semeai Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 (1♠) 1N (P) 2♥ What does it (or should it) mean? A) It really is a transfer to spades (hey, maybe you have ♠QJ10987) B) Some sort of stopper ask (with what responses?) C) Game forcing stayman D) It shows hearts. And a desire to hog the hand. At the two level. E) Other F) Get a new partner I'm looking mostly for the oh-****-my-regular-partner-just-bid-this answer (and this regular partner is not the sort to just forget about transfers opposite 1NT, and knows you play systems-on). Theoretical answers aimed at "what it should be" are also welcome. [This thread inspired by, but otherwise unrelated to, the laws & rulings thread with this auction. Go there for any legal discussion.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenrexford Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 This situation is somewhat dependent upon what the opponents are playing. As a general rule, I usually play that a "cuebid" of an opponent's suit is natural if the suit could be 4-card (or shorter) but artificial if 5+. Thus, if the 1♠ opening promises 4+ (canape or natural 4-card majors), this is a transfer. If 5+, this is a cuebid (if the agreement is system on). As a cuebid, if 2♣ is Stayman (systems on), then this is not Stayman. The default is "Western Cue," meaniong asking for a stopper. If the 1NT bidder promises a stopper, then 2♥ asks for a "good stopper." If 1NT promises a bolster only, then 2♥ asks for a stopper or better. Fairly natural after that, except that I would play that "completing the transfer" denies and shows no clear direction. If I discussed this sequence (and the parallel sequence involving a 2♦ "transfer" to hearts), I would probably prefer this call as a flag for clubs (showing clubs and invitational+). 2♠ would then show the same thing with diamonds. Thus: (1♥)-1NT-(P)-? 2♣ = Stayman2♦ = clubs2♥ = spades2♠ = diamonds (1♠)-1NT-(P)-? 2♣ = Stayman2♦ = hearts2♥ = clubs2♠ = diamonds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 Someone suggested on Bridgewinners (Debbie Rosenberg maybe) that this should be natural! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semeai Posted July 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 The default is "Western Cue," meaniong asking for a stopper. A nice well-thought-out discussion. Let's say we haven't discussed it further, so we'll go with this "default" meaning. Would you ever bid this? What hands would you bid it on? <thinks> I suppose if you don't have a spade splinter in your NT followups, you might well try it on such a hand (if you expect partner to reason similarly). Maybe you'd bid this on a 1-3-(54) sort of hand, in particular. Someone suggested on Bridgewinners (Debbie Rosenberg maybe) that this should be natural! A vote for D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenrexford Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 A nice well-thought-out discussion. Let's say we haven't discussed it further, so we'll go with this "default" meaning. Would you ever bid this? What hands would you bid it on? <thinks> I suppose if you don't have a spade splinter in your NT followups, you might well try it on such a hand (if you expect partner to reason similarly). Maybe you'd bid this on a 1-3-(54) sort of hand, in particular. A vote for D! With my defaults, this becomes rather cute. 2♠ by Responder would hae shown one or both minors usuay a weak version. The cue-transfer covers a lot of territory but features 0-3 hearts. With no spade help (and hence the need to cue), this usually features a lot of minor cards, whether one-suited or two-suited, but relatively balanced is obviously possible (e.g., xxx-xxx-Axx-AKxx?). BTW -- I do have a "spade splinter" in my toolkit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnasher Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 In different partnerships I have played this as:- Spades- Spades unless advancer bids again, in which case it shows a three-suiter.- Exactly invitational with hearts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenrexford Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 In different partnerships I have played this as:...- Exactly invitational with hearts. I like this meaning a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aguahombre Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 As Ken stated, sort of Western Cue is probably the default. Invite+, and 1NT overcaller may accept the transfer with a questionable spade stop, or bid 2NT or 3NT. It might be antiquated, but it keeps all the rest of the "systems on" including an artificial 2NT ---and gets the invite without a major out of the 2C advance (thus not giving information away when we don't need information about majors). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandakh Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Some options:- 1. Stayman (2♣ is now available as a transfer)2. Clubs (as above but now 2♠ is Stayman; or alternatively in combination with 2♣ Stayman (then either 2♠ or 2NT can show diamonds))3. Hearts and invitational values (probably better is hearts and a "light" invite)4. Spades (surely the worst meaning)5. Take-out of spades6. INV+ NT raise without a spade stopper7. Minor suit Stayman (the extra step turns out to be rather useful)8. anything else which just happens to be an awkward hand type in your system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vampyr Posted July 26, 2012 Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 Someone suggested on Bridgewinners (Debbie Rosenberg maybe) that this should be natural! I play this, but not that it is exactly invitational; that is a good idea that I am going to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMoe Posted July 28, 2012 Report Share Posted July 28, 2012 Playing systems on (direct 2N is Lebensohl), the transfer is most useful as an invitation to 3N, asking partner's disposition about ♠s. If partner accepts the transfer, s/he denies a stopper. Then 2N by responder shows a full stopper. 3♠ by advancer would then show a partial stop showing a hand for 3N or 4m... This way, 2♣ Stayman then 2N can show an invite with a partial stopper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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