CONVENTIONS FOR THE ADVANCED PLAYER:

THE BRIDGE FORUM INTERNATIONAL

FOUR SUIT TRANSFERS AND OTHER 'TOYS'

Firstly, a word about the primary objectives of this course. Many of you will already play some of the methods we outline, but hopefully even in those cases you will pick up a wrinkle here and there that will enable you to improve on your current structures. We also expect to lead you down some brand new roads. Even if you do not agree with all of the solutions we propose, at least we will have achieved our first target, and that is to get you thinking about ways to handle more hand types.

These days it is rare to come across a partnership that does not play Jacoby transfers over a 1NT opening. For many though, that is the extent of their use of transfers. Of course, they are missing out on one of the great innovations in the game. In this lesson we'll present you with various ways to utilize all of the extra bids transfers make available. Everyone has their own pet methods, but there are essentially two families of transfers over 1NT.

Assuming 2§ is Stayman (although Puppet Stayman asking for 5 card majors also has its advocates) and 2¨/2© as red suit transfers, there are two major schools of thought on how to use 2ª, 2NT and the 3 level bids. In these notes we will concentrate on developing a structure that also uses transfers to the minors. Be aware though, that this is not the only way to go. The alternative option is to use 2ª as some kind of balanced or three suited hand and 2NT to show various minor suited hands.

1NT-2ª is a transfer to clubs and

1NT-2NT is a transfer to diamonds:

When you open 1NT and partner bids 2¨, transferring to hearts, you will usually complete the transfer by bidding 2© because doing anything else carries you beyond your safety level when partner has a weak hand. When the transfer is to a minor, that is not the case. When responder shows clubs with a 2ª bid you can bid either 2NT or 3§ and still stop in the relative safety of 3§.

The "standard" method is to bid 3§ on most hands and "break" the transfer by bidding 2NT with a good club fit. This is not the most efficient treatment though. It doesn't make a great deal of difference when the transfer is to clubs, but think about this hand:

When partner opens 1NT, you have a choice between passing and removing yourself to one of the minors at the 3 level. You could try Stayman hoping to pass 2¨ and correcting to 3§ if partner responds with a major. However, by doing this you are effectively choosing to play in clubs on the vast majority of hands. Wouldn't it be better to actually try to find the better minor suit fit? If you reverse the "standard" meaning of the responses to minor suit transfers you can achieve this goal.

You transfer to diamonds and partner completes the transfer by bidding 3¨, showing a diamond fit. You have found a playable contract. Alternatively:

You again transfer to diamonds, but this time partner doesn't have a fit, so he "breaks" the transfer by bidding 3§C. Having failed to find a diamond fit you can pass expecting 3§ to be your best spot.

Of course, this will not always produce the goods -- partner may have three low diamonds and K-x of clubs, but it's surely better than you having to guess which suit to choose, isn’t it?

Above, we said that partner bids 3¨ over 2NT with a fit. So, what exactly is defined as a "fit"? Usually this is considered to be Q-x-x or better and it is up to individual partnerships to agree whether they treat A-x or K-x as a fit. The advantages of doing so are clear:

Partner opens 1NT. Do you pass, remove to a club partial, or punt 3NT? The answer is probably that if partner has a club holding like K-x-x then 3NT is probably a good shot. Opposite two low clubs, 3§ is likely to be the limit of the hand.

When responder has a very weak hand and is simply correcting the contract to 3§ it makes no difference what opener does. If he responds 3§ to the 2ª transfer, responder just passes, and if opener bids 2NT then responder bids 3§ himself, which must be passed. Similar sequences allow responder to remove himself to 3¨.

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