Monday, May 19, 2003 2:23 AM

Hand Evaluation – XYZ ( 2 Way NMF )

PITBULLS:

2 Way New Minor Forcing is not just a convention but a new way of thinking . The treatment is based on pure Bridge logic that all balanced hands should be rebid with some number of NT . Identifying a class of hands in that manner leads to more accurate bidding . This treatment also does not reveal much information to the opponents so it causes them lead problems. Flat hands do not play as well as distributional hands , so keeping them separate in bidding is just common sense . With flat hand opposite flat , you generally need the full 33 HCP to make a slam and 25 HCP to make a game . With distribution in the equation , slam and game thresholds are much lower.

This means up the line bidding by opener implies a distributional hand . This again is a huge advantage . 1♣-P-1♥-P with a rebid of 1♠ promises 5 or more clubs as all the flat hands are taken out of the equation . The only hurdle to overcome is make sure you find your 4-4 major fits when they exist. This is done in two ways . One is that with weak or invitational hands you bypass the diamond suit , so bid a major when partner opens 1♣. You find your major fit immediately that way .

The 2^Nd way your fit is found is by playing 2-way NMF ( XYZ ) over a 1NT rebid & something like Wolff relay after a 2NT rebid. This treatment ensures that a major fit will be found if there is one. The 2 way NMF uses the power of a relay & uses both minors intelligently. 2♦ is forcing to game NMF so that’s easy to handle with stand NMF understandings . The 2♣ relay handles all the invitational hands . The 2♣ bid also forces partner to bid 2♦ which can be passed as a decent partial whether she opened 1♦ or not . Bidding after the relay shows the invitational hands . 2♠ in this 2♣ auction shows specifically 4-4 in the majors so you have found your 4-4 spade fit . 2NT is invitational after the relay so this makes the direct 2NT bid redundant.

Therefore , we can define a direct 2NT raise is an either or bid . It is a relay to 3♣ which can be passed . When you bid after the club relay , you are showing a singleton with those impossible to describe 4-4-4-1 hands or 5-4 with 4 of partner’s minor. With the relay can you show all the invitational major invites at various levels. A jump in a major is still invitational after 2♣ but even more encouraging than at the two level with greater length.

Bidding all flat hands with a NT rebid , unleashes the power of the weak NT . Since the 1NT rebidder does not map out her major suit holding to the opponents, leads are blind . Since flat hands are identified right away , it prevents over competing or futile game tries as these hands do not play very well . It could also induce some unwary balancers to get into trouble by bidding one of the 1NT bidders majors . There are only advantages in adopting this way of thinking . This treatment makes you tougher to play against & makes your bidding more accurate . That is quite a combination !! Bidding up the line with balanced hands should be thrown out sometime in your Bridge development.