Transfer Responses to One Club

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Updated 2023-05-07

This is an interesting convention that has some clear advantages and is similar to transfers after a 1NT opening. I've seen descriptions of a few variations but nothing "authoritative". Here I'll describe one that is simple and can be tacked on to your existing methods without much disruption.

When you open one club and next hand passes, partner may respond as follows:

1♦      Replaces the 1♥ response
1♥      Replaces the 1♠ response
1♠      Replaces the 1♦ and 1NT responses (5+ diamonds, or 6-10 HCP balanced without a major)
1NT     Balanced, no major, good 10 to bad 12 HCP, nonforcing
2NT     Balanced, no major, game forcing, could have slam interest
Other   Same as your current methods

All this is on if second hand doubles or overcalls 1♦ or 1♥ (double replaces those bids). It's off with any higher overcall.

Opener rebids naturally, with some special considerations.

When the response is 1♦ or 1♥, accepting the transfer at the 1-level shows exactly three-card support. With 4-card support you would accept at the 2-level or higher as appropriate for your strength. Other nonforcing bids deny support and are otherwise normal according to your methods. Bidding proceeds normally.

Some examples after a 1♦ response:

1♣    1♦
1♥          3 hearts exactly, responder may pass with a bare minimum
1♠          4 spades, not 3 hearts
1NT         12-14 balanced, not 3 hearts or 4 spades
2/3/4♥      4 hearts, natural
Other       Same as your current methods after a 1♥ response

New Minor Forcing (diamonds) or some other checkback is still useful after responder shows a major and opener rebids 1NT, because you may want to check for the other major or create a forcing sequence with a 4+ card minor suit. You should make this mostly consistent with your methods after a 1♦ opening.

After a 1♠ response you would rebid as you normally would knowing that partner does not have a major. If partner continues then he is showing primary diamonds in addition to the bid suit. Here are some examples that may vary according to your normal methods:

1♣    1♠
1NT   Pass    The strong hand declares!
      2♣      Diamonds and clubs, nonforcing
      2♦      6-10 HCP with long diamonds
      2♥/♠    2-suited with diamonds, game force
      2NT     Diamonds, artificial game force (not natural because the 1NT response is for that)
      3♣      Diamonds and clubs, invitational (like standard 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT - 3♣)
      3♦      Diamonds, invitational (like standard 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT - 3♦)
      3♥/♠    Whatever these would mean for you after a natural 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT
      3NT     To play, ambiguous

1♣    1♠
2♣    2♦      6-10 HCP with long diamonds
      2♥/♠    2-suited with diamonds, game force
      2NT     Diamonds, artificial game force (not natural because the 1NT response is for that)
      3♣      Diamonds and club support, invitational (like standard 1♣ - 1♦ - 2♣ - 3♣)
      3♦      Diamonds, invitational (like standard 1♣ - 1♦ - 2♣ - 3♦)
      3♥/♠    Whatever these would mean for you after a natural 1♣ - 1♦ - 2♣

Support doubles are recommended for dealing with overcalls by third hand after a 1♦ or 1♥ response or equivalent double. For example: 1♣ - (1♥) - Dbl - (2♥) - Dbl shows 3-card support for partner's spades.

That's about it. Advantages are that the strong hand ends up declaring more often, 5-3 major fits are easily found, competitive bidding is more effective and 2NT contracts are more often avoided. I cannot think of any disadvantages!

As best I can tell this is legal for all ABF events, as system regulations are mostly about the meanings of opening bids. It does not appear to be permitted in ACBL events with masterpoint limits. And of course these methods should be pre-alerted.

Suggested Defence

If opponents ask for a suggested defence, or if they use this convention themselves, try this:

• Over the 1♦ or 1♥ response bid as if responder had bid 1♥ or 1♠ respectively. A one-level bid of the suit shown would be a cue-bid, so Michaels if you play that.

• Over the 1♠ response double as takeout for the majors or a strong hand, otherwise bid naturally.

[rod]

I recently found a somewhat similar convention called Transfer Walsh:

• https://gambiter.com/bridge/Transfer_walsh.html

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_Walsh

Some alternative treatments are described in those articles but the one described above is easy to add on to your existing methods.

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Warning

Do not use this variation if you are opening 18-19 HCP balanced hands with 2♣ as described here.

Overview

The Wikipedia T-Walsh article (above) includes this:

A common variation is to have opener complete the transfer with 12-14 HCP balanced, even with only doubleton support for the major suit. Responder will pass with 5 cards if weak but rebid (perhaps 1NT) with only 4. This allows the 5-2 fit to be played in the better major contract. Opener will only break the transfer with a strong hand, such as 17+ if playing a 14-16 NT.

With this method when you play a 15-17 1NT opening, a 1NT rebid by the 1♣ opener after a transfer bid promises a balanced 18-19 HCP. It could have 3-card support for the major but not 4-card.

In addition any balanced 18-19 HCP hand must be opened 1♣, therefore announced as "two or more." With a minimum opening it must still be three or more cards.

When the transfer is accepted responder does not know if partner has only two cards in their major, but they do know that partner has only 12-14 HCP. This seems a reasonable trade-off, and the big benefit is keeping the bidding lower with strong balanced hands. Another benefit is repurposing the 2NT rebid (see below).

Note that the transfer acceptance will frequently be passed when responder has a 5-card major.

Example Auctions

Following are some revised example auctions.

1♣    1♦
1♥          2 or 3 hearts, 12-14 HCP
1♠          4 spades, unbalanced with clubs
1NT         18-19 balanced, not 4 hearts
2NT         Strong distributional hand with clubs and exactly 3
            hearts, suggesting a 4♥ contract if responder has 5
2/3/4♥      4 hearts, natural
Other       Same as your current methods after a 1♥ response

1♣    1♥
1NT   2♣    New Minor Forcing (opener has not promised clubs)
      2♥    Natural, nonforcing (use NMF to force)
      Other Natural

1♣    1♠
1NT         12-14 balanced
2NT         18-19 balanced
Other       Same as after 1♣ - 1NT in standard bidding

1♣    1♠
2NT   3NT   To play
      Other Forcing and natural with primary diamonds

If the response is not a transfer then the auction proceeds as described in the first posting above.

Yet Another Benefit

Auctions starting with 1♦ are also affected because opener cannot be strong and balanced. In particular an auction 1♦ - 1♥/♠ - 2NT shows a strong distributional hand with diamonds and 3 cards in partner's major.

The same applies to an auction like 1♣ - 1♦/♥ - 2NT.