Fourth Suit Forcing ... to Game
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BB What’s Standard? by David Lindop This series is based on Grant WEST EAST Standard, a set of conventions and ♠ 8 3 ♠ AQJ 5 agreements that are in popular use Fourth Suit Forcing ♥ 9 5 ♥ K Q 10 4 today, such a 15-17 1NT openings, ♦ K Q 10 8 3 ♦ J 7 five-card majors, and weak two- ... to Game ♣ A K J 4 ♣ 9 5 2 bids. A summary chart of Grant WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Standard and the corresponding WEST EAST 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass convention card can be found at ♠ — ♠ A 9 7 4 2 2♣ Pass ? www.AudreyGrant.com. The site ♥ J 10 6 2 ♥ K Q 7 3 There’s no need for East to bid 2♠ also has Grant Basic, a simpler set ♦ A Q 9 8 3 ♦ K 5 at this point. With four spades, West of agreements. ♣ K Q 7 3 ♣ J 4 would have rebid 1♠ rather than 2♣. Earlier articles in this series WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH West hasn’t shown support for hearts, appeared in the Bridge Bulletin and 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass so East has enough information to can also be found under ‘Articles’at ♣ ♥ 2 Pass 2 Pass decide HOW HIGH and WHERE the www.AudreyGrant.com. 3♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass partnership belongs. East can simply East doesn’t have to jump in jump to 3NT. s responder, we will usually hearts or jump to game in notrump However, there are many hands have enough information to ♥ on the rebid since 2 is natural and where responder is unsure HOW HIGH decide both HOW HIGH and A forcing. The partnership reaches the or WHERE to place the contract and WHERE the partnership belongs best spot. needs a forcing bid. ♠ 9 4 when it comes time to make our However, we can’t have things For example, sup- ♥ A J 9 6 5 2 second bid—responder’s rebid. We both ways. If a bid of the fourth suit pose we have this ♦ K 4 will have heard two bids describing is forcing, we have to be careful hand as East and ♣ AJ 5 the strength and distribution of when these are the combined hands: the auction begins: opener’s hand. WEST EAST WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH However, there will be times ♠ 5 ♠ A 9 7 4 2 ♦ ♥ ♥ ♥ 1 Pass 1 Pass when we still need more help from 8 6 2 Q 9 7 3 2♣ Pass ? opener before settling on the best ♦ A Q J 8 3 ♦ 10 5 contract. We need to make a forcing ♣ K Q 7 3 ♣ J 4 With 13 high-card points plus 2 length points for the six-card heart call; one that opener won’t pass. In WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH this article, we’ll look at the situa- ♦ ♠ suit, there is enough combined 1 Pass 1 Pass strength for game, but what game? tion when the auction has started 2♣ Pass ? ♥ with three suit bids. For example: We don’t want to jump to 4 since If we bid a forcing 2♥ on this partner may have a singleton or void WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH hand, West will have to bid again in hearts. We don’t want to jump to 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass and the partnership will get too ♣ 3NT since we have nothing in spades. 2 Pass ? high. Instead, we should simply give We may even belong in 5♣ or 5♦ if Fourth Suit preference back to partner’s first partner is very distributional. suit, 2♦, and settle for partscore... When the partnership has bid three To handle hands like these, most wishing partner good luck when we partnerships agree that responder’s suits, it’s generally agreed that put down the dummy! responder’s bid of the fourth suit is bid of the fourth suit is an artificial forcing. This follows the principle Fourth Suit Artificial forcing bid. It is also common to take this a step further and agree that a that a new suit by responder is Although there are times we’d like bid of the fourth suit is forcing to forcing. Of course, there are always to bid the fourth suit as natural and game. Some partnerships play it as exceptions. If responder has passed forcing—as with the East hand at only forcing for one round, but the initially, for example, a new suit the top of the column—we don’t agreement we will use is: response is no longer forcing. usually need it as a natural bid. When opener has already bid two suits, it’s So, without any special agreement, FOURTH SUIT FORCING opener and responder would have less likely that the partnership little difficulty bidding these two belongs in the fourth—unbid—suit. Responder’s bid of the fourth suit combined hands: Consider these two hands: is artificial and forcing to game. BETTER 14 BRIDGE VOL. 11, NO. 1 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 BB Let’s see how it works. Getting to Slam is not game forcing, simply forcing WEST EAST for one round. The auction would go: ♠ ♠ Fourth suit forcing sometimes helps 8 3 9 4 the partnership reach a good slam. