New minor forcing
New Minor Forcing (often abbreviated NMF), is a bridge convention in which responder's bid of a previously unbid minor over a no trump rebid by opener (generally 1NT) is artificial and used primarily when looking for three-card support for a five-card major. It shows an unlimited hand with at least invitational values (about 11HCP) and can be used on hands anywhere from inviting game to slam going; it is a forcing bid which asks partner for further information on his shape and strength.
In the following auctions, in which the opponents Pass throughout, the rebids by responder are New Minor Forcing.
| Opener | Responder |
|---|---|
| 1♣ | 1♥/♠ |
| 1NT | 2♦ |
| Opener | Responder |
|---|---|
| 1♦ | 1♥/♠ |
| 1NT | 2♣ |
Examples
Hands suitable for use of the New Minor Forcing convention are as follows:
Given the auction: 1♦ – 1♥; 1NT – 2♣ (NMF)
- ♠ Ax ♥ KQxxx ♦ Qxx ♣ xxx : interested in either a game or part score, in either hearts or notrump
- ♠ Axx ♥ AKxx ♦ AQxxx ♣ J : expecting to play a slam, possibly a grand slam, in either diamonds or notrump
- ♠ Ax ♥ KQJ10x ♦ xx ♣ AQJx : there's no rule that you can't actually have the suit you bid
Given the auction: 1♣ – 1♠; 1NT – 2♦ (NMF)
- ♠ Axxxx ♥ KQx ♦ Axxx ♣ J : planning to force to game, in either spades or notrump
- ♠ Axxxx ♥ KQx ♦ x ♣ Axxx : looking for spade support because if partner has three it may play better than no trump, and clubs may also be an option
- ♠ AKxxx ♥ KQxx ♦ x ♣ Axx : unsure for the right denomination to play, the hand could play game in spades, hearts, no trump or clubs
When playing this convention, jump rebids by responder are typically played as invitational, as NMF can be used with hands wishing to force to game. For example, on the auction above, a 3♥ bid would be used with a hand such as ♠ Kxx ♥ AQ10xxx ♦ xx ♣ xx, to show an interest in game, but only in hearts.
If you're playing New Minor Forcing, the auction: 1♦ – 1♠; 1NT – 3♥ shows a 5 card heart suit and at least 5 spades with a game-going hand Without New Minor Forcing you may bid 3♥ on something like ♠ AKxxx ♥ KQxx ♦ x ♣ Axx
Also the auction: 1♦ – 1♠; 1NT – 2♥ can show a hand with 5 spades and 4 or 5 hearts with no interest in game
Opener's rebid shows both shape and strength. Although there is variation among partnerships regarding the priority of suits to show, a common agreement is that first priority is to show secondary support for responder's suit, then four cards in the other major, then additional length in a minor, with a jump to show a maximum.
Given the auction:
- 1♦ – 1♥; 1NT – 2♣ (NMF)
Opener's third bids and their meanings would be:
- 2♦ – minimum, usually five diamonds, without three hearts
- 2♥ – minimum, three hearts (generally with a balanced hand or weak trumps, as most experts will raise immediately with decent trumps and some shape)
- 2♠ – minimum, four spades (rare, as opener would usually have bid 1♠ a round earlier, except perhaps with a hand such as ♠ 10xxx ♥ AJ ♦ K10xx ♣ KQx
- 2NT – minimum, no extra shape (most often 3-2-4-4, by inference)
Bids at the three level show similar hands, but with a maximum. The meanings of the strength ranges are dependent on a partnership's opening-bid style, as well as its notrump range. Assuming a Standard American 15-17 1NT, a minimum would typically be 12-13 HCP and a maximum would be 14 HCP or some very good 13 HCP hands.
A similar scheme can be applied after opener's 2NT rebid, which typically shows 18-19 HCP: bid of a new minor is forcing by responder (although lesser values are required), and the opener shows the distribution in the same manner. The opener should not jump-rebid at the four level in this case, so as to not skip 3NT (responder's NMF doesn't generally guarantee 5-card major or 4-4 in majors).