Monday, August 01, 2005 3:41 PM

Hand Evaluation - Jacoby Transfers

 

PITBULLS:

 

          There is room for improvement with Jacoby Transfers after 1NT. One improvement is a way to handle invitational 5-5’s as opposed to strong 5-5’s. We covered this in a previous article as we use 2♠ as a relay to 2NT  after Stayman to handle invitational 5-5’s with spades as the anchor suit . We use  a spade relay with heart transfers to handle invitational 5-5’s with hearts as the anchor suit. The transfers to spades do not need a relay as Stayman covers the invitational 5-5’s.

 

            All well & good but also describing forcing to game 5-5’s can also be improved with tweaks to transfers. You can pinpoint the 2-1 or 1-1 in the case of 6-5’s and allow the NT opener to take control with maximums and a good fit. By taking preference either directly or with an unassuming Q bid , the 1NT bidder is  asking for shortness.  Here is a treatment that my partners & myself are developing :

 

 Game force sequences (5-5)

 

1NT     2¨      

2©       3§        5-5  clubs & hearts

3¨                   § fit, max (asks shortness: 3=; 3♠=♠; 3NT= both min, 4§/© both longer suit)

3©                   © fit, max (asks shortness: 3=♦; 3nt=♠; 4§/©= both longer suit)

3ª                   5 card ♠ suit (concentration, § fit)

4§                   RKC in §

4¨                   fit for both, maximum

4©                   Weakest accept (3©’s and bad hand)

 


1NT     2¨      

2©       3¨       5-5 hearts & diamonds

3©                   fit - asks shortness: 3♠=♣; 3nt=♠; 4= both long ♦ 4© = both long ©)

3ª                   fit - asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=♠; 4♦ = both long ♦ 4© = both long ©)

3nt                   to play

4§                   fit for both, maximum

            4¨       MSKCB for diamond (can use this to find out about diamonds for heart slam)

            4©       to play

            4nt       KCB for hearts

4¨                   RKC in ¨

4©                   weakest accept

 

Game force sequences (5-5)

 

1NT     2                                                                                                                   

2♠        3§        5-5 spades and clubs

3¨                   § fit, max asks short: 3=; 3♠=©; 3NT= both min 4§= both long § 4= long

3                    5 card suit (concentration, § fit) .

3♠                    fit, maximum (asks shortness: 3nt=♦ 4¨= 4§= both long § 4= long

3nt                   to play

4§                   RKC in §

4¨                   fit for both, maximum

            4♥        MSKCB for clubs (can use this to find out about clubs for spade slam)

            4♠        to play

            4nt       KCB for spades

4♠                    Weakest accept (3♠’s and bad hand)

 

 


1NT     2

2♠        3¨       5-5  spades & diamonds                                                                   

3©                   fit- asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=; 3ª = both , longer ª , 4= both , longer

3ª                   fit - asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=; 4= both ,  longer ♦ , 4ª = both , longer ª

3nt                   to play

4§                   fit for both, maximum

            4¨       MSKCB for diamonds (can use this to find out about diamond for spade slam)

            4        Shortness, mild slam try

            4ª       to play

            4nt       KCB for spades

4¨                   RKC in ¨

4♠                    weakest accept

 

1NT     2       

2♠        3       5 spades & 5 hearts

3ª                   (max fit - asks shortness: 3NT=♣; 4♣=; 4♥ both  , longer  ;4ª = both  , longer ª)

3nt                   to play

4§                   fit for   , asks shortness 4=♣  , 4=♦ , 4ª = both (slam try)

4NT                 RKC in

4♥                    weakest accept

4♠                    weakest accept