Lesson on Transfers

Welcome to the very first EBU Online Bridge lesson.

For this first lesson, we have decided to look at Transfer Bids over 1NT and 2NT. Why transfers? Well, after Stayman and Blackwood, transfers are often the first extra gadget that players like to put into their armoury. Secondly, they are very useful and almost all tournament players use some form of transfers. I say ‘some form of transfers’ because, like so much in bridge, there are different versions of transfer bidding. The method used in this lesson falls in line with Bridge for All Unit 5 and is also advocated in Really Easy Modern Acol Chapter 3. Almost everybody plays ‘red suit transfers’ – the difference in methods comes in the meaning of 2ª and 2NT.

Quiz to try before the lesson:

Once you’ve read through these notes, have a go at the quiz at the end. We’ll discuss the answers to the questions online before the start of the play session. After the quiz, the plan is to play a few hands using the ideas given here and to discuss them together. Let’s hope it works!

Feedback

This is very much a trial so any ideas you have for making it better; scrapping it and starting again; didn’t like this; did like that – in fact anything that helps us get it better for next time. You can chat with us online during the lesson or email us afterwards. john@ebu.co.uk or sue@ebu.co.uk.

What is a ‘transfer bid’?

Look at this hand:

West East

ª A 8 4 ª 7 3

¨ Q 5 3 2 ¨ A J 6 4

§ K 6 3 2 § 8 7

West is dealer and playing 12-14 No Trump openings, would open 1NT. Using simple methods, East replies 2© - weakness take out, West passes and that’s it. East plays in 2©.

Using ‘transfers’, West still opens 1NT, but this time East bids 2¨ - a conventional bid telling West to bid the next suit up – in this case 2©. Now East passes and West plays the contract. As with any conventional bid West must alert the 2¨ bid and East must alert the 2© response.

History Lesson

Transfer bids or to give them their real name Jacoby transfer bids are named after Oswald Jacoby who published an article on them in the American magazine Bridge World in 1956. They had actually been used in Sweden in 1953/4 following publication of a Swedish article by Olle Willner. But nowadays everybody who uses them simply calls them ‘Transfers’.

Why bother?

It may seem a lot of fuss and bother, and something else to forget (!) but there are sound bridge reasons for using transfers.

· The best reason is that here, West (who has the better hand), gets to be declarer, so that the better hand remains concealed and it is the poorer East hand that is dummy.

· Another very important reason is that it allows responder to describe hand types which are difficult or impossible to show when using simple methods.

Suppose you hold :

ª Q 10 9 8 4

¨ A Q 7

§ K 9

Partner opens 1NT. What do you bid playing simple methods? Well you can try 3ª which is forcing to game, 2ª as a weakness take-out and forego any chance of a game or 2§ (Stayman) and hope partner bids 2ª showing 4 spades. The trouble with that is, you will never find a 5-3 fit.

There are plenty of hands that opener COULD have where 4ª would make - like hand A, whereas with hand B you can’t make 4ª or 3NT. 2NT is the limit of the hand.

A ª K J 3 2 B ª K 3

¨ K J 10 4 ¨ K J 10 4

§ Q 10 8 § A J 8 5

Using transfers you can identify the type of hand that opener has and make a more accurate judgement about the final contract.

Let’s look at how transfers solve the problem:

West East

ª K J 3 2 ª Q 10 9 8 4

¨ K J 10 4 ¨ A Q 7

§ Q 10 8 § K 9

Auction using transfers:

West East

1NT 2©^A

2ª^A 2NT

4ª pass

2© is the transfer bid and 2ª is the forced response. The raised ^A means that the bid should be alerted by partner.

2NT shows 11-12 points and a 5 card suit.

4ª says that West is a maximum with at least 3 spades. That’s the best spot.

