Transfer Bids Over a Double

Your partner opens 1 and the next hand doubles.   What do you do when you hold a hand like this?

                                                   6 5
                                                   K J T 8 4
                                                   4 3 2
                                                   8 4 2


This hand is a problem for several reasons, right?   It's a weak hand but you can't jump to the two level because partner will expect a 6-card suit, and if you bid 1 you will be saying you have more points.   Besides, if you play the hand your partner's cards will be on display and that can only help the enemy.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to transfer the heart suit to your partner, and then pass at your next turn?

Good!  We're going to do that!  Here's how it works...
When partner opens 1 and the next hand doubles, we agree that our responses at the one level are Transfer Bids showing the next suit above the one that is bid.

    A 1 response transfers to 1
    A 1 response transfers to 2
    All other bids retain the same meaning they've always had.
But how do I transfer to hearts when my partner has bid diamonds?   Not a problem - Just redouble.   The redouble is the transfer to hearts.   The hand above is a perfect example of this bid.

If the opponents pass and your partner plays the hand, there are several advantages to this:  first, you are only at the one level.   Second, the strong hand for the opponents is on lead, and third, your partner's hand is hidden.   (And if your partner goes down, it's her fault, not yours.)

Change the hand a bit...

                                                   K 5
                                                   K J T 8 4
                                                   K J 2
                                                   8 4 2

Looks like an invitational hand, doesn't it?   Transfer to hearts and at your next turn raise your partner.

One more change -

                                                   K 5
                                                   K J T 8 4
                                                   K J 2
                                                   Q 4 2

Now you have a very good hand and need to be in game.   The agreement should be that if you transfer and then either bid a new suit or bid notrump, you have enough points to bid twice.   With this hand you don't have a second suit so you would have to rebid either 2NT or 3NT.

Some final comments.
Depending on how aggressive your partnership likes to play, you can agree that the transfer bid always promises at least a 5-card suit, but if you like to play out there at the edge, do it with a 4-card suit!

Also, note that you can either transfer to 2 or you can bid 2.   The difference is that bidding it shows the invitational hand of perhaps 10-12 HCP.   With either a weak hand or a strong one, start with the transfer bid first.



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This link will show you some examples.