New Minor Forcing

• Does partner has a minimum or a maximum 1NT rebid and does she have 3-card support for our major.
• More complex problems
  • Invite or force game in hearts when responder has five spades and four or more hearts.
  • Decide between 3NT or 5-of-minor.
  • What is the best game with three possibilities.
  • The game, slam, and grand slam decision.

These ideas apply to third- and fourth-suit forcing auctions.

The flavors of new-minor forcing:

• A natural flavor.  Opener makes the most natural bid at the two level with a minimum and the most natural bid at the three level with a maximum.  To help the defenders, proponents show four hearts before spade support.
• A Washington D.C.  flavor.  There are two or three bids available with a minimum, and exactly one bid with a maximum.  The "maximum" bid depends on the previous bidding, and can be 2 , 2NT, or 3 .  Hearts before spades.
• A Walsh flavor.  Opener bids 2NT or jump raises with a maximum.  After 1 -1 — 1NT-2 , 2 is artificial and shows a minimum.  Spades before hearts.
• Both-minors forcing.  Both Minors Forcing There is no "new" in this definition.
  1. 2 forces 2 , perhaps to play 2 .  Most often to show an invitational hand in the major.  No responder rebid after a 2 start is forcing.
  2. 2 is forcing to game.

A characteristic of natural, and to a lesser extent Walsh, is opener, who doesn't have much more to say, uses space to describe his hand, rather than leaving space for responder.  In all flavors, a minimum continuation allows a stop at 2NT.  If opener shows 3-card support at the two-level, responder can pass.  Continuations above 2NT are forcing, and often suggest slam.

Robinson's explicit rules are complex.  He gives examples.  I think all of his examples can be solved with seat-of-the-pants bidding after the first four bids.

I am going to poll the group and present the new-minor style that people prefer.  Votes for the natural style will be ignored.  In this draft I assume the Walsh style wins.

• Minuses of new-minor forcing
  • After a 1 opening and with 5-4 in the majors, you cannot invite in hearts.
  • Can't stop at 3 or 3 when partner has a minny.
  • After a 1 opening, cannot stop at 2 .
• Plus
  • Avoid playing 2 or 2 if someone forgets.

The conditions are:

• (Zero to three passes.) 
• The opening is 1 , 1 or 1 .
  • (Possibly interference.) 
  • The response:  1 , 1 , or double. 
    • (Possible interference.) 
    • Opener's rebid:  1 , 1NT, pass, double, or redouble.
      • (Possible interference.) 
      • Responder rebids an unbid minor of 2 or 2 . 

Opener's rebid after New Minor Forcing

Open	1		1		1
Response	1	1	1	1	1
Open Rebid	1NT	1NT, 1	1NT	1NT, 1	1NT
New Minor	2		2		2 , 2
Minimum	2 = three spades 2 = other	2 = three hearts 2 = other	2 = three spades 2 = four hearts 2 = other	2 = three hearts 2 = other	2 = three spades 2 , 2 = other
Maximum	3 = three spades Other = natural	3 = three hearts Other = natural	3 = three spades Other = natural	3 = three hearts Other = natural	3 = three spades Other = natural

Common NMF hands are:

A.	B.	C.
A Q x x x	A Q x x x	A Q x x x x
K x x	K x	K x
x x	x x	x x
? ? ?	? ? ? x	? ? ?

The question marks represent anything from x-x-x to A-K-Q.  Responder's intent ranges from sign-off to slam interest.

I think a five-two scores better, on average, at 2-major than at 1NT or 2NT.  If you think notrump is better, then bid 2NT over the forced 2 with five-card invites.  At game I prefer notrump to the five-two major.

		K x x
		K J x x x
		K J x x
		x
1		1
1NT (1 )		2
2		2 (Pass)

Responder has to choose between diamonds and hearts.  3 would be forcing.

		A J x x x
		? ? ? ?
		x x
		x x
1		1
1NT		?

Depending on ?-?-?-? your next bid is:

• 2 to play hearts or spades.
• 2 as a prelude to inviting game or forcing game.  After a 1 opening, you can invite game in both hearts and spades.  After a 1 opening, you cannot.

		? ? ? ?
		x x
		x
		K Q J x x x
1		1
1NT		?

Depending on ?-?-?-?: 

• bid 3 to play,
• Bid 2 and then 3 to force game.  With NMF, you cannot invite in clubs.

No!  No!  No!

		A Q x x x
		K x x
		Q x x
		x x
1		1
1NT		2
2		2

No!  2 is forcing with slam interest.  You cannot use new minor forcing this way.

Here is what I expect.

		A Q x x x
		K Q x x
		x x
		A x
1		1
1NT		2
2		2

Opener bids naturally.  Treat third- and fourth-suit below 2NT as forcing to 2NT.  Continuations above 2NT are game forcing and often show slam interest.

1	Pass	1	Pass
2	Pass	?

2 is new-minor forcing.  2 is to play.  But

1	Pass	1	Pass
2	Pass	?

2 is fourth-suit forcing.

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