Forcing 2/1
The concept that 2/1 auctions should be forcing to game has been popular since 1990s. The world is gradually moving from standard to 2/1. Wbridge5 is also a move based on SEF, the French standard.
The 2/1 in Wbridge5 is Lawrence-style.
- The game force may be occasionally cancelled.
- Opener’s reverses and jumps require extra strength.
Wbridge5 counts distribution and length points, so a 2/1 may hold only 9–10 HCP with a long suit or shortness.
The 2/1 bids has low priority due to its ambiguity. Raises, 1NT, and fit-showing conventions are limit bids and show whether a fit is found. The 2/1 bids, unlimited and ambiguous about fit, can be viewed as natural relays.
The 2/1 responses
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows 3 criteria corresponding to the 3 kinds of games viz. major, notrump, and minor. Any met criterion makes a hand eligible for 2/1.
- Found major fit or 1♠ - 2♥, 12+ points
- 11+ HCP but no flat 11 HCP
- With long minor, 14+ points (but 13 points is enough for 1♥ - 2♦)
On 600 boards after 1♥ - P and 1♠ - P, every 2/1 but one met a criterion, and every hand without support that met one bid 2/1 unless it had a higher-priority call such as 1♠ or a strong jump shift. The exception was ♠3 ♥10952 ♦AJ108 ♣A743 bidding 2♣ over 1♠. With a flat 11 HCP and 3-card support, responder bids 1NT instead (203 of 216 boards over 1♠).
The thresholds match the maximum hands that pass the semiforcing 1NT, i.e. 13–14 HCP and usually 5-3=3=2. A 1♥ opener who passes 1NT may instead hold 4=5=3=1, which fits a 2♦ response better, so 1 fewer point is needed.
2♥ vs SJS 3♥
Both of them are unlimited. There are strict criteria on 3♥ because it consumes too much space. With 17+ points and 5+ hearts, bid 2♥ unless there are 7+ hearts and 0–2 spades.
Opener’s rebids
Responder bid a minor
Opener describes strength and shape naturally. Reverses and jumps show extra strength.
| 1M - 2m - | |
|---|---|
| New suit | 13–18, 4+# |
| 2M | 13–17, 6+M or fallback |
| Reverse | 17–21, 4+# |
| 2NT | 11–14 HCP, 5–6M, 2–3m, 2–4 cards in each other suit |
| 3m | 13–18, 4+m |
| Jump new suit | 19–21, 4+# |
| 3M | 18–21, 6+M |
| 3NT | 18–20 HCP, BAL |
| 4m | 18–21, 4+m |
| 4-level new suit! | SPL, 17–21, 0–1#, 4+m |
| 4M | 18–21, 7+M |
1♠ - 2♥
Opener can support with 3 cards, and such support is eager because hearts is also a major. Therefore, fit-showing bids are different from the previous section. Other bids, not showing a fit, are omitted for duplicate.
Wasted points removed, with a support but hard minimum (< 14 points), bid a fallback 2♠ or 2NT first to dissuade partner from searching slam.
| 1♠ - 2♥ - | |
|---|---|
| 3♥ | 14–21, 3+♥ |
| 4♣♦! | SPL, 16–21, 0–1#, 3+♥ |
| 4♥ | 14–16, 3+♥ |
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows 3♥ also covers minimum hands with 4-card support and no shortness.
The 2NT rebid with a 6-card major
Wbridge5 rebids 2NT with a 6-card major only when both of the following hold.
- Over 1♠ - 2♥♦
- Found heart fit or worse than ♠AQJ9xx
The 1♥ opener always rebids 2♥ with 6-card hearts lest 6-2 fit be lost. Over 1♠ - 2♣, always bid 2♠ with 6-card spades to make both 2♠ and 2NT specific: 2NT shows exactly 5 cards, 2♠ 6+.
If the trump suit is at least AQJ9xx, it is too good to play notrump. However, with a heart fit but too weak for a direct 4♥, opener may bid 2NT and reach 4♥ later.
Second responses
Responder no longer hides a major fit in this round. If responder bids notrump or a new suit below 3NT, no major fit is found as natural bidding goes.
Decisions to cancel the game force debut here. All of them are nonforcing bids below 3NT.
Opener rebid own suit or below
Opener showed a minimal (non-maximum) unbalanced hand. Rebidding the opened suit is the most frequent rebid overall. Note that 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♠ is the only circumstance where a 6th card is for sure.
