Time For: Four-Suit Transfers

Time For: Introducing conventions that might not be familiar to some players, but are nearly universal in common usage such as ACBL Bridge Bulletin Standard. Whether or not you adopt the convention -- I suggest that you do! --  at the very least you should know enough about it to understand the opponents' usage. 

Let's talk about minor suits after partner opens 1NT. Right now you might be playing something like this (note the highlighted areas):

• 2 ♠ is a transfer to clubs; responder can correct to diamonds for a signoff.
• 3 ♣ and 3 ♦ are invitational, showing at least a six-card suit.

This approach has some problems:

• If responder has diamonds, she will be declarer. Opener's strong hand will be exposed to the defenders
• If responder has an invitational minor suit hand, she will be declarer.
• If responder has a game-forcing hand with a good minor suit, responder must bid 2 ♠ (transfer) and then rebid 3NT or four/five of the minor. There is no way to stop in 3NT with game-forcing diamonds. 
• There is no way to show hands with 5-5 in the minors, whether weak or strong.

The solution to these problems is to play four-suit transfers. Responder can transfer to either minor, and find out if opener has a super hand and a good fit. All without going past three of the minor, and without wrong-siding the hand in most common cases. Here's how:

1NT - 2♠ is a transfer to clubs. Announce "clubs"

• Opener accepts 3♣ unless she has a "super-accept" (at least king-third with good values and no weak side suit, since 3NT will be a likely landing spot)
  Responder can then Pass, bid 3NT as a choice of games, bid 4NT ace-asking, bid 5♣ to play, cue-bid an ace (or control) with slam interest, or jump-shift to show shortness in the bid suit (a splinter).
• Opener bids 2NT ("one under" the suit) with a super-accept. Alert! "super-accept clubs"
  If responder has a minimum, she rebids 3♣ to play.
  If responder has extras, she can bid 3NT (suggesting a final contract) or cue-bid an outside ace suggesting the minor-suit contract, possibly with slam interest. After a cue-bid, opener should bid the minor to complete the transfer. 4NT by responder is ace-asking. Jump rebids by responder are splinters, showing shortness in the bid suit.

1NT - 2NT is a transfer to diamonds. Announce "diamonds"

• Opener accepts 3♦ unless she has a super-accept. Responder can Pass or make a forward-going bid as above.
  
• Opener bids 3♣  ("one under") with a super-accept. Alert! "super-accept diamonds"
  Responder can sign off in 3♦ or make a forward-going bid as above.

1NT - 2♣ - 2anything - 2NT is Invitational. Alert! "might not have a four-card major"

All balanced invitational hands (say, 8-9 HCP) must first bid 2♣ Stayman and then rebid 2NT. Opener should not proceed unless she wants to accept the quantitative invitation. Do not alert the 2♣ bid; alert the 2NT rebid.

We no longer need the 3♣ and 3♦ calls to show invitational values, so we put these calls to a better use: showing 5-5 in the minor suits, either weak or strong.

1NT - 3♣ is 5-5 in the minors, weak. Alert! "5-5 minors weak"

Opener can pass, or correct to 3♦ with a preference. Responder could be very weak, so opener should never raise clubs.

1NT - 3♦ is 5-5 in the minors, game-forcing.  Alert! "5-5 minors game forcing"

The auction is forcing to game. Opener can suggest 3NT to play, or choose a minor at the four-level. Subsequent 4NT is ace-asking.

Now your convention card looks like this:

BONUS MINUTE

Some additional considerations...

• Expect to have an accident or two with the immediate 2NT call, forgetting that it is a transfer.
• After responder rebids 3NT, opener is allowed to "chicken out" to 5 of the minor with poor major-suit holdings.
• At matchpoints, five of a minor is almost always a poor-scoring contract. Either play 3NT or bid the minor suit slam.
• At IMPs or rubber bridge, choose the contract that is most likely to make!
• New suit bids beyond 3NT show an ace or control per partnership style
• After a minor suit transfer sequence, 4NT is always ace-asking (key card or Blackwood)
• Some players (perhaps a third) switch the super-accept; accepting the transfer is the super-accept, and "one under" is the default response. Be sure to discuss this in a new partnership
• The BBO robots play a slightly different system: 2♠ is Minor Suit Stayman, 2NT is a transfer to clubs, 3♣ is a transfer to diamonds.

-- Ray 

Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free)