On Fri, 16 May 2008 20:04:05 -0700 (PDT), patpowerss...@gmail.com
:  In an uncontested auction then new suit forcing is a simple rule that
:  works quite well.  The system I play has a few exceptions that seldom
:  arise so I'd stick with new suit forcing.

Definately, and the exceptions should probably be discussed and
introduced one by one.  Making a manageable rules to cover the
exceptions sound infeasible.

I am not sure I agree with `seldom' though.
  1N - 2H (natural) is normally to play
  1H - 1S ; 2C is often NF, although it takes a very bad hand to pass
  1H - 1N; 2H - 3D has to be NF if bid at all.
Over a wk 2 both NF and F new suit are common.

:  With overcalls I don't know a simple rule.  Certainly the first
:  overcall is never forcing, if you want to force then double or cue
:  bid.  One hard case is the responding to the first overcall when RHIO
:  passes.  Take (1D) 1S 2C.  Is that 2C forcing  or not?  Or should it
:  be  (1D) 1S 3C that is forcing?  Or should the only forcing response
:  be a cue bid?  Is that forcing for one round or to game?
:
:  I'll take a stab at a simple rule for contested auctions.  New suit is
:  forcing unless both opponents are showing cards.

And an improvement to that rule would probably have to be based on
a good partnership understanding of overcall strength, cuebid strength,
etc.  Picking up a general rule on whether a new suit is forcing or not
is only going to help if compatible rules are used for all other bids
as well.

--
:-- Hans Georg                             http://www.ii.uib.no/~georg/

`This Universe never did make sense; I suspect that it was built
on government contract.'                                     (Heinlein)