Forcing bid

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In the card game bridge, a forcing bid, is a bid that obliges partner to ensure the forcing bidder will get another chance to bid. This means that after a forcing bid and a pass of the opponent, partner has to make a bid other than pass. Such a forcing bid is referred to as forcing for one round. A stronger variant is a bid that is forcing and promises a rebid. Yet stronger are game forcing bids. Following such a bid, the partnership (assuming opponents do not intervene) is not allowed to pass below game level.

All bridge bidding systems utilise forcing bids. For instance, one-over-one bids and two-over-one bids are all treated as forcing in virtually any bidding system. Also, introducing a new suit at three level is generally treated as forcing provided this bid is made in a non-limited hand. The main reason why it is necessary to have certain bids in the system designed as forcing is to allow the partnership to start a dialogue exploring for the right contract.

One of the essentials of a good bridge partnership is a thorough understanding and agreement on which bids are forcing. This is no easy territory, as may be exemplified by the fact that in certain auctions even a pass can be forcing (see Forcing pass).

Some bidding situations for which one is advised to discuss the forcing character (non-forcing, round forcing or forcing to a specified level) with partner:

• responses to preempts
• responses to overcalls
• various responses to a reverse bid of opener
• 2NT in competitive bidding situations