how to transfer to minor over 2nt opening?

[onoway]

at partnership bidding table this hand came up

♠93 ♥10 ♦AQ7432♣ AT96

Partner opened 2nt. It seems as though 3nt may well be missing a slam but what to do?

Play 4way transfers normally so usually nt>to ♦ but p will obviously pass 3nt. Bid 4♣? and then blackwood? Is there a chance p would think 4♣ was gerber (dont usually play it) or saying choose a major? I know some people who would likely just blast to 6♦ but ... What is the best way to tackle this?

[mike777]

I would bid 3s as minor suit stayman.

 

If pard bds 3nt denying 4 card minor you can pass or bid 4d natural and gf.

 

 

4h over 4d would now be rkc in d.

[masse24]

There is a previous discussion of MSS over 2NT here: Minors over 2NT B-)

[SteveMoe]

Try

2N-3♠=Transfer to 3N, then

4♣ = single suited slam try

4♦ = single suited slam try

4♥/♠ = 0/1 with minor 2-suiter. Some require 55. Some allow 54/45.

I would make this minor suit slam try, and bid either 4♦ or 4♥ based on 2-suit length agreements. Note after 4!D a !C fit is harder to find.

[32519]

If your partnership plays Puppet Stayman as well, just make sure that whatever method you choose for the minor suit slam try doesn't in some way or another clash with your PS continuation sequence.

[Zelandakh]

I used to play SteveMoe's suggested structure but then found a better way of handling both majors and now use 2NT - 4♣ as agreeing diamonds with slam ambitions. Then 2NT - 3♠ can cover just the hands with clubs (single-suited or 5-5 minors) which also gives you a natural 3NT response. If you wanted to keep the same structure as over 1NT you could agree to play 3NT as showing diamonds but then you need to have an alternative way of reaching 3NT as a sign off, either via 3♠ or 3♣ (or both). I would recommend avoiding that unless you are very secure in your bidding agreements.

 

The other (simple) alternative with this hand is to start with Stayman (or Puppet) and then show diamonds over partner's response. I also have a gadget here that is useful on some minor-based hands - 2NT - 3♣; 3♦ - 4♠ = 5 diamonds, 4 clubs and slam interest (4♥ instead would be 5 clubs, 4 diamonds). As always, use whichever route you think will get you to a good contract most of the time within your agreements.

[Finch]

There are lots of artificial ways to show minor suits in response to 2NT. You and your partner can agree on which one you like best.

However, without playing any of them, the simple approach is to bid 4D, natural and forcing with diamonds.

 

If you say 'but 4D is Texas' then you've learnt something about bidding: as soon as you agree to play a convention (Texas transfers), you've given up on the previous meaning of the bid (natural slam try) and you have to find some other way to show that. Now whatever method you use to show a diamond slam try, you've then given up on the previous meaning of that bid, and you've generate a cascade of artificial bids....

 

One of the easiest ways to show a good hand with diamonds is to agree that you start by bidding 3C (Stayman) and then after, say, 3C - 3H - 4D is natural and forcing with diamonds. That's fine, as long as partner doesn't think it's a cue bid for hearts (so now you'd better find a way to agree hearts in that auction).

 

The other responses have given various structures. Here's one more, which a method reasonably popular in the UK: play "2-under" slam tries i.e.

2NT - 4C = slam try in hearts

2NT - 4D = slam try in spades

2NT - 4H = slam try in clubs

2NT - 4S = slam try in diamonds

[mgoetze]

The other (simple) alternative with this hand is to start with Stayman (or Puppet) and then show diamonds over partner's response.

Of course if you've agreed puppet your partner may or may not think that 2NT-3♣; 3♦-4♦ shows both majors rather than diamonds.

[Fluffy]

As others said there are many ways to handle this, the important thing to know is that 4NT from opener after you suggest diamond slam is STOP.

 

My bidding could go something like this:

 

2NT-3♠ (3♠ shows interest in the minors, maybe one or both)

3NT-4♦ (3NT shows most of the cards/honnors in the majors, so little fitting cards for the minors, but this hand is so good that its worth another try with 4♦)

4NT-pass (4NT shows that really the values are concentrated in the majors, and probably declarer has just diamond xx, the hand doesn't really fit at all)

[Zelandakh]

Of course if you've agreed puppet your partner may or may not think that 2NT-3♣; 3♦-4♦ shows both majors rather than diamonds.

It depends which version of Puppet. For me 2NT-3♣; 3♦-4♦ does show the majors but 2NT-3♣; 3♦-3♥; 3♠-4♦ or 2NT-3♣; 3♦-3♥; 3NT-4♦ shows diamonds. Whichever version of Puppet you play I think it is important to have a way of showing minor suit slam interest after first having looked for a major suit fit.