2.1 Responses to 1NT

Four Suit Transfers

2♠ — Transfer to Clubs

In general you will have a six-card suit, or 5+ clubs and 4+ diamonds and a slam try. Clubs will always be longer than diamonds, because if diamonds were equal or longer, you would transfer to diamonds first with a slam try or bid 3♦ with a choice of games.

West	North	East	South
	1NT	Pass	2♠	Transfer to clubs
Pass	?

2NT	A good hand for clubs, in effect, if partner has an invitational hand, you accept
3♣	Any other hand

To bid 2NT you should have a doubleton or longer honour in clubs, with a maximum hand, or a real club fit with a maximum or prime values.

If 2♠ is doubled, 2NT and 3♣ should retain their original meaning, but Redouble should suggest playing in spades. The reason this is a different situation from a transfer to a major is that we already have a system in place to show the quality of the fit. If the next hand bids over 2♠, the opener should have 4+ cards in the minor to bid above 3♣. LOTT should offer some protection if responder has a very poor hand, since she should have a six clubs.

West	North	East	South
	1NT	Pass	2♠	Transfer to clubs
Pass	2NT	Pass	?	If it was invitational, acceptance

3♣	To play — this is our only way to sign off in a minor
3♦	5+ clubs, 4+ diamonds, slam-try
3♥	Singleton heart, 6+ clubs, 10+ HCP (hands with a 4-card major and a 5 or 6-card minor start with Stayman, so the major can never be a “second suit”)
3♠	Singleton spade, 6+ clubs, 10+ HCP (hands with a 4-card major and a 5 or 6-card minor start with Stayman, so the major can never be a “second suit”)
3NT	To play
4♣	Slam-going hand, no major-suit singleton, wants partner to cue bid or bid RKCB
4♦ - 4♠	Unused
4NT	RKCB for clubs
5♣	Game, if you make it

West	North	East	South
	1NT	Pass	2♠	Transfer to clubs
Pass	3♣	Pass	?	If it was invitational, decline

PASS	To play
3♦	5+ clubs, 4+ diamonds, slam-try
3♥	Singleton heart, 6+ clubs, 12+ HCP (need more points as opner denies fit)
3♠	Singleton spade, 6+ clubs, 12+ HCP (need more points as opner denies fit)
3NT	Mild slam try, no major suit singleton
4♣	Slam-going hand, no major-suit singleton, wants partner to cue bid or bid RKCB
4♦ - 4♠	Unused
4NT	RKCB for clubs
5♣	Game, if you make it

2NT — Transfer to Diamonds

In general you will have a six-card suit, or 5+ diamonds and 4+ clubs and a slam try. Diamonds are equal or longer than clubs or we would transfer to clubs first with a slam try or bid 3♦ with a choice of games.

West	North	East	South
	1NT	Pass	2NT	Transfer to clubs
Pass	?

3♣	A good hand for diamonds, in effect, if partner has an invitational hand, you accept
3♦	Any other hand

To bid 3♣ you should have a doubleton or longer honour in diamonds, with a maximum hand, or a real diamond fit with a maximum or prime values.

If 2NT is doubled, 3♣ and 3♦ should retain their original meaning, but Redouble should suggest playing here. If the next hand bids over 2NT, the opener should have 4+ cards in the minor to bid above 3♦. LOTT should offer some protection if responder has a very poor hand, since she should have a six diamonds.

West	North	East	South
	1NT	Pass	2NT	Transfer to clubs
Pass	3♣	Pass	?	If it was invitational, acceptance

3♦	To play
3♥	Singleton heart, 6+ diamonds, 10+ HCP
3♠	Singleton spade, 6+ in the diamonds, 10+ HCP
3NT	To play
4♣	5+ Diamonds, 4+ clubs, slam try
4♦	Slam-going hand, no major-suit singleton, wants partner to cue bid or bid RKCB
4♥ - 4♠	Unused
4NT	RKCB for diamonds
5♣	Unused
5♦	Game, if you make it

West	North	East	South
	1NT	Pass	2NT	Transfer to clubs
Pass	3♦	Pass	?	If it was invitational, decline

PASS	To play
3♥	Singleton heart, 6+ diamonds, 12+ HCP
3♠	Singleton spade, 6+ diamonds, 12+ HCP
3NT	Mild slam try, no major suit singleton
4♣	5+ Diamonds, 4+ clubs, slam try
♦	Slam-going hand, no major-suit singleton, wants partner to cue bid or bid RKCB
4♥ - 4♠	Unused
4NT	RKCB for diamonds
5♣	Unused
5♦	Game, if you make it

The reason we use the transfer to the minor followed by bidding the major to show shortness, is to avoid playing 3NT on those hands where, by virtue of partner having nothing wasted opposite our singleton, 3NT might be in jeopardy while the minor suit slam is on the same play. We do not need this sequence to show a major, since with 4 of the major and a longer minor we start with Stayman. If partner doesn’t bid your major, you can make a natural and forcing call in the minor.