Now look at the hand B auction :

West East

ª K 3 ª Q 10 9 8 4

¨ K J 10 4 ¨ A Q 7

§ A J 8 5 § K 9

Auction using transfers:

West East

1NT 2©^A

2ª^A 2NT

pass

This time West can pass over 2NT, which says that the 1NT is a minimum AND he only has two spades.

Another really good use for transfers is that it allows you show a second suit.

West East

ª J 3 ª A 10 9 8 4

¨ K J 4 2 ¨ A 10 7 3

§ A Q J 8 § K 9 4

As you can see the only 4-4 fit is in diamonds. Normally Bridge for All says that ‘minors are for wimps’, but this time it is the best spot because the hearts are wide open in no trumps.

West East

1NT 2©^A

2ª^A 3¨

pass

The full System of Transfers

2§	Stayman, asking partner to bid a 4 card major.
2¨	promises at least five hearts and orders partner to bid 2©.
2©	promises at least five spades and orders partner to bid 2ª.

The use of 2ª and 2NT	There are several different meanings that players use for 2ª and 2NT in response to partner’s 1NT opening. In Modern Acol the meanings are as follows:
2ª	Either a raise to 2NT without a 4-card major, usually 11-12 points. Or a strong hand with at least game forcing values, looking for the best game or slam, say 18 or more points. Usually the hand will have no 5-card suit. It asks opener a question. Are you a minimum? If so bid 2NT. Or are you a maximum, in which case bid your lowest 4-card suit.
2NT	Since hands that would have bid 2NT now bid 2ª, we now have a bid without a meaning. So we’ll use it as a transfer to a minor. You need a weak 6-card minor suit (either clubs or diamonds). It tells opener to bid 3§ which you pass if clubs is your suit or you bid 3¨ if you have diamonds. Then he will pass.

Responder’s second bid after making a transfer response

Bid	Auction goes 1NT - 2© - 2ª	Typical hand
Pass	My 2© transfer was a weak take-out in spades. Opener is declarer in 2ª.	ª K 9 7 6 4 2 © 10 2 ¨ J 7 5 § 6 3
2NT	Shows 11-12 points, a 5-card suit and invites partner to * bid 3ª with a minimum and 3+card spade support * pass 2NT with a minimum and only two spades * bid 4ª with a maximum and 3+card spade support * bid 3NT with a maximum and only two spades.	ª Q 10 9 8 4 © 6 4 3 ¨ A Q 7 § K 9
3NT	Shows a 5-card suit and enough points for game, say 13 or more. It asks partner to choose between 4ª and 3NT.	ª A 10 9 8 4 © 6 4 3 ¨ A Q 7 § K 9
3ª	This is highly invitational. It shows 10 or 11 points with a 6-card spade suit inviting partner to bid 4ª with a suitable hand. Partner will only need a doubleton spade to bid 4ª.	ª Q 10 9 8 4 3 © 6 4 ¨ A Q 7 § K 9
4ª	Shows enough points for game with a 6-card suit which opener should pass. The advantage of transfers is that the opener is declarer. This can protect any weak holdings in the responder’s hand.	ª A 10 9 8 4 3 © 6 4 ¨ A K Q § 9 7
A new suit e.g. 3¨	Shows at least four cards in the second suit bid. It is forcing to at least 3ª and invites partner to bid game. Responder does not have to bid a second suit just because he has one, since a bid of 2NT or a jump to 3NT also offers a choice of games. To bid a second suit suggests an unbalanced hand.	ª A 10 9 8 4 © 6 ¨ A 10 7 3 § K 9 4
A new suit e.g. 3¨	You can also use a new suit bid to show a strong hand which is thinking about the possibilities of a slam. Since 3¨ is forcing you will get another chance. Even if opener can only bid 3ª you will bid again. With the strong hand shown you can try 4¨ or even 6¨.	ª A K 10 9 8 © 6 ¨ A K 10 7 3 § A 2

Opponents double the 1NT opening bid.

If 1NT is doubled, all bids revert to their natural meaning, so 2§ and 2¨become weakness take outs.

