F or NF?

Due to (constant) student request, I have given in and written about this annoyingly tricky topic.

How hard can it be? "Just tell us Larry, which bids are forcing and which are not."

It is very hard. It requires study, memory and sometimes partnership agreement (PA).

F versus GF

In this series, it is important to recognize the difference between Forcing (F) and Game Forcing (GF). "Forcing" (F) means your partner "cannot" pass the bid. If he does pass, he does so at his own peril. I might do it once a decade. Suppose my partner opens and I dredge up a response with a very weak shapely hand. He makes a forcing rebid but I bail out with a pass. I'd better be right! "Game Forcing" (GF) means neither partner can pass below game.

In this 5-part series, I plan to break it down as follows:

1. Our opening bid, response and opener's rebid (with no interference)
2. The fourth bid and beyond of our auction (with no interference)
3. After Overcalls (by us or the opponents)
4. Auctions with Doubles
5. Other/Conventions

In this article, we address #4:

4) Auctions with Doubles

The Opponents Double

If we open and the opponents make a takeout double, it is a matter of PA. Most common is to play a new suit on the 1-level as forcing (not to game, of course), but a new 2-level suit as NF.

Examples:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	1

Typically (by partnership agreement) should be forcing (as if there were no double).

West	North	East	South
1	Double	2

Typically (by partnership agreement) should be nonforcing (weak) with usually 6+ hearts. (Redouble with 10+)

The partner of the opener can redouble with 10+ points. Jumps (after the double) are typically treated as weak.

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	2

Weak (6+ hearts) -- NF.

If we open and respond and then they double, opener's new suits have the same meaning with or without the double (so you can refer back to part 1 of this series). Be aware, however, of the potential to use Support Redoubles.

In general, bids after the opponent's doubles are not forcing (unless we were already in a GF).

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Pass	1	Double
2

2 is NF.

We Double

After our takeout double:

Jumps are not forcing. The only way for the partner of the doubler to force is to cuebid the opponent's suit.

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	3

3=NF.
2=Forcing cuebid (I suggest GF -- says nothing about spades)

If our takeout doubler voluntarily bids a second time, it shows a good hand, but it isn't forcing.

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	1
Pass	2

2 shows about 17/18+ but is NF

Even a double and then a jump is not forcing.

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	1
Pass	3

or:

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	1
Pass	3

In both cases, North is showing a huge hand--begging South to go on with just a crumb or two. But, North's action is NF.

The only way for the takeout doubler to force is to cuebid the opponent's suit.

Example:

Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	1
Pass	2

2 is artificial and Forcing (but not GF). It doesn't promise (nor deny) spade support.

If the partner of the takeout doubler jumps, and opener then bids a new suit, he is showing extras, so it is forcing. Example:

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	2
Pass	2

2 is Forcing, since if South had a so-so hand he would have just overcalled 1. Now that South has shown 9+ and North has about 17/18+, the 2 bid should actually be GF.

After our negative double:

If responder makes a negative double and later bids a suit, it is NF. Example:

West	North	East	South
1	1	Double	Pass
2	Pass	2

If East had a good hand with hearts, he would have bid 2 the first time. Here, he has something like:

Jxx
AQ10xxx
--
Jxxx

There will be many other auctions which are hard to define here. One good general rule is: "Once the opponents have been doubled for penalty, we are in a forcing auction." In other words, they can't play undoubled--we either double or bid on.

QUIZ

In each auction below, is the final bid shown F or NF?

1)

West	North	East	South
1	X	1

2)

West	North	East	South
1	X	2

3)

West	North	East	South
1	Pass	1	Double
2

4)

West	North	East	South
1	X	Pass	2

5)

West	North	East	South
1	X	Pass	2NT

6)

West	North	East	South
1	X	Pass	2

7)

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	1
Pass	2

8)

West	North	East	South
1	Double	Pass	2NT
Pass	3

9)

West	North	East	South
1	1	Double	2
Pass	Pass	3

Answers (which can be explained by studying the article above).

1) F (but PA)
2) NF (but PA)
3) NF
4) NF
5) NF
6) F
7) NF (but a good hand)
8) F
9) NF

In the next article, we explore other auctions and some conventions.