Kit Woolsy Hand

[ONEferBRID]

I ran across this article in Bridge World on "bidding battles" using old tournament hands.

The following is an intriguing bidding sequence by Kit Woolsey and Eddie Manfield.

 

It starts out with a familiar 1D - 1H, 2NT-jump.

What followed is new to me. 3C by Responder was called a transfer to 3D,

then 4H! was 6 Ace RKC. In doing so, they reached a 7NT contract not attained by the competition.

Is this a new treatment of Wolff ?

Normally, with some check-back agreement, Responder would ask for 3 card Hts.

And with the Wolff Relay, 3C would ask for 4 cards Hts, with 3D denying that.

I'm also wondering how the Woolsey-Manfield structure would work if Opener's suit were Clubs ?

 

WEST (Woolsey )

A K 5

K J

A Q 10 7 6 2

J 8

 

EAST ( Manfield )

Q 10 9

A Q 7 5 2

K J 8

A 4

 

West     East

1 ♦       1♥

2 NT     3♣

3 ♦       4♥

4 ♠       5♣

5 ♠       7♣

7 NT

 

"For the Americans, Manfield's three clubs was a transfer to diamonds, and four hearts was a six-key-card-ask for diamonds. With both red kings counting as key cards, Woolsey, West, showed 0 or 3; then, in reply to an ask for the diamond queen, he showed that card while control-bidding the spade king. East drove to seven diamonds and invited seven notrump, which West accepted."

 

- - Don - -

[gnasher]

It's not a new idea: transfers after a 2NT rebid have been around since the early 1990s at least. The main benefit is that responder can show the things he's interested in, rather than asking opener for information that he might not want.

 

As I play them, 3♣ shows diamonds, 3♦ shows hearts, 3♥ shows spades, and 3♠ shows clubs. Usually opener just completes the transfer, but after

  1m-1♠

  2NT-3♦

opener gives preference between the majors

 

After a 1♣ opening, 3♣ would show a second suit of diamonds. That might be either a signoff with 4-6, or a good hand which is gong to make another move. For example:

  1♣-1♥

  2NT-3♣

  3♦-3♥ = 6-4 slam try

    -3♠ = 3541

    -3NT = x54x, choice of games

    -4♦ = 5-5

[Fluffy]

I don't see the advantage over just natural. 3♣ inquiry, 3♦ shows diamonds, 3♥ shows hearts, 3♠ shows spades, or clubs if I bid 1♥ earlier.

 

Parnter instead of just completing the transfer will show preference, or bid 3NT with outside strenght.

 

EDIT: I remember now, americans love to transfer to play in 3x. I prefer to play 2NT GF. It makes me play bad contracts at the one level, and makes life easy for opponents, but I am happy still.