Forcing your partner

Folks are talking about this New Minor Suit Forcing (NMF) bid currently in vogue and linked to the 2 over 1 system.

It is very similar to the old New Suit Forcing bid long in use and many say it is essentially the same.

NMF is useful for responder to determine where contracts, especially partial ones, can wisely be set.

If partner opens one of a minor, you bid 1H, partner says 1S and you are next with a decision to make. You have 10+points and want more information about partner’s hand. You then bid 2Cs, a NMF cue bid, forcing partner to make another bid. If he opened with a minimal point count he has these choices 1. Raise your suit 1 level, 2. Raise his own suit 1 level, or 3. Bid 2NT. These responses indicate that he has a minimal hand and that your choice to pick a partial score is in order.

As I have noted in earlier articles, since the inception of the use of BridgeMates, and without the paper records, it is difficult to know which direction and even which major or minor suit was played. Therefore my featured hands can’t be as specific as they once were. Excuse any mistakes in your specific hand I feature. Just enjoy the hand.

We had an eight-table April 28 Evergreen game. Winning N/S: 1st Shirley and Ron Jeffers, 2nd Fern Albracht and Jim Icard, tied for 3rd /4th Judy Hurder and Pat Macon with Andra Cozart and Jan Glover;

E/W: 1st Judy Gealy and Carol Elkins, 2nd Patsy Reynolds and Lawana Ford, 3rd Joe O’Brien and Genny Mozolak.

Featured is board #12 from the Friday, April 28 game. N/S vulnerable     South dealer

NORTH:

S Q J

H Q 9 4 3

D J 7

C K 9 5 4 2

WEST:                    EAST:

S 8 7 4                    S A 9 5 3

H A K 8                  H J T 7 6 2

D A 9 2                    D T 3

C A Q J 6                 C 8 3

SOUTH:

S K T 6 2

H 5

D K Q 8 6 5 4

C T 7

Fern Albracht and Jim Icard had the best N/S score defeating 4HE 2 tricks, with Patsy Reynolds and Lawana Ford having the best E/W score bidding and making 2HE.

The May 2 Women’s Club winners were: N/S 1st Shirley and Ron Jeffers, 2nd Pat Macon and Becky Creekmore; E/W 1st Pat Featherston and Dick Brisbin, 2nd Fern Albracht and Christy Cline.