Форсирующий нетрамп в бридже

Bidding convention in bridge
The forcing notrump is a bidding convention in the card game of bridge. In Standard American bidding, the response of 1NT to an opening bid of 1 or 1 shows 6 to 9 high card points (HCP) and is non forcing. Opener, with a balanced minimum, may pass the 1NT response and, if the opponents also pass, that will become the contract. A partnership may agree that this bid is forcing for one round; if the intervening opponent passes, opener must bid at least once more. This guarantees the responder at least one more opportunity to bid or pass. This mechanism allows the partnership to use the 1NT response for a greater variety of hands: in particular, invitational as well as minimum responder holdings. The forcing notrump is used over major suits only; 1NT is always standard and non forcing over the minor suits. The forcing 1NT bid shows 6 to 12 HCP, denies the ability to make a single raise (but not necessarily an invitational raise), and denies holding four spades if the opening bid was 1; it must be as "forcing" by partner. As the forcing notrump creates problems of its own, a popular variation that overcomes these is the forcing next step.

When responder rebids two of a new suit, opener should pass with a minimum and two or more cards in the suit. With a singleton or void in responder's suit, opener should rebid her original major. Responder may yet have a doubleton there and pass, or will be able correct to three of opener's second suit or her own good six card (or longer) suit. In this way, the partnership is normally assured of at least a seven card fit. After an invitational responder rebid, opener is expected to pass (or sign off below game) with a minimum opening hand, or to bid game with extra values. In line with the above Variation, when responder bids their own suit it is 'drop dead', and Pass should be the expected response. However, with a good hand and three card or more support, a raise may be appropriate. Otherwise, the only reason to bid should be a good hand with no cards in the bid suit, and extra length in one of the first two suits, as partner has at most one card in our major and three cards in our minor.

When responder has a very weak hand (0 4 points), but yet support for opener's major (three or more cards), standard bidding dictates a pass (because opener may have a very good hand and get over enthused after a single raise). This may allow the opponents to get into the bidding at a low level. Playing the forcing notrump, however, it is sometimes tactically advantageous to bid 1NT with this hand and then correct to 2 of opener's major. The 1NT bid tends to shut out the opponents and make partner cautious at the same time.

The forcing notrump is generally used by players using the 2/1 game forcing system, but may be used to advantage by other players as well.

When in the maxi minimum range (8 9 support points), and holding two cards in opener's major and five cards in opener's minor, you are worried about passing and missing game when partner has some extra values. So you take 'preference' to two of opener's major. This keeps the bidding alive and allows partner to take another call even though your preference would in fact be for the minor. When in the mini minimum range (6 7 support points) and holding two cards in opener's major and four cards in opener's minor, you Pass. Even though the 'rule' says to prefer the major, the last thing you need is for partner to take another bid with extra values. By passing in a known fit, you hope to ensure the partnership a plus score.

Specific to the auctions: 1 – 1NT 2 and 1 – 1NT 2. In these auctions responder is known to have fewer than 4 spades. Thus, a call of 2 would have no sensible meaning. In these situations the raise of partner's minor is a slightly weaker hand, and the 2 bid is a 'power' raise to opener's minor, usually based on five or more of partners minor and invitational values.

As a variation, some partnerships choose to play their 1NT response as semi forcing. The rebids and subsequent auctions are the same as with the forcing notrump, except that the opener is allowed to pass with a 5 3 3 2 minimum and no interest in game opposite a limit raise (including three card support for opener's major). This changes follow up auctions in that opener is assumed to either have four or more cards in any new suit bid, or some extra values when holding only three cards in a newly bid minor.