Improving 2/1 Game Force – PART III

IMPROVING 2/1 GAME FORCE – PARTE 3

This article is the third in a series about improving the effectiveness of 2/1 Game Force. The articles appeared first in the November 1993 and January 1994 issues of Canadian Masterpoint. 
In the first article I suggested using a natural, game-forcing 2NT response to a major suit opening bid. I further suggested using the cheapest jump shift (1-2 and 1-3) as forcing raises of the major suit that was opened (the hand you would normally bid Jacoby 2NT with). Here is the response structure I suggest for these raises. The emphasis is on opener describing his hand. Opener can always show whether or not he has extra trump length, extra values, as well as if and where he has shortness.

1. 1-2 – Opener’s responses:

   2NT	5 trumps, extra values, balanced
   3	Any minimum (but see 4 below)
   3	5 Trumps, extra values, unbalanced
   3	6+ Trumps, extra values, balanced
   3	6+ Trumps, extra values, singleton or void in spades
   3NT	Unused
   4	6+ Trumps, extra values, singleton or void in clubs
   4	6+ Trumps, extra values, singleton or void in diamonds
   4	6+ Trumps, minimum, balanced

• 1-3 – Opener’s responses:

  3	Any minimum (but see 4 below)
  3	5 Trumps, extra values, unbalanced
  3	6+ Trumps, extra values, balanced
  3NT	5 Trumps, extra values, balanced (forcing)
  4	6+ Trumps, extra values, singleton or void in clubs
  4	6+ Trumps, extra values, singleton or void in diamonds
  4	6+ Trumps, extra values, singleton or void in hearts
  4	6+ Trumps, minimum, balanced

  The following rules should make it pretty easy to remember the above. I think that if you learn the first 2 rules, the entire structure follows naturally from there.

  1. The cheapest suit bid shows any minimum except a balanced minimum with extra trump length (bid 4 of the major with that). All other bids show extra values.
  2. The next cheapest suit bid shows 5 trumps, extra values in an unbalanced hand.
  3. The cheapest no trump bid shows 5 trumps and extra values in a balanced hand.
  4. Rebidding your major at the 3 level shows extra values, extra trump length and no shortness.
  5. Jumps in new suits (or bidding 3 when hearts was opened) show shortness in the suit bid (like splinters) but also show extra values and extra trump length.

1. After Opener Bids the Cheapest Suit:

   The auction has gone:

   1	2	o	1	3
   3			3

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