Monday, March 06, 2006 4:03 AM

Transfer Bids

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Forcing to game two suiters are handled by transfers after partner opens a strong NT. There are some standard guidelines that assist us in sorting out which suit is “set” during the auction as trump. Thursday nite a partnership had a disaster as they were not aware of “transfer standards” . They opened 1NT and partner bid 2♦ and with KQx Kx Axxx KJ109  he dutifully complied with 2♥. Partner now bids 3♣ so what do you do ?. A Q bid ( next suit up ) is the standard way of setting the 2ND suit as the trump suit. The NT bidder has an obligation to bid 3♥  saying that this major is the trump suit otherwise . Anyway , they bid 3♦ saying that clubs was the trump suit and watch the confusion generated after that. The transfer bidder had 15 HCP’s and thought hearts were trump . He bid Blackwood and then leapt to 6♥. As an opponent this happened to be my 5 card suit Q1098x J . I was happy they were in 6♥ but it was only for a fleeting moment as they pulled to 7♣ which got doubled and they lost a barrel full of IMPS.

 

          I held Kxx AJxx QJxx Ax and opened 1NT . Partner bid 2♥ and I did not super accept and just bid 2♠. Partner now bids 3♦. Now I have to decide to be aggressive or a more conservative route. I decided rather than accept diamonds as the trump suit by Q bidding , I would set spades as the trump suit as I held only 15 HCP’s. Partner now bids 4♦ . OK partner has heard me back pedaling so I now come to life and bid 4NT . Partner shows two Aces and I decide to give him a choice of contracts at the 6 level by bidding 6♦. Partner passes and he holds AQxxx xx AKxxx x 6♦ is a better slam as a 4-1 spade break sinks 6♠ but not 6♦.

 

          Coming with the territory of 5-5’s is responders obligation to show her short suit. This can be very useful for slam purposes or just getting to the right game. In order to keep the singleton showing bid at the 3 level if possible , a step response scheme has been developed. Of course with a two suiter there are only two stiffs possible so we add a 3rd step which means both stiffs.

 

1NT     2¨      

2©       3§                   5-5  clubs & hearts

3¨                               § fit, maximum (asks shortness: 3♥=♦; 3♠=♠; 3NT=B)**

 

1NT     2¨      

2©       3¨                   5-5  diamonds & hearts 

3©                               ♥ fit)**

3ª                               (♦ fit - asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=♠; 4♦=B)**

 

1NT     2♥                                                                                                                   

2♠        3§        5-5 spades and clubs

3¨       § fit, max asks shortness: 3♥=♦; 3♠=©; 3NT= both min 4§= both long § 4♠ = long ♠

3♠        ♠ fit, maximum (asks shortness: 3nt=♦ 4¨=♥ 4§= both long § 4♠ = long ♠

 

1NT     2♥

2♠        3¨       5-5  spades & diamonds                                                                   

3©                   ♦ fit- asks shortness:; 3ª = club singleton , 3NT – heart singleton 4♣ Both longer ª , 4♦ = both , longer ♦

3ª                   ♠ fit - asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=♥; 4♦ = both ,  longer ♦ , 4ª = both , longer ª

 

1NT     2♥       

2♠        3♥       5 spades & 5 hearts

3ª                   (max ♠ fit - asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=♦; 4♥ both  , longer ♥  ;4ª = both  , longer ª)

3nt                   to play

4§                   fit for ♥  , asks shortness 4♦=♣  , 4♥=♦ , 4ª = both (slam try)

 

 

            Here is where the system worked beautifully. ♠109xx ♥Qx ♦AKJ ♣AQ10x  opposite

♠Kxx ♥KJ10xx ♦void ♣KJ98x  

 

                                             1NT-P-2♦-P

                                              2♥-P-3♣-P

                                              3♦*-P-3♥**-P

                                              3NT-P-P-P                         * like clubs where is your stiff ?

                                                                                       ** Diamond shortness

 

          2NT openers rob you of bidding space. A good understanding for IMPS is that if you accept the transfer you are showing 3 of partners suit otherwise you bid 3NT. Match point players do not like this treatment as you can not pass 3 of a major with horrific hands. In IMPS this objection is silly. An IMPS system is geared towards games and slams. One good game or slam reached nullifies 3 bad partials blown. In matchpoints , partials are as important as games and slams . Not so in IMPS obviously.

 

          The advantage of announcing a fit by the 3 level after 2NT  is responders bids are now Q bids. The other way means that another bid is a suit. You remove the ambiguity of suit vrs Q bid. If partner responds 3NT , a bid by responder is obviously another suit. Contrast these two auctions. 10xxxx void xxx KQJxx and partner opens 2NT and then denies spades by bidding 3NT. You bid 4♣ and partner bids 4♦ setting clubs as trump. AK Jxx AKJ Axxx an excellent club grand where 3NT goes down. Say partner had QJxxx Axx Kxxx x and hearing you like spades now Q bids 4♣ . You hold AKx Kx AQxx Axxx and maybe you can get to your grand slam in spades.

 

          I like opening off colour 2NT’s on occasion which might have a stiff honour in partners major or I have opened 2NT with a long minor. The 3NT response to a major transfer is a definitive statement that I do not like your major so tread lightly. Think of this understanding as a “super accept” but with 3 trump and not necessarily top values. Super accepts are still done by jumping or Q bidding.