forcing
If, however, your response is at the two level a rebid of a higher ranking suit is Game Forcing
For example: After 1 ♦ from Opener
and 2 ♣ from you a 2 ♥ rebid
is what is known as a reverse bid. This should show a minimum of 16 HCP so together
with your 9 or 10+ should be sufficient for Game.
D Many people play that a change of suit in a lower ranking one after a two level response is not
forcing and will therefore
jump bid with 16+
It is the modern style to make any change of suit after a two level response as forcing for one round.
This means that with a big hand the Opener doesn’t have make jump bids to show strength and leaves
more room for
exploration.
For example: 1 ♥ from
Opener 2 ♣ from you,
a 2 ♦ rebid should be forcing for one round.
E When the auction has reached 2NT by whatever sequence it is usual to play any further bids as
forcing to game,
For example,if your Partner opens 1 ♥ and
you respond 2 ♣, Partner rebids 2NT;
a 3 ♥ bid from you (3 card support) should be forcing,
suggesting 3NT or 4 ♥ according to Partners hand.
There can be exceptions which you should agree with your Partner
One exception might be:
1 ♥ opening,
2 ♣ from you,
2 ♥ from Partner 2NT from you
3 ♥ from Partner showing 6 good Hearts and no more than 12 points,
You can Pass but if you don’t you can’t claim it was forcing.
F One almost universal Forcing bid is a new suit at the three level.
1 ♥-Pass -2 ♦-Pass
3 ♣- Pass-? You must bid
In a competitive auction such as you bidding confidently to 4 ♥
the opposition bid what is quite obviously a sacrifice in 5 ♣
and your Partner Passes- This says " I don’t know whether to Double or
bid 5 ♥ you decide . The Pass is effectively forcing.