One of the principle differences between 2/1 GF
and SAYC is the forcing response to a 1♥ or a 1♠ opening
bid by partner.
While some will play the response as
only SEMI-FORCING, such that Opener can pass with a
5-3-3-2 type minimum, the orthodox approach is to treat
the 1NT response as 100% forcing.
In face-to-face bridge
Opener "announces" this bid, by saying out loud "Forcing"
as soon as it is bid.
On OKBridge it should be self-
alerted, and explained as "Forcing One Round", or "f 1 rd".
If you are not sure how to self-alert and explain, please
ask Shelagh or Colin.
The forcing 1NT response is, at once, the
strength and weakness of the 2/1 GF system.
Critics are
quick to point out that the obligation to force beyond
the 1NT mark is suicidal at Matchpoints, where 1NT is
often the last and best spot to play flat or misfitting
hands.
Supporters of 2/1 GF, on the other hand, point
to the many different hand types that can be described
via this flexible response.
After a 1♥ opening bid receives a 1NT reply from Responder, a strong Opener has these options:
1♥:1NT:2NT = Flat, 17-19 points. 5-3-3-2 type.
1♥:1NT:3♥ = 6+ Hearts, 17-19 points.
The above two options are NOT forcing in themselves, but any non-game rebid by Responder WILL be forcing. 1♥:1NT:3♥:4♣, then, is a cuebid in support of Opener's Hearts, since we would not "fight" Opener's major in order to play in a minor.
1♥:1NT:2♠ = Reverse, 19-21, 4-5 or better majors.
1♥:1NT:3♣ or 3♦ = Jump shift, 19-21.
The above options are all forcing to game.
Similarly, after 1♠:1NT, we will have non-forcing but strong rebids of 2NT (17-19) and 3♠ (17-19).
A single-suited weaker Opener will rebid the major only with 6+ card length there.
| Opener |  A J 10 x x x
|  A x
|  K x x
|  J x
|
| Opener | A J 10 x x
| A x x
| K x x
| J x
|
As the above 5-3-3-2 type hand illustrates, Opener will often rebid in a 3-card minor opposite the forcing 1NT response — especially with a flat hand in the 13-16 point range. In fact, with a 4=5=2=2 hand, not strong enough to reverse into 2♠, Opener may even rebid 2♣ on as few as TWO of them ! For this reason, Responder must be cautious about passing or raising any such minor without 5+card support.
If you choose to open 1NT with balanced hands holding a 5-card Major, your ranges above change slightly. Now, your 2NT rebid after partner's minimum response will be 18-19 HCP, and your point range for 1M:1NT:2m will be 13-14 if you have a balanced hand. Both Shep and Kaltica prefer this method, but it is more common for the 1NT opener to deny a 5-card Major.
Some modernists play that 1M:1NT:2c is the rebid with any 5-3-3-2 distribution type, and therefore 1M:1NT:2d shows a four card suit. We don't recommend this, but want you to know it is an option.
Holding a 2-suited hand, Opener will tend to
bid the second suit, with two notable exceptions:
1.
A 2♠ rebid, being a reverse, will require 19-21 points.
2.
If our major is 6+ cards long, we will tend to bid a
four card suit ONLY with 16-18 points and only when
the 6-card major is not strong.
With 13-15, we
will rebid the 6-card major, to limit our hand as
quickly as possible (e.g., 1♥:1NT:2♥).
| Opener | A x
| A J 9 x x x
| x
| K J x x
|
| Opener | A K 10 9 x x
| A x
| A Q x x
| x
|
| Opener | K 10 x x x x
| A Q x x
| A K
| x
|
| (a) | K Q x x x
| Q J x
| K 10 x
| K x
|
| (b) | K Q x x x
| A x
| A Q x
| K x x
|
| (c) | K Q J x x x
| A x
| x
| Q x x x
|
| (d) | K Q J x x x
| A x
| x
| Q x x x
|
| (e) | K Q J x x x
| A Q x x
| x
| x x
|
Some 2/1 GF players will play "constructive" raises in the majors. For these pairs, 1♥:2♥ and 1♠:2♠ will show 3+ card support and 8-10 points, rather than the 6-9 (or a bad 10) to which SAYCers are accustomed. With a less promising 6-7 points, these pairs will employ a forcing 1NT reply, followed by a correction to 2-of-Opener's-major.
| Responder | A J x
| K 10 x
| 10 x x x
| J x x
|
| Responder | A x x
| K 10 x
| 10 x x x
| J x x
|
The advantage of this approach comes, when Opener has a 16-17 point hand. Opposite a 6-7 point hand, Opener can give up. Only opposite a Constructive Raise, will Opener bother to invest in a game invitation.
| Opener | K Q 10 x x
| A J x
| x x
| A Q x
|
The drawback of the Constructive Raise approach comes when Responder uses the forcing 1NT reply and then bids Opener's major. Is 1♥:1NT:2♣:2♥ a "destructive" raise with 3+ card support for Hearts and 6-7 points or is it a simple preference with 6-9 points and a doubleton Heart, preferring Hearts to Clubs ?
| Responder A | A x x
| K 10 x
| 10 x x x
| x x x
|
| Responder B | A x x
| x x
| K x x x x
| x x x
|
For this reason, we recommend that you do NOT use Constructive Raises, and will not include them in the 2/1K or 2/1-Shep convention card.
