Finch Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 After a request in another thread, here's a summary of some low-level forcing pass auctions. Bear in mind that what I write here would be best described as "commonly played" rather than "completely standard". I do not believe that there is a global standard. It is also true to say that many pretty good pairs will not have discussed these auctions in detail, so might be more accurately said to have "no agreement". A "low-level forcing pass auction" is a competitive auction in which you have established that you (probably) have the opponents out-gunned, and you need to decide whether to defend a doubled contract, or bid on yourselves. You may well not have game values, and can easily stop in a part-score, but you cannot pass out the opponents undoubled below a particular level. A key point to be clear on is the level at which pass is forcing. If you and partner have established high-card game values, pass will be forcing at any level. If you have merely established that you are likely to have the majority of high cards, then pass is not forcing at any level. As an example: 1C x xx Redouble is usually played as showing a good 9+ HCP and some interest in defending. As opener may have a nice distributional 10-count, it doesn't make sense to force both hands to the 3-level on a potential mis-fit. So it makes sense to play pass as forcing at the one-level, but not necessarily any higher. How much higher is a matter for partnership debate, but a frequent treatment is that pass is forcing "for a level" i.e. up to 2 of opener's suit, or only after a non-jump bid by the opponents. Common Forcing Pass agreements 1suit x xx ------------Pass forcing by opener's side up to 2 of opener's suit. Note that traditionally, after (say) 1S x xx P opener bids at once with a distributional minimum. If the auction starts1S x xx P2C opener has shown a weak 5-5 (or 6-5) and pass is no longer forcing. (With a stronger distributional hand, pass first or jump.) 1suit 1NT x-------------Pass forcing by opener's side up to 2 of opener's suit. Same caveats as above. 1suit 2NT (unusual)/cuebid(Michaels) x------------------------------------------------(where x shows interest in taking a penalty)Pass forcing by opener's side after any non-jump bid with no raise(so 1C - 2NT - x - 3D - P is forcing, but 1C - 2NT - 3H - P(forcing) - 4H - P is not forcing) Again, if opener bids in a forcing pass auction that shows a distribution minimum, and cancels the forcing pass (with a strong distributional hand pass first, or jump). 1suit P 1newsuit xxx-----------------------Where xx is strong (not support). Pass forcing to 2 of responder's suit. 1NT 2suit artificial x-----------------------A common agreement is to play x of an artificial overcall as 1NT as showing values, interest in defending. Pass is then forcing at the 2-level, not any higher. 1NT x xx and 1suit 1NT x xx----------------------------------After our 1NT has been doubled for penalties and we redouble showing strength, pass forcing at the 2-level. 1NT x (penalties) 2suit-----------------------------A common agreement, but not as universal as the ones above, is to play pass as forcing over 2-minor and non-forcing over 2-major. It's less clear on this auction which side actually has the majority of the HCP. Responder shows values----------------------------In some sequences responder/4th hand has the opportunity to set up a forcing pass auction thanks to the opponents' artificial bids. The most common example (particularly here in weak-NT-land) is 1NT x (penalties) 2suit (artificial) If the opening side play some artificial method such as transfers, or Stayman, then 4th seat doubles the artificial bid to set up a forcing pass auction, and passes to cancel the 'normal' forcing pass agreement. Common sequences with no forcing passThe sequences which tend to cause confusion are where one hand as made a penalty pass but without showing high cards. 1suit any-overcall P Px P P...--------------------------------Not a forcing pass if 4th hand calls: responder could have nothing other than a string of the overcaller's suit. Similarly1suit x P P...2suit x P P... Meaning of DoubleIn a forcing pass auction, it is standard (but not universally played) that a double is for penalties. In the related non-forcing pass auctions where the level is too high such as 1C x xx 2H? the majority treatment is still probably to play double as penalties, but a large minority play the (IMO superior) treatment that double is take-out. One to agree with partner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vang Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 great writing, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts