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NMFARCE.PPA
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1995-08-31
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NEW MINOR FARCE VS CHECKBACK STAYMAN
Responder often has a rebid problem in this auction:
Opener Responder
1 Any 1 Any
1NT ?
1) How to sign-off, invite game, or force to game with support for
opener's suit. A minimum raise is weak, a jump invitational, so how
to force?
2) How to sign off, invite game, or force to game a with a long
suit of his own. A minimum suit rebid is weak, a jump invitational,
so how to force?
3) How to sign off, invite game, or force to game with a two-suited
hand. A non-reverse bid in a new suit is weak, a jump is forcing,
so how to invite?
4) How to find out if opener has three-card support for responder's
major or four cards in an unbid major.
Two popular conventions address these problems: New Minor Forcing
(NMF) and Checkback Stayman (CS). Let's look at each:
New Minor Forcing
NMF is responder's bid of an unbid minor when opener rebids 1NT.
It requires at least game-invitational strength, and (unless the
hand is stronger) a five-card or longer major. In answer, opener
shows three-card support for responder, jumping with a good hand.
Lacking support after a 2C NMF bid, opener bids 2D with a minimum
and something higher with a good hand. A 2D NMF bid complicates
things:
Opener Responder
1C 1H
1NT 2D
2S - no support, minimum hand
2NT - no support, good hand
Opener Responder
1C 1S
1NT 2D
2H - heart suit, may have spade support
2NT - no support, minimum hand
3C/3D/3NT - no support, good hand
Some play that 2H is artificial, showing no spade support and a
minimum, while 2NT shows a good hand. This is crazy, possibly
missing a 4-4 heart fit when responder can't afford to bid 3H
(forcing).
Over 1NT, a jump rebid in the same suit is invitational, as is a
jump raise of opener's suit (which denies a five-card major). To
force, responder must either jump in a new suit or use NMF and
then rebid his suit or raise. But what if there is no "new
minor"?
Opener Responder
1C 1D
1NT ?
A jump rebid of 3D or 3C is only invitational, so responder must
bid 3NT with many strong unbalanced hands that belong in five or
six of a minor.
There is no way for an NMF bidder to describe an invitational hand
with good support for opener's minor. After responding 1H to 1C
with S-4 H-K7432 D-Q65 C-AQ32 and getting a disappointing answer
to NMF, how can responder stop in 3C? He can't, because 3C is
forcing, so he must stay in notrump. Play 3C as invitational? But
what if the clubs were AKJ3? There's a problem either way.
Another NMF drawback is the strength requirement, because many weak
hands need conventional help. NMF bidders cannot describe a weak
5-5 hand, except for two majors. They must just rebid the higher
ranking suit and hope for the best. A weak hand with good support
for opener's minor is also a problem, whether or not responder's
suit is five long. When responder supports the minor, should opener
show three-card support for responder? It's a complete guess.
The main drawback of NMF, however, is the bidding space wasted by
an NMF 2D bid. Imagine the difficulties if 2D had to be used as
Stayman opposite a 1NT opening, with 2C a natural sign-off.
Checkback Stayman
With one version of CS (there are several), a 2C rebid by responder
asks opener to show three-card support for responder's major, or
an unbid four-card major, or extra-good hearts (if he opened with
1H), giving priority to the first. Lacking any of these, opener
bids 2D. Other two-level rebids by responder (except reverses) are
sign-offs. All jumps are forcing. To invite game in a suit,
responder bids 2C, then makes his invitation. To sign off in clubs,
responder bids 2C, then 3C. To invite game with a club bid,
responder bids 2C, then 2NT (artificially). To invite game in
notrump, he bids 2NT over 1NT, even with a five-card major if his
distribution is 5-3-3-2. A third round 2NT bid is also natural.
CS has no strength or length requirements. If he is prepared for
what might ensue, responder can bid 2C with any strength what-
soever. This is possible because opener (like a notrump opener)
does not show strength; he must bid 2D, 2H, or 2S. After respond-
ing 1S to 1D with S-K6543 H-A52 D-10876 C-6 and hearing a 1NT
rebid, responder can use CS and pass any response.
After CS, responder's new suit bid at the two level is forcing for
one round only. He can show a second suit and follow with an
invitational raise of opener's suit. A two-level suit rebid shows
a five-card suit and a weak hand, with trump support for opener's
minor or a minor suit on the side. Opener can pass with a very
strong doubleton. Otherwise he bids minimally to let responder
continue his hand description.
CS has the drawback that responder can't stop in two of a major
with an invitational hand, possibly resulting in a risky three-
level contract.
NMF and CS both have the drawback that you can't stop at the two
level in the minor that is bid artificially. With NMF, responder
can't show a weak major-diamond 5-5 opposite a 1C opener's 1NT
rebid, but can sign off in 2C. With CS, responder can show that
weak 5-5, but can't sign off in 2C. If you think the two drawbacks
cancel, tell me the last time you had a weak responding hand and
the opponents let you play in 2C after a 1C opening and 1NT rebid.
It never happens.
So which is superior, NMF or CS? My own opinion is reflected in
the title, which is not a typo.
Here's Marty Bergen's opinion: "Every time I hear the opponents bid
1C - 1H/1S - 1NT - 2D (new minor forcing) - 2NT, I have to laugh
at the 'nature' of bridge players. How can it be correct to use 2D
as 'Stayman' (forcing opener to bid 2NT when he has no major [suit
bid]) when 2C is availble? This potential loss of bidding space
makes no sense at all. Whereas after 2C checkback, opener's
'negative' is an economical 2D, as in Stayman, preserving the
opportunity for responder to rebid two-of-a-major."
See the chapter CHECKBACK STAYMAN BY RESPONDER in the book
"Marvin's Conventions and Treatments."