Forcing Pass Rules

[Echognome]

Noble's recent thread made me revisit this idea. I have written down a set of rules based a lot on ideas from this forum (thanks especially to mikeh for some of his explanations). Here is what I currently have in the system notes. Comments, edits, or suggestions are welcome.

 

Forcing Pass Rules

 

1. When we have made a 2/1 GF bid. Forcing pass applies at all levels. Either we play the contract in game (or higher) or the opponents play doubled.

 

2. If we open 2♣ (strong and artificial), pass is forcing at all levels. Note if we open 2NT, pass is not forcing and double is takeout.

 

3. If we make a penalty double (or redouble) or we pass a takeout double from partner, then we are "forcing to fit" and lebensohl may apply. Forcing to fit means that either opponents will play in a contract doubled or we will play in a suit that has been bid and raised (but is not necessarily game).

 

4. Forcing pass never applies when we have only raised partner's suit.

 

5. We are in a forcing pass when the opponents are in an "obvious" save situation. A lot of judgment is involved, but if it is clear that the opponents are saving, then pass is forcing.

 

6. Otherwise, in general we are forcing to the level consistent with the bidding in the auction thus far. The easiest way to think about it is to consider how far our bid would have been forcing if the opponents had passed from now on, then apply that same level of force with competition. A few examples to clarify:

 

a. We make a limit raise. This is forcing to the next level of partner's suit. Example: (1♦) - 1♠ - (2♣) - 2♦ (Forces to 2♠). Example: 1♠ - (2♣) - 3♣ (Forces to 3♠) - (3♦); P = Forcing.

 

b. We make a 2/1 in competition. This is forcing only to 2 of partner's major. Example: 1♥ - (1♠) - 2♣ (Forces to 2♥ only) - (2♠); P = Non-forcing.

 

c. We make a fit jump. Here it might be tricky, but I consider a fit jump by a non-passed hand forcing to the next level of partner's suit, but a fit jump by a passed handto be non-forcing. Example: 1♠ - (2♣) - 3♦ (Forces to 3♠) -(3♥) (fitted or not); Pass = forcing. Example: P - (1♣) - 1♠- (2♣); 3♦ (NF) - (4♣) - P = Non-forcing.

[JLOL]

Disagree with 3 (I don't think 1S X p p creates a force) even though I know it's debatable.

 

Disagree with 6b , I think we're in a force through 3 of responders suit (which is where I think 2C forced to to begin with except for 2N). Also I guess I really agree with 6, just the definition of 2C in 6b.

 

Oops wrote 2 instead of 3 on the first line, edited.

[awm]

I'd go with the following simpler set of rules:

 

(1) If our auction forces us to a particular level, then passes below that level are forcing.

 

(2) If our auction forces us to game then all passes are forcing.

 

(3) If we bid a game and it was clearly with the intent of making rather than sacrificing then pass is forcing.

 

To compare with Gnome's rules:

 

His rule one is captured by my rule two. His rule two is more or less captured by my rule one, although my methods do allow passing out game by the opponents if 2♣ opener's partner has denied holding any values (i.e. 2♣-2♠-X showing absolute garbage-4♠-Pass is NF). Like JLOL, I disagree with his rule three (not captured by my rules at all). His rule four is unclear to me -- if he means single raise then I agree; however I think a game-forcing raise of partner's suit should establish a forcing pass at all levels (i.e. 1♠-P-2NT GF jacoby-5♣-Pass is forcing even though we "just raised"). His rule five is captured by my rule three. His rule six is basically captured by my rule one, although there is some disagreement about just how far a 2/1 bid in competition establishes a force (I tend to agree with JLOL there too).

[jdonn]

I think Adam's rules are pretty concise. The one problem is I disagree his rule 5 is captured by your rule 3 since the opponents can be obviously sacrificing even when we haven't yet bid game, such as (P) P (3♦) 3♥ (5♦), so I think you either need a rule 4 or an adendum to rule 3.

[Echognome]

Thanks for the comments thus far. I basically took pieces of what I have seen elsewhere and tried to compile them together in what I thought was the most straightforward fashion.

 

Specific responses.

 

JLOL - Rule 3 was intended to capture situations such as the opponents coming in over our 1NT opening. Take an auction such as 1NT - (2♣)* - Dbl** - ?

*Majors

**Values, penalty of one or both majors

 

We are going to be in a FP situation, but how high? How to clarify?

 

Also, as per the 2/1 in competition, I always thought that was played as only forcing one round, not promising a rebid (I thought it akin to an Acol 2/1). Is it commonly played as showing the same strength as a SAYC 2/1 here?

 

Adam - I appreciate your attempt to simplify the rules further. My problem mainly with rule (1) is that it's not clear how high our auction forces us. I tried to clarify that somewhat with examples in 6a, 6b, and 6c. I can simply state rule 6 without examples, but I think some additional clarifying points actually help.

 

Edit - Also to Adam. What I meant by raise, was only a direct raise of the suit, not an artificial raise. That means auctions such as 1♥ - (1♠) - 2/3/4♥ - (4♠), then pass is not forcing. I do mean any raise, not just a single raise though.

[gnasher]

Last time I tried to write out a set of rules for forcing passes, I ended up with:

 

These make a pass forcing:

- We have game-forced without agreeing a suit

- We have made a game-forcing raise, or a UCB that forces us to the game level.

- We have bid their suit or 3NT on the way to game, in order to set up a forcing pass. eg

  1H pass 2H 2S

  3S 4S pass

or

  1H pass 2H 3S

  3NT 4S pass

- They wait for us to bid game, and then save, and the passer hasn’t denied a good hand.

- An enemy passed hand facing a preempt jumps to the five level.

- We have made an invitational+ two-level response, or an invitational+ raise, and they have bid to the four level or higher.

- We have made a slam try.

 

These don't

- We make a fit jump or splinter that forces us to the game level.

- We bid a side suit on the way to game. eg

  1H pass 2H 3S

  4C 4S pass

- An enemy unpassed hand facing a preempt jumps to the five level.

- An enemy passed hand facing a preempt jumps to the four level.

 

These were intended to cover game-level forcing passes. We have separate rules for low-level auctions where we're doubling them, and a general rule that if we were forced to a particular level we can't defend undoubled below that level.

Edited February 11, 2009 by gnasher

[InTime]

I think you should add one more last rule:

"If you have considered all the above and are still unsure, considered it to be forcing or not forcing (depending on your partnership agreement)"

Regards