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BRIDGE ARTICLE
2/1 – 1NT FORCING RESPONSE
CONTEXT: In 2/1, as in many modern 5-card major systems, an initial response of 1NT by an unpassed hand to an opening bid of 1♥ or 1♠ is agreed to be forcing for one round.
Example:
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | Pass | 1NT |
REQUIREMENTS: The 1NT bidder will have as little as 5 HCP (usually with an ace) or as much as 13 HCP (although the range will usually only be 5-11 with 12 and 13 HCP points that should respond 1NT being relatively rare.
The 1NT responder to 1♥ will not have 4+ ♠’s – he can always respond 1♠ with that hand if no immediate raise of ♥’s is available.
COMPARISON
| OLD STANDARD | NEW 2/1 |
| - 6-9 HCP | * 5-13 HCP (usually 11 or less) |
| - Not forcing – frequently passed | * 100% forcing 1 round – never passed |
| - Denies support for Opener | * May and often will have real support; 3-card support with 10-12 HCP 3- or 4-card support with 5-7 HCP |
EXAMPLES: The following hands would all qualify for a 1NT forcing response to an opening bid of 1S if the Responder is an unpassed hand:
| ♠Axx | ♠x | ♠Kxx | ♠xx | ♠x | ♠x |
| ♥Kxxx | ♥AQxxx | ♥xx | ♥AJxx | ♥xx | ♥AQxxxxx |
| ♦xx | ♦KJx | ♦QJx | ♦Kxxx | ♦KQxxx | ♦xx |
| ♣KJxx | ♣Jxx | ♣xxxxx | ♣KJx | ♣KQxxx | ♣xxx |
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