In standard praxis, if Responder has 4 Spades and support for 1♥ Opener's Hearts, Responder will bid Spades before raising Hearts with 8-10 points, but NOT with 6-7. Holding 6-7 points, Responder should raise 1♥ to 2♥ directly, even with 4+ Spades. 2/1-K inverts this tendency, raising Hearts directly with the 8-10 point hands and bidding the Spades first ONLY with the 6-7 point hands.
| Responder | K J 9 x
| Q x x
| x x
| 10 x x x
|
| Responder | K J 9 x
| K J x
| x x
| 10 x x x
|
The reason for this 2/1-K tendency becomes evident, when Opener rebids a Minor after 1♥:1♠, when a 2♥ rebid by Responder is liable to "sound" weak anyway — often with only TWO card Heart support, making a simple preference to Hearts. 1♥:1♠:2♣:2♥, then, may show 2-card Heart support and a simple preference for Hearts over Clubs. Holding 8-10 points, better to have shown TRUE 3+card support via 1♥:2♥.
Shep, being a fanatic about how many trump are
shown on each sequence, prefers not to respond 1♠ with
less than Limit Raise values.
Thus, 1♥:1♠:2♣:2♥ is always
a doubleton for her.
2.
What is Responder's point count on the following
auctions:
(a)
1♠:2♠
(b)
1♥:1NT:2♦:2♥
(c)
1♥:1♠:2♦:2♥
SAYC makes no distinctions between 3 and 4-card support for partner's major. 2/1 GF, on the other hand, differentiates between three and four card support for any Limit or game-forcing raise. For example, 1♥:3♥ and 1♠:3♠ both promise 4+card support. With only three card support, Responder will begin with a forcing 1NT and then bid Opener's major at the 3-level (e.g., 1♠:1NT:any:3♠ or 1♥:1NT:any:3♥).
This modern style is in sharp contrast to the Classical style, where a forcing 1NT response followed by 3-of-Opener's-major showed a flat hand, while the Limit raise (i.e 1♥:3♥ or 1♠:3♠) promised a ruffing value (void, singleton or doubleton).
Any Limit raise of Hearts tends to deny four
or more Spades, since we could bid 1♠ and then 3♥ to
show the Limit raise with 4+ Spades.
A x x x
K x x
A x x
x x x
K x x
x
x x x x x
A Q x x
K x x
x
x x x x x
Q x x x
Responder's strategy with 10-12 points and a flat hand which includes 2-card support for Opener's major is to reply 1NT and then rebid 2NT.
| Responder | J x
| K 10 x
| Q x x x
| A J 9 x
|
Responder's rebid with a flat 6-9 points is to bid to 2-of-Opener's major. If not playing Constructive Raises, this will always show only two-card support.
| Responder | Q x x
| Q x
| x x x
| K 10 x x x
|
Holding a long suit which is lower ranked that Opener's, Responder will reply 1NT and then introduce the suit, jumping with 10-12 if the suit is quite strong.
| Responder | x x
| x x x
| A Q J x x x
| x x
|
| Responder | x
| A K J 10 x x
| Q x x
| x x x
|
Passing or supporting Opener's minor will require 5+ cards, owing to the distinct possibility that Opener may have fewer than 4 for the 2♣ or 2♦ rebid. A raise of the minor will show 8-12 points opposite a 1♠ opening bid, 8-10 points opposite a 1♥ opening bid.
What, then, will Responder do with 11-12 points in support of 1♥ Opener's minor ? Here we see a Bonanza Bid (aka the "impossible" major). After 1♥:1NT:2♣ or 1♥:1NT:2♦, Responder can bid 2♠ to show 11-12 points in support of 1♥ Opener's minor. 2♠, of course, cannot be natural there, since Responder would have replied 1♠, not 1NT, with 4+ Spades.
| Responder | x x
| x
| A Q x x x
| A 10 x x x
|
We will also see this "impossible" major over 1♥:1NT:2♥, when a 3♥ rebid would show a strong balanced hand, 11-12 points, that includes Honour-x in Hearts. With a TRUE limit raise that includes 3-card support, Responder can rebid 2♠ over 1♥:1NT:2♥.
| Responder | x x x
| K J
| A Q x x x
| J x x
|
| Responder | A x x
| Q x x
| A x x x x
| x x
|
2/1-K, 2/1-Spectrum = the 6-card major.
2/1-Shep = the 4-card suit.
2. Do we play constructive raises ?
2/1-K, 2/1-Shep, 2/1-Spectrum = No.
3. With 5332 hand pattern, do we always rebid Two Clubs, or rebid our cheaper 3-card minor ?
2/1-K, 2/1-Shep, 2/1-Spectrum = 3 card minor.
4. Does an immediate Limit Raise promise 4 trump, or an unbalanced hand ?
2/1-K = an unbalanced hand.
2/1-Spectrum, 2/1-Shep = 4 trump.
5. How strong a hand do we need to respond 1♠ to 1♥ with three-card support for Hearts ?
2/1-K = minimum response.
2/1-Spectrum = 8+
2/1-Shep = 10+
|
|
K J x x
A x x
K x x
x x x
What would your response to 1♠ be ...
(2a) ... playing the modern style ?
(2b) ... playing the classical style ?
3. What do you rebid after 1♥:1NT:2♥ with:
| (3a) | A x
| Q x
| A 10 x x
| 9 x x x x
|
| (3b) | A x
| Q x x
| A 10 x x
| 9 x x x
|
4. After 1♥:1NT:2♦ what do you rebid with:
| (4a) | K Q x
| x x
| K 10 x x
| K Q x x
|
| (4b) | A x x
| x
| Q 10 x x
| J x x x x
|
| (4c) | x x
| x x
| Q 10 x x
| A J x x x
|
| (4d) | x x
| x x
| K Q x x x
| K 10 x x
|
| (4e) | J x x
| x
| K x x
| A Q 9 x x x
|
| (4f) | K x x
| J x x
| A x x x
| K x x
|