Transfer Responses over 1c opening

[easy]

I'd like to see someones system notes re transfer responses over 1c. Inthe mean time, those of you that play them could you explain to me the diferences between the following auctions.

 

 

 

* transfer to hearts

 

1c - 1d*

1h =

2h =

3h =

 

Thanks much

[paulg]

These responses only make sense in the context of the entire response structure, plus the variety of hands that can be in the 1♣ opener itself, but we play

 

1♣-1♦-1♥=2-3♥, 11-13 balanced

1♣-1♦-2♥=3+♥, 11-13 balanced, or a minimum hand with 4♥ with 4+♣

1♣-1♦-3♥=4♥, 4+♣, unbalanced non-minimum, less than 15 points

 

Other bids that make this structure work include:

 

1♣-1♦-1NT=17-19 balanced

1♣-1♦-2NT=15+, 3♥ with 6♣ or 4♥ with 5+ ♣

1♣-1♦-3♦=17-19 balanced with 4♥

 

Paul

[jvage]

Below is the most common response-structure around here (Norway), played by most of our junior internationals together with a 15-17NT. The only thing one would have to agree with a new partner is how to rebid with a 18-19NT and 3-card heart. Some rebid 1♥, making this semi-forcing, while some rebid 2NT, allowing partner to pass 1♥ more freely (with about 4-7HP).

 

After 1♣ - 1♦:

1♥ = 3 hearts or 4 hearts and minimum

1♠/NT = Natural, denies 3+ hearts

2♥ = 4 hearts, 13-14 HP

3♦ = Splinter, invitational+ with 4 hearts

3♥ = Either short in spades or 2425 15-17

[Poky]

1♥= 3♥ ~11-18 or 4♥ unbalanced ~11-13, NF

2♥= 4♥ ~12-14 balanced (frequent hand, should come to the 2nd level as soon as possible)

3♥= 4♥ ~14-16 unabalanced, invitational

[dake50]

For me 1H =Trump Asking and I captain this auction. Next asking short, controls.

2H = little slam interest: min controls, bal shape. Will you slam try?

3H = Spade short, typical(3-4 controls) H-fit 1C opener. Partner has slam info.

[skjaeran]

Below is the most common response-structure around here (Norway), played by most of our junior internationals together with a 15-17NT. The only thing one would have to agree with a new partner is how to rebid with a 18-19NT and 3-card heart. Some rebid 1♥, making this semi-forcing, while some rebid 2NT, allowing partner to pass 1♥ more freely (with about 4-7HP).

 

After 1♣ - 1♦:

1♥ = 3 hearts or 4 hearts and minimum

1♠/NT = Natural, denies 3+ hearts

2♥ = 4 hearts, 13-14 HP

3♦ = Splinter, invitational+ with 4 hearts

3♥ = Either short in spades or 2425 15-17

I play like this with my regular partner, except we've switched the 11-12/13-14 with 4♥ and bid 2♥ with 11-12 and 1♥ with 13-14. Recently I've seen in practice why this might be the wrong approach.

 

The 1♥ response also include 18-19 with 4-card support (we jump to 4♥ on a max 18-19 non-3433).

[helene_t]

There is a proposal in Roy Hughs "Building a bidding system".

[mikeh]

The approach I favour is:

 

1♣  1♦:

 

1♥   2 or 3 ♥s, balanced or semi-balanced, usually a weak 1N rebid type of hand

1♠  natural, unbalanced, fewer than 4♥s

1N  17-19 (in a 14-16 1N, if 15-17 1N, then this is 18-19)

2♣   natural

2♦  natural, reverse

2♥  4 card support, minimum opening

2♠  natural, game-force

2N  6+ clubs, 3♥s, 18+

 

The main followup over the 1♥ 'acceptance' is:

 

1♠  natural, non-forcing (allows backing into 4=4 fits)

1N  natural, non-forcing

2♣  puppet to 2♦, to play or invitational

2♦  artificial gf

2♥natural, constructive, but non-forcing, less than invitational

 

The same scheme applies over 1♣ 1♥

 

Over 1♣ 1♠: 1♠ shows either ♦s, unlimited, or a notrump hand either too weak to bid 1N in response to 1♣ (8-10) or too strong.

 

And we play transfer jumpshifts over 1♣:

 

1♣  2♦ is ♥s, weak or strong

1♣  2♥ is ♠s weak or strong

1♣  2♠ is limit or better in clubs

[awm]

Using the transfer gains you one step when responder has a major suit response to 1♣. The main question to be answered is how you want to use the extra step. Surprisingly, some people play transfer responses without discussion of what it means to accept the transfer!

 

Anyways it seems like the popular choices are:

 

(1) Use the transfer to distinguish between "strong" and "weak" notrump variants without a real fit. Here accepting the transfer shows a "weak notrump" with 2-3 in partner's major, whereas rebidding 1NT shows a "strong notrump" with 2-3 in partner's major. This substantially improves your auctions over the "strong notrump" variant (you save a full level) and also frees up the 2NT jump rebid for some artificial use (strong raise of the major perhaps, or a 3-6 strong hand type). Most other rebids by opener will be normal. Note that in principle it is possible to play in 1M after a transfer since opener is limited, but this will not be frequent because the accept of transfer doesn't show a real fit. Typical is to play over the accept "as if a weak 1NT was rebid" so NMF or 2-way is on.

