[MickyB]

After the uncontested auction,

1♦:1♥,
2♣:2NT

is it normal/better to play bids as forcing or NF? What does bidding the 4th suit show?

What about

1♦:1♥,
1♠:2NT?

Assume that 1♠ showed an unbalanced hand if it makes a difference.

To me it seems that everything, with the (possible) exception of opener rebidding his lower ranking suit, must be GF. Maybe bidding the 4th suit should show extra length in the lower ranking suit with a GF hand?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

2NT is natural showing 10-12 bal
in both seq. and NF.

Playing 4th suit as invitational bidding
the 4th suit asks for 3 card support,
stopper are starts a slam seq.

Open for discussion:

1C - 1D
1H - 1S

Playing 5 card mayor, it make sense to play 1S
as natural and the jump to 2S as 4th suit,
playing 4 card mayor, ... 1S it makes probably
more sense (symmetric reasons) to play 1S as 4th suit
and the jump as a GF 2-suiter.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: In the US it is more common to play 4th suit as GF,
I learned to play Bridge in Ireland, and I learned to play
the 4th suit as inv.+
Playing 4th suit as inv.+ needs more discussion / is more
complicate, but is probably best.

[awm]

I prefer three of opener's second suit to be non-forcing. The issue is that people open a lot of weakish 5-5 and 6-5 hands, and usually 2NT is not a great contract on these hands.

Three of responder's major is definitely forcing; with a weaker hand including three-card support opener would've raised at first turn, and trying to play a 4-3 fit at the three-level seems kind of silly to begin with. Using the fourth suit to show slam interest and/or concern about notrump with a maximum 5-5 hand seems reasonable as well.

Edit: I guess I mean two of opener's lower-ranking suit NF, in the case of 1m-1♥-1♠-2NT.

[whereagles]

MickyB, on Mar 16 2006, 04:59 PM, said:

To me it seems that everything, with the (possible) exception of opener rebidding his lower ranking suit, must be GF.

Rebidding the lowest suit should show a broken suit(s) and min hand, and the rest can be natural and GF, yes.

Of course, you can make heavy weather out of these sequences, but your ideas are natural, simple and effective, so you don't need to 'invent' useless gadgets here.

[cherdano]

First I like the default agreement that after a natural, game invitational bid all bids are game forcing, unless otherwise discussed. This covers 1x-1y-2N with no system agreed, or 1x-1y-3x, or 1x-1y-blah-3y.

However, after discussion I would prefer, like Adam, that opener can rebid a 5-5 non-forcing. I could be persuaded either way about 1m-1♥-1♠-2N-3m but would take it as forcing undiscussed.

Fourth suit should show doubt about strain.

Arend

[jdeegan]

2NT really has to be nonforcing showing 10-12HCP, else you have a serious lacuna in your bidding structure.

[keylime]

Ditto Adam's comments.

[pclayton]

1. See NSI
2. See XYZ

[joshs]

A treatment following an INV 2N bid by responder:

Case 1: 3 suited auction, openers second suit is lower ranking than first (e.g.
1H-1S-2C-2N):
Opener's second suit is NF, 5-5
Rebid of opener's first suit is Forcing, 6-4
rebid of responder's suit is forcing (5431ish)
Bidding the 4'th suit is forcing 5-5

Case 2: 3 suited auction, openers second suit is lower ranking than first:
(E.G. 1C-1H-1S-2N)
Opener's second suit is forcing, 6-5
Opener's first suit is NF, 6-4
Responder's suit id forcing 5431ish
4'th suit is forcing 6-4

Case 3: 2 Suited auction, both by opener, NOT both majors
(E.G. 1S-1N(forcing)-2D-2N)
Rebid of Opener's first suit=6-4 forcing
Rebid of Opener's Second suit=5-5 NF
Bid of LOWER Unbid=Any 5431 forcing (then relay to find the fragment LH)
Bid of Higher Unbid=5-5 forcing)

Case 4: 1S-1N-2H-2N
3C: 6-4 forcing or 5-5 forcing (3D asks which)
3D: ANY 5431 Forcing, 3H asks frag: LH
3H:5-5 NF
3S:6-4 NF