By Valerie Rhead
Last week we looked at Major Suit TRANSFERS (Hearts and Spades) following a No-Trump opening. Today we will look at Minor Suit Transfers (Clubs and Diamonds). Recently, one of our readers asked me what she should have bid after her partner opened with One No-Trump when she held just three high-card points but a seven-card Club suit. “That’s easy,” I replied. “Bid Two Spades as a transfer to Clubs and Three Clubs to transfer to diamonds. Just remember Two Clubs is reserved for STAYMAN.”
“But we don’t play Minor-Suit Transfers,” she replied.
“That’s too bad,” I said. “You’ll have to pass. But you should learn how to transfer in the minors on your drive home.”
Remember, that you can make a transfer bid with any number of points, including zero points. All you need is a suit of at least five-cards long in the majors or at least six-cards long in the minors. When your partner opens One No-Trump and you have a long suit, you simply bid the suit below your long suit. Partner, the No-Trump bidder, says the word, “TRANSFER” when you make your bid, then bids your long suit at his turn to bid. You can either pass, if your holding is weak, invite to game, or bid a game. You are the captain!
There are two major advantages to using transfer bids. With a weak hand in dummy, but with a long suit, the partnership will likely do better by playing the hand in a suit than in No-Trump. Weak Dummy doesn’t have many entries, so it is hard for the declarer to get to dummy to make finesses. In addition, the strong No-Trump hand is hidden. Only the weak dummy hand with the long trump suit is exposed to your opponents’ view.
One difference when transferring to the minors is that the dummy is more likely to want to play a No-Trump contract if he has ten or more points. His long-suit will likely be very useful in No-Trump. Further, with a good hand, he may be aware of the potential of a Minor-Suit Slam. We’re often so eager to avoid playing in Clubs or Diamonds that we miss Minor-Suit Slams.
As is often the case in bidding in bridge, there can be more than one choice about how to bid a hand. You will find some responders that bid Two-Spades with either a long Club or Diamond suit. After the Two-Spade bid, opener bids Three-Clubs for either Clubs or Diamonds. If the dummy’s long suit is Diamonds, he will correct the Three-Club bid to Three-Diamonds. The disadvantage of this convention is that the strong hand now will be dummy for all to see.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to vrhead23@gmail.com and I will include it in this column.
TOURNAMENT TRAIL: Gold and Red Masterpoints, North Bay Regional
August 16-21, 2016 North Bay Elks Club, 325 Elks Lane
All pair games include stratification 0-300 and novice 0-50 if numbers warrant
Tuesday Games 1pm and 7pm with both team game and pairs
Wednesday to Saturday Games 9:30 and 2:30 with both team game and pairs and team game only at 7:30 Wed-Sat
Sunday Swiss Team Only – Playthrough 9:30
Please confirm the details, read the tournament info flyer at acbl.org
Your opportunity for fun and to earn gold and red masterpoints.
Stratification based on average:
Open A = 1500+, B = 500-1500, C = 0-500, also 299 game and 50 newcomer game
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Huntsville Club are Tuesdays, 7:15pm, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive 15 minutes early. Contact Susan [email protected] for information and partnerships.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Jul 26 with 12 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1/2. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 1/2. Pat Pelletier and Margaret Cordingley; 3. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 4. Chris Karn and Vern Foell; 5. Bob Schives and Bruce Elliott; 6. Art Insley and Rod Dixon; East-West 1. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 2. Susan Marshall and Jan Roberts; 3. Gail Titus and Paula Coleman; 4. Betty Rintoul and Bev Parlett; 2. Don Norman and Ross McArthur; 3. Fay MacDonald and Mary Whitehead; 5. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 6. Liz Barnes and Bev Howard
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games at the Bracebridge Club are at the Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road 7pm Monday evenings. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
The following winners are from Monday, Jul 25 with 11 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 2. Bob Schives and David Bryce; 3. Pamela Jardine and Ralph Mitchell; 4. Ralph Hair and Gerry Flaherty; 5/6. Fay MacDonald and Mary Whitehead; 5/6. Mary Mitchell and Susan Maddocks; East-West 1. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 2. Betty Rintoul and Bev Howard; 3. Sue Cuff and Bill Cuff; 4. Art Insley and Don Evans; 5. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 6. Laura Hawthorn and Myrna Rosemeyer.
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