 

(2) Use the transfer to distinguish between strong and weak raises of responder's major. Here the accept of the transfer always shows a real fit and will often be passed by a weak responder. This helps because there are basically three non-game-force raises that opener can have: a weak notrump raise (12-14 in standard), a "big notrump" raise (18-19 in standard), and a distributional intermediate raise (say 14 with a side singleton). With only 2M and 3M available one of these ends up doing double-duty (making 2M usually very wide ranging) or else you have to bid 4M on the "big notrump" hand which might get you too high especially if partner responds aggressively to 1♣. You can also use this to deal with the 3-6 hands since the 2M raise is now very sound and could potentially be 3-card support with something like 15-17 points (this is a hard hand to show in standard without enough support to bid 3M and with too much strength for 2M).

 

(3) Use the transfer to handle all very strong hands for opener. In principle you can play some relay variant after this, probably a big advantage since relay bidding can be very accurate for slam hands and opponents (having already both passed) are unlikely to intervene now. This means the other rebids will be in something like a precision style, which can have a number of advantages (basically frees up 2NT and reverses for distributional hands or artificial raises).

[lowerline]

There is a proposal in Roy Hughs "Building a bidding system".

Yes, I think it was something like this:

 

1♣ - 1♦

 

1♥ = <4♠ <3♥

1♠ = 4♠5♣

1nt = 12-14bal <4♥

2♣ = 18-20bal <4♥

2♦ = 3♥ unbal

2♥ = 4♥ min

[Echognome]

Ok, game time and your bid:

 

1♣ - 1♦ - ?

 

AQx K Kxxx Qxxxx

 

So for us, we play 1♥ as 2-3♥ min hand, but occasionally a stiff honor. If you move your stiff ♥ honor to anywhere else, you're hand is skyrocketing.

[Apollo81]

Ok, game time and your bid:

 

1♣ - 1♦ - ?

 

AQx K Kxxx Qxxxx

 

So for us, we play 1♥ as 2-3♥ min hand, but occasionally a stiff honor. If you move your stiff ♥ honor to anywhere else, you're hand is skyrocketing.

It's either a 1♥ rebid or a 1NT rebid (I don't know what your 1NT means).

[pclayton]

The approach I favour is:

 

1♣  1♦:

 

1♥   2 or 3 ♥s, balanced or semi-balanced, usually a weak 1N rebid type of hand

1♠  natural, unbalanced, fewer than 4♥s

1N  17-19 (in a 14-16 1N, if 15-17 1N, then this is 18-19)

2♣   natural

2♦  natural, reverse

2♥  4 card support, minimum opening

2♠  natural, game-force

2N  6+ clubs, 3♥s, 18+

 

The main followup over the 1♥ 'acceptance' is:

 

1♠  natural, non-forcing (allows backing into 4=4 fits)

1N  natural, non-forcing

2♣  puppet to 2♦, to play or invitational

2♦  artificial gf

2♥natural, constructive, but non-forcing, less than invitational

 

The same scheme applies over 1♣ 1♥

 

Over 1♣ 1♠: 1♠ shows either ♦s, unlimited, or a notrump hand either too weak to bid 1N in response to 1♣ (8-10) or too strong.

 

And we play transfer jumpshifts over 1♣:

 

1♣  2♦ is ♥s, weak or strong

1♣  2♥ is ♠s weak or strong

1♣  2♠ is limit or better in clubs

Matt and I play something similar to this except a 2N rebid is a strong raise of the major. I think its a superior use to play it like this instead of the big BWDH.

[han]

For Arend and me:

 

1H = 1-3 hearts, often minimal but could have extras when exactly 3 hearts (for example a strong 3-6 hand, or a good 1-3-4-5 too light to reverse).

1S = 4+ spades, unbalanced NF.

1NT = 17-19 balanced, 1-3 hearts and may have 4 spades.

2C = normal.

2D = normal.

2H = 4 hearts, up to about 14 points.

2S = natural GF.

2NT = 4+ hearts, ~17+ points, often balanced but could have long solid clubs or a huge splinter.

3C = normal.

3D = mini-splinter.

3H = mini-splinter in spades.

3S/4D = splinter.

3NT = solid clubs, side stoppers (usually).

4C = 4-card raise with long clubs that miss exactly 1 top honor.

4H = highly unbalanced raise, light in HCP.

 

Over 1C-1H the structure is about the same but:

 

3D/3H = mini-splinter

3S = pure 4-2-2-5 with extras but not good enough for 2NT.

 

We won't have this 2-4-2-5 hand over 1C-1D because we would have opened 1NT (We don't fear the rebid problems as much with 4 spades).

 

Over 1C-1D-1H and 1C-1H-1S we play XYZ, where 2C is either a drop in diamonds or any invitational hand. Opener usually bids 2D except: bids 2M with a very minimal hand containing 3-card support, bids 3C with a strong 3-6 and bids 2H/3D with a hand a bit short of a reverse.

[han]

Anyways it seems like the popular choices are:

 

[skip]

 

(3) Use the transfer to handle all very strong hands for opener. In principle you can play some relay variant after this, probably a big advantage since relay bidding can be very accurate for slam hands and opponents (having already both passed) are unlikely to intervene now. This means the other rebids will be in something like a precision style, which can have a number of advantages (basically frees up 2NT and reverses for distributional hands or artificial raises).

I like this idea but I haven't seen it before. Do you know any top pairs who play this?