In the following tables, x is responder’s suit and y is opener’s rebid suit.
Raises
There is enough space to bid weak and strong hands under game for safety and bidding space respectively. Here M is a major opener has bid, and m is a minor opener has bid. Over 1♥ - 2x - 2♥, the jump to 3♠ is a splinter.
| 1M - 2x - 2y - | y ≤ M |
|---|---|
| 2M | NF, < 13 HCP, 2=M |
| 3m | NF, < 14 HCP, 4+m |
| 3M | S/T, 16+, fit found |
| 3♠! | SPL, 16+, 0–1♠, 3+♥ |
| 4m | S/T, 16+, fit found |
| 4M | S/O |
| 5m | S/O |
Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows it also bids 3♠ over 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♠ with a minimum and a doubleton, and it may pass 2y with < 14 HCP and a 6+ minor.
Others
With combined 28–30 HCP, it is often better to play 3NT than a suit game. Therefore, responder’s best bet with a balanced hand and some excessive strength is to sign off 3NT.
| 1M - 2x - 2y - | y ≤ M |
|---|---|
| Non-jump new suit | 4+# or (18+ HCP, 3=#, 5-3-3-2) |
| 2NT | 11–14 HCP, 2+ cards in every unbid suit |
| 3x | 13–17, 6+x |
| Jump new suit | 16+, 4+# |
| 3NT | S/O, 13–18 HCP, usually 2+ cards in every unbid suit |
| 4x | 18+, 6+x |
| 4-level new suit! | SPL, 17+, 0–1#, fit in the last bid suit |
Over 1♠ - 2♥ - 2♠, 4♥ is to play and 3♥ is unlimited.
Opener rebid 2NT
The 2NT rebid shows 11–14 HCP, balanced or 5-4-2-2 where the 4-card suit is skipped. This rebid is the 2nd most frequent.
Most second responses are the same as if opener rebid the opened suit or below because 2NT is minimum. The following only describe differences.
| 1M - 2x - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3NT | S/O, 11–17 HCP |
| 4NT! | Blackwood, 18–20 HCP, BAL |
The 2011 writeup treats this 4NT as plain Blackwood. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows responder bidding it with balanced 18–20 HCP over 1♥ - 2♣ - 2NT and 1♠ - 2♣♥ - 2NT, 13 boards in all. Opener answers it as Blackwood, counting aces only: 5♣ for 0 or 3, 5♦ for 1, 5♥ for 2 on all 243 boards probed over 1♥ - 2♣ - 2NT. The ♥K does not count, and opener never passed or bid 6NT. For example, ♠J53 ♥AJ532 ♦K94 ♣K10 bids 5♦, and ♠A43 ♥KJ987 ♦A9 ♣Q63 bids 5♥.
There are further considerations for responder to show a long suit, so they are described in details.
Responded 2♣
Because 2NT is weaker than a simple suit, 2 more points are needed to try slam.
| 1M - 2♣ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣ | 12–19, 6+♣ |
| 4♣ | 20+, 6+♣ |
Over 1♥ - 2♦ - 2NT
The 3♦ serves as a parachute because 1♥ - 2♦ may be extraordinary weak and based on distribution. Forcing hands go to 3♣.
Quantitative invitations are off as Roudy is superior by its low level.
| 1♥ - 2♦ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣! | Roudy, 11+ HCP, 5+♦ |
| 3♦ | NF, < 11 HCP, 6+♦ |
| 3NT | S/O, 9–16 HCP |
| 5♦ | S/O, < 14 HCP, 7+♦ |
Over 1♠ - 2♦ - 2NT
There is no clear line between 3♣ and 3♦. Bid 3♣ if there is need to know partner’s strength.
| 1♠ - 2♦ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣! | Roudy, 5+♦ |
| 3♦ | 12–19, 6+♦ |
| 4♦ | 20+, 6+♦ |
Over 1♠ - 2♥ - 2NT
A heart fit is found with 6+ cards, so 3♥ is a slam try according to the principle of fast arrival.
| 1♠ - 2♥ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♥ | 17+, 6+♥ |
| 4♥ | 12–16, 6+♥ |
Not probed
- Responder’s second call after opener’s reverses, jumps and 3-level rebids, except 1♠ - 2♥ - 3♥.
- Opener’s answer to 4NT after the other 2NT rebids: only 1♥ - 2♣ - 2NT - 4NT was probed.