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♥ Q 8 ♥ A J 9 6 5 2 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass ♦ ♦ WEST EAST A Q 10 8 3 K 4 ♠ ♠ 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass ♣ K Q 7 3 ♣ AJ 5 5 AKQ 8 3 ♥ Q J 9 7 3 ♥ 4 2♠ Pass Pass Pass WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♦ A Q 4 ♦ K 7 2 ...and the partnership reaches its 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass ♣ A J 8 3 ♣ K Q 10 7 best contract. If West doesn’t have a 2♣ Pass 2♠ Pass fit for spades, the partnership will ♥ ♥ WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 3 Pass 4 All Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass still reach its best spot: Since East’s 2♠ doesn’t promise ♣ ♦ WEST EAST 2 Pass 2 Pass ♠ ♠ anything in spades, West can’t bid 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass J9 4 10 7 3 2 ♥ KQJ 2 ♥ 9 5 notrump. Instead, West shows some 3♦ Pass 4NT Pass ♦ ♦ support for hearts. East won’t expect ♥ ♣ 6 3 A K J 7 5 5 Pass 6 All Pass ♣ A Q 7 2 ♣ 6 4 too much since West would have After West rebids 2♣, East is raised right away with four-card— interested in slam, but a raise to 3♣ WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH or perhaps three-card—support. 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass would not be forcing and a jump to ♥ ♠ East can now choose the best game. 4♣ or 4NT might take the partnership 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass Pass Pass WEST EAST beyond the best contract of 3NT. So, ♠ ♠ Of course, responder could have a AJ 10 9 4 East bids the fourth suit and follows ♠ ♥ 8 ♥ A J 9 6 5 2 up with a forcing bid of 3♣. West much stronger hand to bid 1 : ♦ ♦ WEST EAST A Q 8 5 3 K 4 shows some interest in slam by cue- ♠ ♠ ♣ Q 10 7 3 ♣ AJ 5 bidding diamonds, and the partnership Q J 9 4 K 10 7 3 ♥ KQJ 2 ♥ 9 5 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH is then on its way to the best spot. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♥ 6 3 A K J 7 5 1 Pass 1 Pass An Exception ♣ A 9 7 ♣ K 4 2♣ Pass 2♠ Pass ♥ Even if the partnership plays fourth WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 2NT Pass 3 Pass ♣ ♦ 3NT Pass Pass Pass suit forcing to game, there are 1 Pass 1 Pass exceptions. One is when responder is 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass With strength in spades, West can a passed hand and presumably does- 2♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass suggest notrump after the artificial n’t have enough strength to force 2♠ bid. East can rebid the hearts to What if the auction begins the same ♥ the partnership to game. Another is way and responder doesn’t have show the extra length. East’s 3 bid that a rebid of 1♠ by responder is is forcing, since the fourth suit bid four spades but wants to make a forcing, but not forcing to game. To forcing bid? Most partnerships play committed the partnership to game. see why, consider these two hands: that a jump to 2♠ is the artificial West still prefers notrump, and the fourth suit forcing in this situation. best contract is reached. WEST EAST ♠ Q J 9 4 ♠ 10 7 3 2 WEST EAST WEST EAST ♥ KQJ 2 ♥ 9 5 ♠ Q J 9 4 ♠ 8 2 ♠ 8 3 ♠ 9 4 ♦ 6 3 ♦ A K J 7 5 ♥ KQJ 2 ♥ A 9 5 ♥ — ♥ A J 9 6 5 2 ♣ A 9 7 ♣ 6 4 ♦ 6 3 ♦ A K J 7 5 ♦ ♦ A Q 9 5 3 2 K 4 Suppose the auction begins: ♣ A 9 7 ♣ Q 5 4 ♣ K Q 10 7 3 ♣ AJ 5 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♥ Pass ? 1♥ Pass 2♠ Pass ♣ ♠ 2 Pass 2 Pass In some partnerships, East might 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass bypass diamonds and respond right East has enough for game but 4♦ Pass 5♣ All Pass away in the four-card major. However, doesn’t want to jump to 3NT with Over the fourth suit bid, West this is not the standard approach, nothing in spades. East makes an rebids the clubs to show at least five especially when the diamonds are artificial ‘fourth suit’ jump to 2♠.