New Minor Forcing — BidMaestro

The problem it solves

Take an auction like 1♦ – 1♥ – 1NT, where the 1NT rebid shows a balanced 12–14. Responder may hold a five-card heart suit, or four spades, and enough for game, but opener’s 1NT rebid could still be concealing three-card heart support or four spades. A raise or a jump to notrump would be guessing; New Minor Forcing finds out first.

The ask

Responder bids the other minor — the one neither partner has shown naturally (2♣ after a 1♦ opening, 2♦ after a 1♣ opening). It is entirely artificial and says nothing about that minor. In BidMaestro it promises 10 or more high-card points and one of two shapes worth checking:

a five-card major, looking for three-card support and a 5–3 fit; or
exactly four cards in the other major, looking for a 4–4 fit.

How BidMaestro answers

Opener shows any major fit first, then pins down the strength:

Two of the other major: Four cards in the other major — a possible 4–4 fit, shown ahead of anything else. Responder with four of that major raises it; with a five-card major of its own, responder rebids three of it with 10 to 12 high-card points (an invitation: opener bids game with three-card support and 14 or more points counting shortness), or bids 3NT with 13 or more, which opener converts to four of the major with three-card support.
Responder’s major, with three-card support: Two of the major shows 12–13 high-card points; a jump to three of the major shows 14. Over two of the major, responder with a five-card major bids game with 13 or more points counting shortness and extra trumps, and passes with fewer than 13; over the jump to three of the major, responder bids game with 10 or more points counting shortness.
No major fit: Repeating the opened minor shows 12–13; 2NT shows 14. Responder then places the contract: over 2NT, 3NT with 10 or more high-card points; over the repeated minor, 3NT with 13 or more high-card points.

In BidMaestro, opener’s 2NT rebid shows 14 and the no-fit hand with 12–13 repeats the opened minor. Some partnerships play it the other way round: the cheapest rebid is the minimum and a jump the maximum. Be sure which scheme your partnership has agreed.

Over a 2NT rebid too

The same checkback works after opener’s stronger 2NT rebid, the balanced 18–19 hand. In 1♦ – 1♥ – 2NT – 3♣, the 3♣ bid asks the same question a level higher, looking for a 4–4 or 5–3 major fit before settling in 3NT. Opener answers the same way, four of the other major first. If that is the answer, responder with a five-card major bids three of it, showing five; opener raises to game with three-card support, otherwise bids 3NT.

With New Minor Forcing turned off, BidMaestro bids naturally over the 2NT rebid. Three of responder’s own major shows six cards; three of the other major shows four. Both force to game. Opener raises to game with a fit (two cards are enough opposite six, four are needed opposite four), otherwise bids 3NT. With neither hand, responder simply bids 3NT.

When it does not apply

A fourth-suit-style bid at the one level is not New Minor Forcing: the convention is specifically the unbid minor after a notrump rebid. If opener has rebid a suit rather than notrump, responder’s tools are different.

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