Q&A 09: Transfers and Cue Bids

1. You open 2NT (balanced 20-22) and partner bids 3D which is a transfer to
hearts. Your hand:

A2

AQT8

AT64

AK

What do you know? All you know is that partner has at least five hearts.

Are you happy to transfer and play in 3H? I would be happy to play in FOUR
hearts even with a yarborough and five hearts, and instead of bidding just
3H I would bid 4H. Yes, you have three diamond losers but the more diamonds
you have the fewer dummy is likely to have, with at least five hearts. And
what some of us may not think about, partner may have quite a good hand and
your 'super accept' may lead to a good slam or even an unassailable grand
slam!

2. You open 2C, partner bids 2D and you 2NT which according to system is a
balanced 23-24.
Your hand:

KQ9

AQ5

KQJ65

AQ

First thing we should talk about is the 2D response. It should NOT be based
on point count and often a responder may even choose to make that response
to make later decisions easier. The generally accepted rule is that you
should have at least THREE controls for a positive response, an ace being
two and a king one, rather that "7+ high card points"

So, you have shown a balanced had of 23-24 HCP and partner is transferring
to spades. Another case of a 'super accept' but why waste your opportunity
by bidding 4S? I suggest that any bid in between 3S and 4S should have a
partnership agreement. Even with no agreements I would bid 4C which by logic
and inference should show the ace of clubs, and enough for game opposite
any five card spade suit. If partner has a possible slam hand, partner can
in turn now bid 4D. Knowing partner has 5+ spades and the ace of diamonds,
would YOU now be tempted to have a crack at 6S?

There is much more to the bidding of games and slams using transfers and cue
bids after strong opening bids. Transfers are not used just when partner
opens 1NT!

I have just discovered a series I wrote some time ago, some interesting
chapters on basic transfers, which may be of interest but of special interest
to the more junior players. I can send the first two or three chapters to
anyone interested but you do need to ask.

Cheers,
Vil (villyn@xtra.co.nz)