forcing or not?

[cash2009]

in an uncontested auction

N-1♣

S-1♠

N-1 NT.

s-2♥

in sayc Forcing?

in 2/1 Forcing?

[Stephen Tu]

2H is non-forcing for everyone who has learned standard bidding.

 

The standard is new suits by responder are forcing in most auctions, but *not after 1nt rebid*. It's extremely useful to be able to offer opener choice of major partials and not be forced to the 3H level when opener has a fit, play for 8 tricks not 9 when you have both majors and the opps need to bid for 9 tricks to compete in a minor.

 

But most non-beginning players do play a new *minor* by responder after a 1nt rebid as forcing, as a way to probe for major fits and then force or invite game, e.g. 1♣-1♠-1nt-2♦!. Often *both* minors are played as forcing, as part of schemes known as two-way checkback stayman, two-way puppet checkback, xyz/xyNT. Other schemes are also possible, such as 2c the only checkback (checkback stayman), or transfer checkback (2c checkback, 2d/2h transfers).

 

New minor forcing is *not* part of SAYC by default (usually negotiated as an addition by pickup partners), but most 2/1 players will assume it applies.

[billw55]

Nonforcing is normal.

 

I had an auction almost exactly like this at lunch today, where I passed 2♥. Were you my partner by chance?

[blackshoe]

New minor forcing is *not* part of SAYC by default (usually negotiated as an addition by pickup partners), but most 2/1 players will assume it applies.

New minor forcing is not part of SAYC, period. If you're playing nmf as an addition to SAYC, you're not playing SAYC, you're playing Standard American in one of its many other variants.

[aguahombre]

New Major 2♥ is not forcing in standard natural systems. At the club, whether it is forcing depends primarily on the table action of responder.