2.1 Responses to 1NT
Jacoby Transfers
2♦ — Transfer to Hearts
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1NT |
Pass |
2♦ |
| Pass |
? |
|
|
| 2♥ |
2 or 3 hearts, any strength |
| 3♥ |
4 hearts, any hand except a very minimum 3=4=3=3 (pretend you have 3 hearts) |
If 2♦ is doubled, bidding 2♥ shows 3-card support; otherwise, you should pass. Redouble also denies 3-card support and shows good enough diamonds (good five-card suit) to suggest playing here. If the next player bids over 2♦, opener needs 4 trumps to compete to the 3-level. The Law of Total Tricks (LOTT) suggests that there is some safety at the 3-level with a 9-card fit, even when responder is very weak.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1NT |
Pass |
2♦ |
| Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
? |
| 2♠ |
5+ Hearts, 4+ spades, slam-try |
| 2NT |
5 Hearts, invitational to game |
| 3♣ |
5+ Hearts, 4+ clubs, slam-try |
| 3♦ |
5+ Hearts, 4+ diamonds, slam-try |
| 3♥ |
6+ Hearts, invitational to game |
| 3♠ |
6+ Hearts, singleton spade, slam-try |
| 3NT |
5 Hearts, choice of games |
| 4♣ |
6+ Hearts, singleton club, slam-try |
| 4♦ |
6+ Hearts, singleton diamond, slam-try |
| 4♥ |
6+ Hearts, no side-suit or singleton, probably 6-3-2-2 or 7-2-2-2 distribution, slam-try. |
| 4♠ |
Unused |
| 4NT |
Invitational to 6♥ or 6NT, probably 5-3-3-2. 5♥ by opener is to play. (To bid RKCB, use a Texas Transfer) |
| 5♣ - 5♠ |
Unused |
| 5NT |
Choice of slams between 6♥ and 6NT |
In general, you should choose to show a second suit before shortness (by a splinter bid), unless the second suit is of poor quality. If we have a 5-4 or 6-4 fit, and a 4-4 fit, the 4-4 will produce more tricks because we will be able to take discards on the five- or six-card suit. Even if you don’t have a secondary fit, partner will be able to get a better feeling for how the hands fit. If you have QJx in partner’s second suit and Axx in an unbid suit this is much better than vice-versa.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1NT |
Pass |
2♦ |
| Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
2♠ |
| Pass |
? |
|
|
| 2NT |
Denies a fit in either suit |
| 3♣ |
Cue bid in support of spades |
| 3♦ |
Cue bid in support of spades |
| 3♥ |
3-card heart support (or a minimum 3=4=3=3 — opener “Super Accepts’ with 4-card heart support), agrees hearts as trumps |
| 3♠ |
? |
Note
This is consistent with other two-suited auctions. It is better to return to the first suit with support and cuebid for the second as sometimes raising the second suit puts us above 3NT, for example:
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1NT |
Pass |
2♦ |
| Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
3♣ |
| Pass |
? |
|
|
| 3♦ |
Cue bid in support of hearts |
| 3♥ |
3-card heart support |
| 3♠ |
Cue bid in support of hearts |
| 3NT |
Denies a fit in either suit |
| 4♣ |
The only way to agree clubs as trump |
|
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1NT |
Pass |
2♦ |
| Pass |
3♥ |
Pass |
? |
| Pass |
Not enough for game |
| 3♠ |
5+ hearts, 4+ spades, slam-try |
| 3NT |
No second suit, slam-try |
| 4♣, 4♦ |
5+ hearts, 4+ in the minor, slam-try |
| 4♥ |
To play |
| 4♠ |
Unused |
| 4NT |
RKCB (normally doesn’t occur after a transfer, but the super-accept set hearts as trumps) |
This is consistent with the theme of showing your second suit as a priority on all slam-going hands.
Don’t confuse 1NT - 2♦; 3♥ - 3NT with “Serious 3NT”. On this auction we are primarily concerned with shape. If 3NT was “Serious” it would, for example deny a spade control, whereas on this auction 3♠ shows a spade suit, not a control. Another clue to avoid the confusion is that “Serious 3NT” only applies when both hands are relatively unlimited, whereas on this auction opener has a strict range, so there is no need for a “non-serious” cue bid.
2♥ — Transfer to Spades
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
1NT |
Pass |
2♥ |
| Pass |
2♠ |
Pass |
? |
| Pass |
Not enough for game |
| 3♣ |
5+ Spades, 4+ clubs, slam-try |
| 3♦ |
5+ Spades, 4+ diamonds, slam-try |
| 3♥ |
5+ Spades, 4+ hearts, slam-try |
| 3♠ |
6+ Spades, invitational to game |
| 3NT |
5 Spades, choice of games |
| 4♣ |
6+ Spades, singleton club, slam try |
| 4♦ |
6+ Spades, singleton diamond, slam try |
| 4♥ |
6+ Spades, singleton heart, slam try |
| 4♠ |
6+ Spades, mild slam try, probably 6-3-3-2 or 7-2-2-2 |
| 4NT |
invitational to 6♠ or 6NT, probably 5-3-3-2. 5♠ by opener is to play. (To bid RKCB, use a Texas Transfer.) |
| 5♣ - 5♠ |
Unused |
| 5NT |
Choice of slams between 6♠ and 6NT |
Continuations follow the same principles as a transfer to hearts, except to note that if the majors are of equal length (5-5 or 6-6), we always transfer to spades first.
Four Suit Transfers