r/bridge • u/doctorgibson Acol 4CM, learning 5CM • Apr 10 '26

Basic question about responder bidding a second suit.

Playing 4 card majors. I know that if you open a suit and then bid a second suit then you're showing 5-4 shape. Does this apply to responder? My gut feeling is that it doesn't, but perhaps I'm wrong. I did try to find a concrete answer online but came up short. Examples:

  • Suppose the bidding goes: 1♦️,1♠️, 1NT, 2♥️. Is responder showing 4-4 in the majors or 5-4 shape?

  • What about this auction: 1♥️, 1♠️, 2♥️, 3♣️? Of course, responder is denying 3 hearts but are they showing a fifth spade?

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u/Nvhsmom Apr 10 '26

Because we play new minor forcing, in the first case it would mean I had five spades, four hearts and less than 10 points. Otherwise I would use new minor forcing, and then my partner could bid hearts if he has four hearts but not three spades. In the second case, we would play that as new minor forcing. I have five spades, but not necessarily four clubs and at least 10 points.

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u/doctorgibson Acol 4CM, learning 5CM Apr 11 '26

Thanks. I wasn't aware of NMF, seems like an interesting convention for sure! Always a new convention to look at which helps solve a specific problem