Other meanings for 2ª and 2NT.

As I said earlier, not everyone plays the same method. So you may come across things like:

· 2ª is a transfer to clubs and 2NT is a transfer to diamonds,

· 2ª shows a balanced hand – exactly 11 points and 2NT shows a balanced hand – exactly 12 points. NOT recommended,

· 2NT is a game try hand and 2ª shows the strong hand only.

I’m sure you get the idea!! So don’t forget that you can ask about the meaning of your opponents’ calls when it is your turn to bid.

Too much to learn in one go?

This may all seem a bit daunting to take on board in one go. If you think it is too much, then you can start by using ‘Red Suit Transfers’ only and don’t use the 2ª bid at all, using 2NT as 11-12 balanced as now. You can always add these other bits when you feel confident.

Disadvantages of transfers

We’ve seen during the course of this lesson the big advantages of using transfers. What about the disadvantages?

· The first is that you are learning something new. Make sure you and your partner are ‘singing from the same song-sheet.’ It has been known for people to forget they are playing transfers. Suppose you hold

ª 8 7

¨ A 8

§ 9 7 5

Partner opens 1NT. You forget you are playing transfers and bid 2©. Partner alerts, bids 2ª and now you are really in a mess. What should you do? Well, the one thing you mustn’t do is bid 3© ‘hoping partner will get the message’ because that tells partner you’ve got 5 spades and 4 hearts.

· The second minor disadvantage is that you lose 2¨ as a weakness take-out. You have to bid 2NT as a transfer to the minor, bidding 3¨ over the forced 3§. So you have to play at the 3 level rather 2, but the pre-emptive effect of bidding 2NT makes it more difficult for the opposition to get into the auction.

Transfers over 2NT opening

It is also very common to use transfers after a 2NT opening as well. The advantages are much the same as over 1NT so:

Call	Meaning
Pass	0-3 points
3§	Stayman, asking about 4 card majors.
3¨	Promises at least five hearts and tells partner to bid 3©
3©	Promises at least five spades and tells partner to bid 3ª
3ª	Shows a slam interest, usually 10+ points and some shape (not 4333)
3NT	To play in 3NT

You can also use transfers after the sequence 2§ - 2¨ - 2NT. Of course, you have to modify the points required but the principle is just the same.

Quiz on using transfers

Try these before the lesson and we’ll discuss the answers online.

A Partner opens 1NT (what else?!) What is your response with each of these hands?

1. ª A 9 2. ª J 10 9 5 4 3. ª 2 4. ª A 4

¨ 7 2 ¨ 7 5 ¨ Q 6 3 2 ¨ 4 3

§ K 6 4 3 § 9 7 2 § K 9 8 7 5 2 § Q J 9 6 5

1. ª 9 8 7 3 2. ª A 9 2 3. ª 9 8 2 4. ª 10 9 5 2

¨ A J 10 2 ¨ Q 8 4 ¨ A K J 2 ¨ A 8 7 2

§ K Q 9 § J 6 3 § A 9 6 § Q J 6

C Partner opens 1NT. What is your response with each of these hands?

1. ª A K 2. ª K J 2 3. ª 7 4 4. ª A 9

¨ 7 2 ¨ A Q ¨ A K 8 ¨ 7 2

§ A Q J 4 3 § 4 § K 6 4 § A J 6 4 3

D Partner opens 2NT. What is your response with each of these hands?

1. ª J 9 2. ª K J 2 3. ª 9 8 7 5 3 2

¨ 7 6 2 ¨ A Q ¨ 6 3 2

§ 8 7 4 3 § 4 § 8 7 4

What about if the auction on 1. and 3. starts 2§ - 2¨ - 2NT? What do you say now?

Hands to play

Unlike the early Bridge for All units, where the students have the hands in advance of the play session, I’m afraid you won’t be able to download the hands and commentaries until after the lesson. You’ll be given a ‘password’ which will give you access to the hands.