This variation of the concept has been contributed by Mr. Martin Gellman. The addition of Mr. Martin Gellman to the New Minor Forcing convention is presented due to the understanding of certain partnership agreements. The idea behind this simplified form is readily understood and should be made available to the bridge players, who use different interpretations of the auction to mean different things. A convention is only good as its understanding by two bridge players and the application thereof.

Note: An authored article by Mr. Martin Gellman was published in The Bridge Bulletin in the issue of April, 1999. The article is presented unchanged at the bottom of this web page.

Principle of the Simplified Concept

Very often two bridge partners start a bidding sequence with one of the Minor suits. The opposing side remains silent and does not compete. The responder bids 1 Spade, the opener rebids 1 No Trump implying insufficient support, and the responder rebids the other unbid Minor suit.

For example:

Opener		Responder
1		1
1 NT		2

According to the partnership agreement, there are several options open to the opener, but the options supplied by the Simplified New Minor Forcing by Mr. Martin Gellman are as follows:

1.	With a 4-card Heart suit and minimum values, the opener rebids 2 Hearts.
2.	With a 4-card Heart suit and maximum values, the opener rebids 3 Hearts.

The next bid by the responder then sets the contract and the auction is over.

If the responder rebids, in the above example, 3 Diamonds or 4 Diamonds, depending on the rebid of the opener, then the auction is not over. The responder has, according to the understanding of the Simplified New Minor Forcing convention, begun a cuebidding sequence and opener may not pass.

Note: The following applies is the second rebid of the opener is 2 Spades or 3 Spades:

1.	With a 3-card Spade suit and minimum values, the opener rebids 2 Spades.
2.	With a 3-card Spade suit and maximum values, the opener rebids 3 Spades.

If the opener does not have either a 4-card Heart suit nor a 3-card Spade suit, the opener has the following options:

1.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 Diamonds showing a minimum.
2.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 Diamonds showing a maximum.
3.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 No Trump showing a minimum.
4.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 No Trump showing a maximum.
5.	If the opening was 1 Club and the opener does not meet the above requirements of a 4-card Spade suit or 3-card Heart suit, the opener will rebid 2 No Trump with a minimum or 3 No Trump with a maximum.

If the opener has both a 4-card Heart suit and a 3-card Spade suit, then the opener rebids simply 3 of the New Minor suit. In the example above, the auction would be as follows:

Opener		Responder
1		1
1 NT		2
3

The responder then bids 3 Hearts with a 3-card Heart support or rebid 3 Spades, depending on his values. The opener, not having shown his values yet, will end the auction with a minimum, or raise to game with a maximum.

The following two auctions serve to illustrate the principle.

Opener		Responder					Opener		Responder
1		1					1		1
1 NT		2					1 NT		2

Once the Simplified New Minor Forcing option is triggered, then the opener has two options presented below.

1.	With a 3-card Heart suit and minimum values, the opener rebids 2 Hearts.
2.	With a 3-card Heart suit and maximum values, the opener rebids 3 Hearts.

If the opener has less than a 3-card Heart support, then his options are the same as above in the other auction, which is here repeated:

1.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 Diamonds showing a minimum.
2.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 5-card plus Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 Diamonds showing a maximum.
3.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 2 No Trump showing a minimum.
4.	If the opening was 1 Diamond and the opener holds 4-card Diamond suit, the opener rebids 3 No Trump showing a maximum.
5.	If the opening was 1 Club and the opener does not meet the above requirements of a 4-card Spade suit or 3-card Heart suit, the opener will rebid 2 No Trump with a minimum or 3 No Trump with a maximum.

These are the options open to the opener and responder with the Simplified New Minor Forcing convention, but it is highly recommended that the responder has values of at least 11 high card points or more before initiating the Simplified New Minor Forcing convention. Otherwise, the contract could get too high.

Following is the article authored by Mr. Martin Gellman in The Bridge Bulletin published in April 1999, page 73.

After a bidding sequence of 1 or a minor - 1 Spade: 1 NT-2 of the new minor, opener has these options:

1.	With four hearts opener bids 2 Hearts with a minimum or 3 Hearts with a maximum. Responder's next bid places the contract unless he rebids the new minor suit (the beginning of a cuebidding sequence).
2.	With three spades opener bids 2 Spades with a minimum or 3 Spades with a maximum.
3.	With neither four hearts nor three spades opener has these options:
	a.	If his opening bid was 1 Diamond and he holds a five or more, he bids 2 Diamonds with a minimum or 3 Diamonds with a maximum. If he has only four, he bids 2 NT with a minimum or 3 NT with a maximum.
	b.	If his opening bid was 1 Club, he bids 2 NT with a minimum or 3 NT with a maximum.
4.	With both four hearts and three spades opener bids three of the new minor suit. Responder will rebid 3 Hearts with four hearts or rebid 3 Spades. Opener will pass with a minimum or raise to game with a maximum.
5.	With three hearts opener bids 2 Hearts with a minimum or 3 Hearts with a maximum.
6.	With only two hearts opener bids as in #3.
	Note: It is recommended the responder hold 11 or more high card points in order to start a SNMF sequence.

This is the end of the article.

 

 

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.