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INTERMEDIATE BRIDGE

 

LESSON 25

 

JACOBY TRANSFER BIDS

 

There are four (4) circumstances that exist wherein it is advantageous to playing Jacoby transfer bids. They are as follows:

 

 

(1)  Transfer bids are used to insure the circumstance such that the player with the strong hand; i.e., the opening NT bidder, will be the declarer and, thus, the player whose hand remains concealed to the opponents.    This has an added benefit such that the opponent’s opening lead will come towards any tenace, not through existing ones.  Natural auctions such as: 1NT-P-2S, INT-P‑3H , or, 1NT-P‑4S, auctions which do not utilize Jacoby transfers, often result in contracts being played from the "wrong side" of the table.   With Transfer bidding, however, the lead by the opponents comes into the high card holding of the NT opener instead of piercing his/her high card strength; and, with the strong hand concealed, the defense for the opponents is, thus, made that much more difficult.

 

 

 

(2)   Transfer bids facilitate responder's task of describing two‑suited hands.   Consider the following two scenarios both of which would clearly present problems absent Jacoby transfers:

 

                       (A)      XX    KQJXX    AQXXX    X

 

      Playing Stayman without transfers, responder would be forced to bid “2C” and over a statistically

      probable response of 2S would then bid 3H showing 5-pieces and forcing to game.   But now, what does

      he/she do if opener bids 3NT?   Responder has not yet shown the Diamond holding and must guess

      whether to pass 3NT or first introduce his/her second suit.   Playing transfer bids, however, Responder 

      first transfers to Hearts by bidding “2D”, and then shows the Diamond suit at the three level.   If opener

      then bids 3NT, it is most probably the best contract since all of Responders information has been

      shared with opener being able to process this information.

 

                                                            INT    “2D”

                        2H    3D

                        3NT   Pass

 

 

.                     (B)    KQXXX           AQXXX    XX    X

     

         With two five‑card Major suit holdings and game-going values Responder can first transfer to spades, 

         and then jump to 4‑hearts seeking the best fit with what, at the very worst case scenario, must be at

         least a 5‑3 fit in one of the Majors since the opening NT bidder can have no fewer than one doubleton.  

                                                                

                                                            INT      “2H”

                        2S      4H

                            Pass or 4S

 

                 

 

 

 

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(3)  Transfers also solve the problems created by many hands with invitational strength and five‑card or six‑card Major suit holdings.   Examples:

 

(A)   AQX   QXXXXX   XX    XX        Playing transfers, responder would bid “2D” and then raise

                                                      opener’s forced 2H to 3H, inviting opener to continue to 4H with a           

          1NT     “2D”                     maximum holding of 16-17 HCP’s else to pass with a minimum of   

           2H      3H                        15 HCP's.

             4H or Pass                                                 

       

 

(B)  KQJXX                        XXX    XX    KXX       Playing transfers, responder can bid “2H”, and then invite to game

                                                    in either NT or spades by rebidding 2NT over partner's forced

          1NT        “2H”             response of 2S.

           2S         2NT

3S,4S,3NT,Pass

 

 

(4)  With a five‑card Major suit holding and, game‑going values, Responder can utilize a combination of transfer bidding coupled with a NT "CHECK BACK" to confirm whether the original NT bidder had two or three cards in the forced Major suit of Responder’s choice.

 

KXX   AQXXX   KX   XXX                        1NT       “2D”

                             2H        3NT

                            ???

 

         The opening INT bidder then either passes the 3NT bid holding only 2 Hearts else corrects to 4H holding     

          three or four Hearts.

             .

 

Jacoby transfer bidding is equally applicable over 2NT opening bids.

 

      EX.   2NT “3H”   (or)   2NT  “3D”    (or)   2NT    “3D”

               3S   4S          3H  Pass          3H 3NT

                                          P/4H

 

One may choose to utilize "Two‑way Jacoby Transfers", "Three‑way Jacoby Transfers"  or "Four-way Jacoby Transfers".   It is simply by partnership understanding and mutual agreement.

 

a)   2‑Way Jacoby Transfers          b)  3‑Way Jacoby Transfers        c)  4‑Way Jacoby Transfers

            "2D" =   Hearts                            "2D" =  Hearts                                "2D" = Hearts

            "2H" =   Spades                            "2H" =  Spades                                "2H" = Spades

                                                              "2S"  = “Minor Suit                          "2S" =  Clubs

                                                                           Stayman”(Preference)        "3C" = Diamonds

 

NOTES:    1.   The way to handle a 6‑4 Major suit holding using both Stayman and Jacoby Transfers:

 

AXXXXX  KQXX  AX  X     INT  “2C” AXXX  AQXXXX  X  XX 1NT   “2C”

                      “2D”  4S                          “2D”    4H

 

  2.   The way to handle a 5‑4 Major suit holding using both Stayman and Jacoby Transfers:

 

AXXXX  AKXX  XXX  X     INT  ”2C”                AKXX  KQXXX  XX  XX   INT   “2C”

                      “2D”  3S                           “2D”   3H

                        3NT/4S                                3NT/4H