[biggerclub]

Matchpoints. Club Game. I open 1♦. Partner responds 1♠. I rebid 1NT. Partner's second bid is 2♥. We play NMF.

Can I pass:

---

I am a bit embarrassed to be asking this question as I don't consider myself a beginner or a novice. But I think this is a beginner/novice question.

[biggerclub]

 biggerclub, on 2014-September-19, 20:30, said:

Matchpoints. Club Game. I open 1♦. Partner responds 1♠. I rebid 1NT. Partner's second bid is 2♥. We play NMF.

Can I pass:

---

I am a bit embarrassed to be asking this question as I don't consider myself a beginner or a novice. But I think this is a beginner/novice question.

Bill Root ("Bridge Conventions Complete") labels this auction weak and sign-off. P. 62.

[Cascade]

Definitely allowed to pass in all standard systems.

[neilkaz]

This specific auction playing NMF is how responder handles a weak hand with 5♠ and 4 or 5♥. I pass and let him play the 4-4 or possible 4-5 fit.

[the hog]

A good rule of thumb is that as opener has limited her hand with the 1NT bid, this is nf.

[kenrexford]

2H doesn't force a pass. While a 1NT rebid is limited and narrow in HCP, it's not as narrow in cover cards.

You have 13 HCP. That's an insufficient analysis opposite an unbalanced partner. Imagine 5512 shape to understand why.

if you have xx-xxxx-AKJx-KQJ, you have about two cover cards, with a nice doubleton.

If you have Ax-KQxx-xxxx-Axx, you have 4 covers and the nice doubleton.

You can even have x-KQxx-Axxx-Axxx, which is close to six covers.

Thus, there are hands where you can bid again.

[kenrexford]

The actual hand is poor. Think about the unknown diamond values from partner's perspective. If he is borderline, would he tend to be aggressive with 5530 but passive with 5503? His 2H instead of 3H suggests that if he has extras he tends to be 5503.

Ax-Axxx-Xxxx-KQx is better, in this context, as an example.

[biggerclub]

Partner thought her bid was forcing (new suit by responder). She had a 3 card ♥ suit and was trying to manufacture a forcing bid.

I didn't know, but I did know that 2♣ would have been at least a one round force.

Oh well, it was not the only bidding misunderstanding of the day, nor even the worst.

[m1cha]

 biggerclub, on 2014-September-19, 20:30, said:

Matchpoints. Club Game. I open 1♦. Partner responds 1♠. I rebid 1NT. Partner's second bid is 2♥. We play NMF.

Can I pass:

---

A downright classical battle! Should ... 1♠ ... 2♥ by responder be weak or not? Bidding a new suit is usually forcing, but in this special case most people seem to feel yes, you should be able to reach 2♥ with a 4-4 fit even with weak hands, and this sequence is how to get there. Actually one good reason for playing NMF or Checkback Stayman is that you can bid both majors with a weak hand, and if you have more points, you force in a minor and let opener suggest ♥.

One problem is however, if opener rebids 2♦ rather than 1NT, NMF cannot be used. Then you may want to use 2♥ to force opener, and not play it weak. Maybe your partner mixed that up.

So then, since the weak rebid of 2♥ by responder is lost after 1♦ ... 2♦ from opener, some people play the jump bid 1♦ - 2♥ as weak and 5-4 in ♠ and ♥. Only after a 1♦ opening, not after 1♣. If you have such an agreement in place, then 1♦ - 1♠ - 1NT - 2♥ must be something else, so it is probably strong, well, or 5-5, or whatever you make it. Anyway, in the absence of such a special agreement, playing NMF, 2♥ over 1NT is usually considered weak.