MINOR SUIT TRANSFER BIDS

By Larry Matheny

Most bridge players use or are at least familiar with Jacoby Transfers. This convention is used in response to opening notrump bids when responder has length in (at least) one of the major suits. In this session we are going to look at transferring into the minor suits after partner opens 1NT.

When you have a single-suited hand with a minor and partner opens 1NT, ideally you need a way to sign off, to invite game, and to force. While there are several methods available, the transfer bid allows you to do all three. First let’s look at some of the other methods commonly used to describe minor suit hands:

- 1NT-3♣ or 1NT-3♦ may be used to show a weak, invitational, or strong hand.

- 1NT-2♣-?-3♣/♦ can also show a hand of unknown strength with a long minor.

- 1NT-2♠ is often used to show a weak hand, transferring to 3♣. Responder will correct to 3♦ if necessary.

When you choose one of these auctions to show one type of hand, you must still use other methods to show the hands of other strength. The minor suit transfer (MST) can be employed with hands of any strength.

The concept is simple: To transfer to clubs you respond 2S, and when your suit is diamonds, your bid is 2NT. These bids show a 6+card suit and may be of any strength.

Before we look at responder’s rebid after transferring, let’s examine opener’s actions. First, opener must decide if he has a good fit for the minor. If he does, then he looks at the rest of his hand. With most hands, opener will simply accept the transfer and wait for responder’s next call. However, with a fit AND a maximum 1NT opener, he should make a “super accept”. The super accept is made by bidding the next step. Let’s look at this in action:

1NT 2 1NT 2

2NT = super accept 3 = average or indifferent hand for clubs

1NT 2NT 1NT 2NT

3 = super accept 3 = average or indifferent hand for diamonds

Armed with the knowledge that opener does or does not have a super accept, responder can now make a decision. With a weak hand he was always going to stop in the minor but with an invitational hand opposite a strong hand, he can now move toward game in either notrump or the minor. With initial slam interest responder now can continue in that direction or stop in game when opener showed little enthusiasm. Let’s look at some examples.

1NT 2 (transfer to clubs)

OPENER

1. KQ3 AJ102 K954 Q6 Rebid 3 - You have a minimum.

2. AQ63 K93 A6 A1032 Rebid 2NT – This is a great fitting hand.

1NT 2NT (transfer to diamonds)

3 super accept

RESPONDER

3. 865 5 J87652 J43 Rebid 3 - This should be better than 1NT.

4. K5 93 KJ10943 J103 Rebid 3NT- Partner has a fit and a good hand.

5. A93 KQ3 AJ9832 2 Rebid 4NT – His super accept agreed

diamonds.

NOT SO FAST: This seems rather simple so far: As responder you transfer, wait for opener to describe his fit/strength for your minor, and then you make the appropriate follow-up. Now I’m going to muddy the water just a bit. Let’s look at responder’s next bid other than when signing off or bidding game.

After transferring, responder’s next (new) suit bid shows SHORTNESS. Yes, that may seem strange but think about it; responder has six-card or longer suit so it is unlikely he has another suit of any length. Showing shortness can be very helpful to opener. Here are some examples:

K75 3 KJ10943 1093

Partner opens 1NT and you respond 2NT transferring to diamonds. If partner rebids 3 you will pass. But if he makes a super accept of 3, you should rebid 3 to show the shortness. Let’s look at two possible hands for opener’s super accept:

6. AJ10 AJ102 A852 K6 Opener will rebid 3NT.

7. AQ63 1074 A865 AK Opener will rebid 5.

OTHER ISSUES: I’m sure you have noticed that the very useful sequence 1NT-2NT showing a balanced hand with 8-9 points is no longer available. This is not a terrible setback. We recover this bid by slightly altering the Stayman convention as follows:

1NT-2♣ no longer promises a 4-card major.

1NT-2♣-?-2NT promises 8-9 points and denies the possibility of an 8-card major suit.

1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ promises 8-9 points and exactly 4 spades.

So, you still find a 4-4 major suit fit and your only concern is remembering that 1NT-2NT is a transfer.

There are also hands where you have a four-card major and a long minor. Use Stayman and if opener doesn’t fit your major, rebid your minor at the three-level. This shows a four-card major and a five or six-card minor with game and possible slam interest.

Here are some hands showing MST in action.

K108 3 KJ10876 KJ3

AQ9 J984 AQ52 A2

SOUTH NORTH

1NT 2NT

3 3

4NT 5

6

North transferred to diamonds and South showed a super accept. North’s 3 showed shortness and South used RKC to find one keycard and bid the slam.

Q87 54 Q9 K109832

KJ9 AQ76 AJ6 Q65

SOUTH NORTH

1NT 2

2NT 3NT

North transferred to clubs and South made a super accept. North followed with a bold bid of 3NT.

EXERCISES: You now know the basics of MST bids but let’s reinforce with some exercises:

Partner opens 1NT

1. 85 5 Q87652 J943 2NT – Run from 1NT to 3 as fast as you can.

2. 643 J93 AQ10943 K 3NT – Don’t bother to transfer.

3. A9 KQ93 AJ9832 2 2 - If partner doesn’t have four hearts, rebid

3 to show this type of hand.

You open 1NT and responder bids 2

4. AQ63 K93 AK6 1032 3 - You have a good hand but no club honor.

5. AK2 QJ102 A85 K106 2NT- This is a good super accept.

6. KQ3 AJ102 K954 Q6 3 - This is a minimum.

Partner opens 1NT, you bid 2NT, and he rebids 3.

7. J2 K3 KJ9543 1032 Pass - Without a fit for diamonds, game is

unlikely.

8. A9 KJ3 AJ9832 J2 3NT - Slam may have been possible if

partner had rebid 2NT.

9. 4 K93 AQ10943 K53 3 - Show your shortness. 3NT may not

be best.

SUMMARY: Even if you choose not to add this valuable convention to your card, you should now have a better understanding of what the people who use it are doing.