The Forcing Pass

 

What is a Forcing Pass?

 

Simply put, if we are in a strong auction such that we cannot contemplate the opponents playing the hand without being doubled, the we are in a Forcing Pass situation.  For example, consider this auction:

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        Pass    2♦        4♥       

??

 

If that 2♦ bid is game-forcing, for example, then surely Opener can pass in the safe knowledge that Partner will not also pass.

 

What’s the benefit of having available a Forcing Pass?  It gives us a third option in competitive auctions.  In the auction above, not only can South double or bid something, he can also pass, expressing uncertainty.  When is the Forcing Pass in effect?

 

                        Rule # 1:         If we have established a game force, then the Forcing Pass

                                                is in effect.

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        Pass    2NT     4♥

??                                            If North’s 2NT is the Jacoby 2NT, showing a game-forcing

                                                Spade raise, then a Pass by South here is game forcing.

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        2♦        2♥        4♦

??                                            North’s 2/1 in competition shows some decent values, but

                                                it is not normally played as game-forcing.  So, this

                                                sequence does not create a Forcing Pass situation.

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        3♥        4♠        5♥

??                                            The Forcing Pass is not in effect in this auction.  Bidding

                                                game is not the same as “establishing a game force”.  North

                                                has merely taken a stab at 4♠ (perhaps preemptively), she

                                                has not created a force.

 

                        Rule # 2:         A direct raise in competition does not create a Forcing Pass

                                                situation.

 

The corollary to Rule # 2 is that if we want to create a force in a competitive auction we must avail ourselves of a cue-bid.

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        3♥        4♥        5♥

??                                            North’s cue-bid established a game force, and so the

                                                Forcing Pass is in effect.  If North had just bid 4♠ directly

                                                (as in the previous auction), it would be a direct raise and

                                                there would be no force.

 

South   West    North   East

            1♦        1♠        2♦

3♦        Pass    3♠        4♦

??                                            South’s 3♦ showed Spade support and some values, but it

                                                was forcing only to 3♠.  E-W have bid on to the 4-level, but

                                                N-S is under no obligation to do likewise.

 

South   West    North   East

            1♦        1♠        2♦

3♦        Pass    3♠        Pass

4♠        5♦        ??                    But here the game was freely bid … first South showed

                                                values, then she bid the game showing extras.  So the force

                                                is on here. 

 

In that last auction, North showed a minimum overcall when she bid 3♠ and then her Forcing Pass of 5♦ showed uncertainty as to whether N-S should be defending 5♦ doubled or playing in 5♠.  Presumably she has an offensively oriented hand (albeit a minimum one), maybe something like this:

                                                ♠ KQ753

                                                ♥ A32

                                                ♦ 8

                                                ♣ T965

 

                        Rule # 3:         When Partner forces us to a certain level, then bidding

                                                directly to that level shows weakness.

 

South   West    North   East

            1♠        2♥        Dbl

2♠        3♣       ??                    South’s 2♠ was forcing to 3♥, so North has the option of

                                                of passing as a form of encouragement (South cannot Pass

                                                3♣), or bidding 3♥ directly which is the most discouraging

                                                bid she can make.

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        Pass    2♣       3♥

??                                            But don’t let Rule # 3 create confusion in this situation!

                                                Bidding 3♠ here is not a sign of weakness, nor of strength

                                                for that matter, it merely shows something extra in the

                                                Spade department.  Pass here would be forcing, of course,

                                                a hand which has nothing worth saying at this point.

 

Splinter Raises and Fit Jumps

 

South   West    North   East

1♥        Pass    4♣       4♠

??                                            If North’s 4♣ is a Splinter in support of Hearts, should

                                                South’s Pass of 4♠ be considered forcing?  We suggest

                                                that it is, if only for the sake of simplicity.  After all, the

                                                auction does pass Rule # 1.

 

South   West    North   East

            1♠        2♥        2♠

4♦        4♠        ??                    Some pairs play that the 4♦ bid is a Fit Jump, showing

                                                Diamonds and a Spade fit.  Again, to keep things as

                                                simple as possible, let’s play this as another Forcing

                                                Pass situation, in deference to Rule # 1.

 

Some pairs play that, after our Splinter or Fit Jump, the Forcing Pass is only on if the opponents bid to the 5-level.  A bit of added complexity for those who want it.

 

Limit Raise Situations

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        Pass    3♠        4♦

??                                            3♠ was a Limit Raise, no force has been established.

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        Pass    3♠        4♦

4♠        5♦        ??                   

 

According to the Rules so far, there is no force in this last auction … 3♠ was not forcing, and 4♠ was bid competitively.  However, when our side has the majority of the points, and when they bid beyond a certain level, there comes a point when we should be doubling them.

 

                        Rule # 4:         If our side has invitational values, and the opponents bid to

                                                the 5-level, then we are in a Forcing Pass situation.

 

So, in the last auction, N-S had the option of passing out 4♦ undoubled.  But, they did not have the option of passing out 5♦ undoubled.  Here’s an auction we saw earlier:

 

South   West    North   East

1♠        2♦        2♥        4♦

??                                           

 

No force has been established, but N-S do have an opening hand opposite invitational values.  So, passing 4♦ is non-forcing, but, if East had bid 5♦ instead, then Pass would be forcing as per Rule # 4.

 

Vulnerability

 

The Forcing Pass is most useful when we are Red vs White.  That is the situation where the opponents often compete to a high level against us, and where we are most likely to be confronted with 5-level decisions in particular.  Consequently, some partnerships tweak their rules such that they are more Forcing-Pass-oriented at favorable vulnerability.  We don’t recommend that except for the most sophisticated of partnerships where both players have elephantine memories.  “Keep it simple!” is our motto, those 4 Rules are plenty for us.

 

A Case Study

 

Here’s a most relevant hand from The Wednesday Game of November 22^nd, 2006, Board 6.

 

 

Here’s one route that the auction might take:

 

West    North   East     South

                        1♣       1♠

2♥        4♠       5♥        Pass

Pass    Pass

 

E-W missed an excellent Heart slam, and West must have been sorely tempted to bid it.  But give some credit to North for that 4♠ bid, she was bidding one more than she usually would based on the favorable vulnerability.  But, suppose that South had been more aggressive, as follows:

 

West    North   East     South

                        1♣       1♠

2♥        4♠       5♥        5♠

??

 

According to the Rules above, E-W were allowed to pass 4♠, they were merely in a game-invitational auction (and one without a fit), and the opponents were not yet at the 5-level.  But they were not allowed to pass out 5♠, they either had to double or go on to 6♥.  West has a highly slammish hand but maybe not quite enough to bid it unilaterally.  It’s a perfect hand for a Forcing Pass!  It says “I’m torn between trying 6♥ and taking the money in 5♠ doubled, so you make the decision”.  We think that when East receives that message he should push on to 6♥.

 

Here’s another variation on the theme:

 

West    North   East     South

                        1♣       1♠

2♥       3♠        4♥        4♠

??

 

A Forcing Pass situation?  Again, there is no force on when they bid 4♠, because E-W have not shown game values, they have merely bid game in competition.  So West must take action himself here, and no doubt should try Blackwood.  The Forcing Pass is a most useful weapon but weapons sometimes backfire.  How embarrassing if West passed 4♠, thinking it was a Forcing Pass, and East also (feebly) passed … instead of +1430, they’ll collect +100 for beating 4♠ two tricks.

 

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