TWiB Lesson #594 (1 of 9)
There are two general categories of systems against the opponents 1NT opening bids – ones that use a Double as Penalty and others that use a Double as conventional. When the opponents open the bidding with a weak 1NT we need a good method for dealing with their unusual opening bid. The most common range for a weak NT is 12-14 points, but we define 1NT to be weak if the range does not contain 16 points. Some examples: 10-12, 11-13, 11-14, 12-14, 12-15, or 13-15 points. Against these opening bids we use a system that has a penalty double. Let’s look at one of the most interesting of these systems, Landy with Transfer bids.
TWiB Lesson #595 (2 of 9)
Transfers have become a larger and larger part of both competitive and constructive bidding. They help with playing the contract from correct side, but they are also effective in searching for a fit while keeping the auction at a low level. One auction where transfers by Responder can be helpful is after Opener has started with a suit opening bid at the 1-level (1X) and then made a jump rebid of 2NT – showing a balanced hand with 18-19 points. See how transfers by Responder in this auction can help our side describe our hands in the limited space below 3NT. This replaces Modified Wolff Signoff after a 2NT rebid.
TWiB Lesson #596 (3 of 9)
Responding to 1NT is a balancing act of showing both strength and shape while keeping the auction at a low enough level. With a game forcing hand (10+ points), the goal is usually to be able to describe our hand below 3NT, particularly with hands that are strong enough to be interested in slam. This is not a problem with relatively balanced hands, but with distributional hands it may be more difficult for Responder to show their shape and explore slam without getting the auction too high (going past 3NT). After a transfer bid, Responder often gets a second bid without raising the auction much — one of the key benefits of transfers.
TWiB Lesson #597 (4 of 9)
When our LHO opens the bidding, partner makes a simple overcall, and Responder makes a negative double, then we are in the position of the Advancer. We can choose to play transfers in this position as well. By doing so, we give ourselves an additional step and we often allow ourselves more ways to raise partner. These transfer bids also cause some more difficulty for the opponents – making the meaning of their bids less clear. This approach keeps the auction flexible and helps partnerships describe their hands more accurately and efficiently. Let’s see how they work.
TWiB Lesson #598 (5 of 9)
When partner opens the bidding with a Major suit and right-hand opponent makes a takeout double, the modern approach for many expert partnerships is to play transfer bids by Responder. When Responder transfers to the suit with length instead of bidding it, we gain many advantages in these competitive bidding auctions. Let’s look at how we use these transfers by Responder and what they gain for us — improving both clarity and flexibility in our partnership communication, and helping us find the best fit even when opponents interfere. We’ll also see how these methods can simplify auctions and lead to more accurate, confident contracts.
TWiB Lesson #599 (6 of 9)
When partner opens the bidding with a minor suit and right-hand opponent makes a takeout double, the modern approach for many expert partnerships is to play transfer bids by the Responder. By Responder transferring to the suit with length instead of bidding it directly, we gain many advantages in these competitive bidding auctions. These transfers help clarify hand strength, improve accuracy in finding major-suit fits, and allow the partnership to describe shape efficiently while keeping bidding space available. Let’s look at how we use these transfers by Responder and what they gain for us.
TWiB Lesson #600 (7 of 9)
When partner opens the bidding with 1-minor and our RHO makes an overcall of a suit, then we need a way to describe our hand to partner. The traditional Responder tools are negative doubles and positive freebids, but in some auctions, there are other approaches that use transfers to give us a better and more flexible way to compete as Responder. Unfortunately, we don’t have a transfer structure in every auction (when they overcall 1♠, we have very few good systems available), but hopefully there will be more and more interesting developments in this fascinating area of bidding theory.
TWiB Lesson #601 (8 of 9)
Transfers are an extremely useful tool for competitive bidding. So are relay bids, like the way we use 2NT in a Lebensohl auction. We can play a useful system, like Transfer Lebensohl, in a variety of different situations. Let’s see how we can use these methods after partner opens the bidding and the opponents take away our bidding space with a Weak Jump Overcall, giving us structured ways to compete without guessing while still keeping partner fully informed. These agreements help us navigate tough auctions with confidence and clarity.
TWiB Lesson #338 (1 of 8)
Opener’s rebid is one of the most important actions in the auction. Here we look at how we make this bid when we have a balanced hand.
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