M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Responder root page
Bidding
Red suit transfers
This is where the whole concept of transfers started.
It is the method which first replaced weak take-
With a five-
Thus, a response of:-
2♦ promises a five-
2♥ promises a five-
When responder is weak this results in the stronger hand playing the contract, which both removes it from the view of the opposition and might also gain as the opening lead is made towards the stronger hand.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 8 4 2
9 6 3
4 3 2
T 7
Partner opened 1NT.
You have five points and a five-
Bid 2♥. Partner will convert to 2♠, and you will then pass.
The hand will play best in spades with opener as declarer.
Note that the transfer always promises at least a five-
As a corollary to this, do not be tempted to use Stayman when holding a five-
Stayman is primarily about locating a four-
Versatility
The original purpose of transfer bids was to put the declarer play into the stronger hand as indicated above.
In the American game with its strong no trump this is an important aspect of the bids.
However, playing Acol with a weak no trump, this consideration is still relevant, but responder does not need to hold very many points before the two hands are much more equally matched, and so the value of this aspect of the bids is greatly diminished.
Of much greater importance is the fact that a transfer system enables you to show a great variety of hand-
Weak hands
In the present context a weak hand is any hand which is unlikely to make a game facing opener’s maximum of fourteen points in a balanced hand.
You might hold any balanced hand of up to ten points, or a shapelier hand with a slightly lower upper limit.
Quite simply you will transfer into your five-
Invitational balanced hands
With eleven or twelve points and a five-
With a minimum partner can sign off either with a pass or a conversion into three of your major, and with a maximum he can choose between 3NT and four of your major.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 8 4 2
9 6 3
4 3 2
T 7
This is a repeat of the example above.
A game is out of the question facing partner’s limited opening bid.
Bid 2♥ (transfer to spades). Partner will complete the transfer to 2♠ and you will pass.
The worst that can happen will be that you end up in a 5-
Note that this sequence might also on occasion be the best option when holding eleven or twelve points in a 5-
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 8 4 2
9 6 3
A Q 2
T 7
Partner opened 1NT.
You have eleven points in a balanced hand with a five-
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 2NT.
Partner is then well-
Invitational hand with a six-
It is important to realise that a good six-
For this reason, a responding hand with a good six-
A hand with a six-
With the invitational hand and a six-
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 8 4 2
K 6 3
A Q 2
T 7
Partner opened 1NT.
You have fourteen points in a balanced hand with a five-
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 3NT.
Partner can then choose between 3NT and 4♠ as the final contract.
Game-
As indicated above, eleven or twelve points with a good-
First transfer into the major, then raise directly to game.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q T 7 4 2
K 6 3
Q 2
T 7
Partner opened 1NT.
You have ten points with a good six-
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 3♠.
Partner can then choose between pass and 4♠.
Game-
The basic rule is to transfer into the major suit and then rebid in the second suit.
A transfer followed by a rebid in a new suit should always be treated as forcing, and is usually played as game-
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q T 7 4 2
K 6 3
K 2
T 7
Partner opened 1NT.
You have eleven points with a good six-
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 4♠.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 7 4 2
T
K Q 8 2
K 6 3
Partner opened 1NT.
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 3♦ -
You have shown your hand -
I used the phrase ‘basic rule’ above implying that there would be exceptions.
The first of these relates to 5-
It will sometimes be best, particularly if your honours strength lies in the short suits, to treat such hands as balanced, first transferring or using Stayman to locate a major suit fit and then rebidding in no trumps.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 7 4 2
Q T
K 9 8 2
K 3
Partner opened 1NT.
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 3NT.
Partner can then choose between final contracts of 3NT and 4♠.
It is, though, worth pointing out that when we move on to intermediate and beyond the specific sequence (1NT, 2♦, 2♥, 2♠) might be used differently as part of any one of a number of conventional systems, frequently in association with ‘Smolen’.
At that point, the Smolen convention will itself take care of the game-
Summary
The above examples demonstrate the true value of transfers -
With a weak hand you transfer and pass -
There are hand-
There is, though, absolutely no good reason why the strengths of these bids should not be harnessed more widely with only the slightest bit of additional machinery. That will be achieved by incorporating transfers into the minor suits as well.
Red suit transfers are frequently combined in club play with a convention based around the 2♠ response.
Some possibilities are discussed briefly on the page
2♠
My preference is to use 2♠ along with either 2NT or 3♣ as transfers into the minor suits.
This can be achieved either with simple four-
There is nothing wrong with red-
They do what they set out to do most efficiently, and a bit more too, and they are widely understood.
The only problem is that they represent a lost opportunity.
Simple four-
As soon as you are ready to move on from weak take-
As we move beyond improvers’ methods I shall recommend further modifications to the method.
Post-
Context -
This page last revised 8th Sep 2020
Game-
With thirteen or more points in a balanced hand with a five-
Partner will either pass or convert to four of the major.
♠
♥
♦
♣
K Q 8 4 2
9 3
A Q
T 7 6 2
Partner opened 1NT.
You have eleven points in a semi-
Bid 2♥. Partner will bid 2♠ and you will rebid 2NT.
An alternative would be to start with 2♣ and then rebid 3♠ -
Opener |
Overcaller |
Responder |
Advancer |
Opener's rebid |
Overcaller's rebid and beyond |
Responder's rebid and beyond |
The continuing auction |