By Val Rhead
THE MAGIC OF BIDDING – PART FOUR:
LIMIT YOUR HAND WHILE BIDDING TRANSFER CONTRACTS
As we saw last week, if your partner opens his hand with a One-No-Trump bid, great, he has limited his hand on his first bid. You know that he has 15 to 17 points and even or fairly even distribution. You, the responder, become the Captain. You have four choices—and only four choices—for your bid. You may pass. You may raise the level of the contract to Two or Three No-Trump. You may use the Stayman Convention to find a major-suit contract. Or finally, this week’s topic, you may make a Transfer bid to indicate that you have a five-card or longer major suit, or a six-card or longer minor suit.
If you have a five-card or longer major, even with as few as zero points, make a Transfer bid by bidding the suit right below the suit you want. If you have a five-card Spade suit, bid Two Hearts. Your partner must tell the opponents that your bid is a Transfer bid by saying the word “Transfer.” This is important. Partner must alert your opponents when you are using a bid whose meaning is not clear. This is not Poker, it is Bridge, and the rules in Bridge require partnerships to inform opponents of their agreements. Opener would then complete your Transfer by bidding Two Spades.
You also can make a Transfer bid to the minor suits of Clubs and Diamonds. However, you must have at least six cards in the suit to Transfer to it. After all, you are forcing your partner to bid at the three level, not the two level. I play that a bid of Two Spades is a Transfer to Clubs, and a bid of Three Clubs is a Transfer to Diamonds. Some players play it differently so it’s wise to determine your partnership agreement.
A useful feature about a Transfer bid is that it can be made with any number of points, even zero. If you have made a weak Transfer bid, such as Two Hearts, you then pass after your partner has completed the Transfer and he plays the hand at Two Spades. If you have 8-9 points, after the Transfer is completed, bid Two No-Trump to show your strength. If you have 10 or more points, bid Three No-Trump to show your higher strength. Opener will correct to the suit if he prefers the suit contract and he will bid the game if he likes your invitation to game when you bid Two No-Trump.
Why would you want to make a Transfer bid when you have very few points? Usually, opener has a better chance of making the suit contract than making One No-Trump playing with a weak dummy. Also, even if you do not have many high-card points, your long suit may be established. Most importantly, with a suit contract, opener has transportation to get to your hand to play out those good cards and to make finesses through his strong opening hand.
If you have both a four-card and a five-card major, use Stayman rather than bidding a Transfer showing your five-card suit. This gives you a better chance of finding a fit between your two hands as your partner has two suits from which to pick.
Stayman and Transfers are useful, both when there is interference from your opponents, and when your opponents are silent. Make sure you have checked with your partner to ensure that he plays “Systems On,” that is, you bid Stayman and Transfers, but at a level higher if necessary, even when the opponents are interfering.
If your partner has opened One No-Trump and the opponents interfere with a Two-Club bid when you want to use a Stayman Two-Club bid, you double to indicate that they have stolen the bid you wanted to make. Similarly, if you wanted to bid Two Hearts as a Transfer to Spades, double if the opponent bids Two Hearts. They have stolen the bid you intended to make. If the opponent bids Two Diamonds, and you want to bid Two Hearts as a Transfer to Spades, make your Two Heart bid as you would without the interference.
If your partner has opened One No-Trump and you have a very good hand proceed as above, but continue to describe your hand to partner to see if a slam is possible. More about this on another day. Next week’s article will be about how to limit your hand after weak pre-emptive opening bids.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to [email protected] and I will try to include it in this column.
NEW SOCIAL BRIDGE GAME IN HUNTSVILLE
Games are at the Active Living Centre on Thursdays at 7 p.m.in the multi-purpose roomon the 2nd floor (elevator) at the back entrance of the Canada Summit Centre. Just come – with or without a partner.
For information, please contact Donna or Peter Tikuisis at 647 471 1774 or [email protected].
For now, this game will be played following Chicago Rules (allowing both fast and slow games). You will keep your same partner for the entire evening. Cost is $1.50 per person. Parking is outside the North Entrance opposite Heritage Village Railway Station. Next game Jan 3, 2019.
PORT CARLING SOCIAL BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Port Carling Social Bridge Club are Monday afternoon 1pm at the Port Carling Community Centre, 3 Bailey Street. Please arrive with your partner at least 10 minutes before game time.
For information, contact Andree or Scott 705-764-3827 [email protected]
Please Note: There is no game Dec 24. The next game is Dec 31, 2018 at 1pm.
Winners for Dec 17, 2018; 1. Ted & Susan Daglish 4160; 2. Els Vandenberg & Peter Rhead 3860; 3. Andree Baillargeon & Scott Staples 3390
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games at the Huntsville Club are Tuesday afternoon 1pm, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street (side door, three steps up in the Hearth Room). Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. For information and partnerships call Liz Graham (705)789-7187 or email at [email protected]
HUNTSVILLE CLUB, PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE: The game is cancelled Dec 25 and Jan 1. Then the game starts the Winter Season Jan/Feb/Mar afternoon schedule of 1pm on Tuesday, Jan 8, 2019. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early. The game will be held three steps up in the Hearth Room.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Dec 18 with 6 pairs playing a Howell movement. 1. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 2. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 3. Vern Foell and Rod Dixon
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
Note: There are no games Dec 24 or Dec 31. The Club will play again Jan 7, 2019
The following winners are from Monday, Dec 17 with 15 pairs playing a Howell movement. 1. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 2. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 3. Gerry Flaherty and Ralph Hair; 4. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 5. Art Insley and Don Evans; 6. Kathy Kent and David Kent; 7. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 8. Pat Paterson and Tony Liming
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