Forcing pass

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In the card game bridge, a forcing pass is an agreement or understanding that a pass call obliges the partner to bid, double, or redouble over an intermediate opposing pass, i.e. partner must "keep the bidding open".^[1]

... – (act) – Pass – (Pass) – ?

Here "..." represents any beginning to the auction. The forcing pass (bold) necessarily occurs directly over an opposing bid, double, or redouble (act). After a pass over a pass, the auction might end before partner's turn.

In other words, the partnership is committed to act somehow rather than to end the auction now; that is a precondition. The first, direct, "forcing pass" refers to partner the choice how to act. There is no commitment to accept partner's choice. Indeed, a forcing pass ensures that the auction will return to the one who issues it, so it may be interpreted as the first half of a two-step action by that player.

Normally double is natural where pass is forcing. That is, double suggests the current denomination and strain, doubled, as a final contract.

"Forcing pass" is also a synonym for strong pass, a conventional pass in first or second position that shows a strong hand and is "a form of opening bid" in effect.^[1] Strong pass systems are barred from many competitive events.^[2]