Monday, July 25, 2005 1:20 AM
Hand Evaluation - T/O Doubles & Transfers
PITBULLS:
When the opponents
have made a T/O double of your major ,
they have already screwed up your auction.
If you have a one suited hand that
is 10 HCP+ , lower in rank than partners
major, you must distort your hand by redoubling. You can not bid at the two level in your suit as this is non forcing. This is bad because the opponents can
initiate pre-emptive action so you may have
to introduce your one suited hand
in a misfit auction at an unsafe level. Which bid in Bridge allows you to
show an ambiguous one suited hand that is either very
weak , intermediate or strong
? If you guessed the transfer ,
move to the head of the class. Playing transfers after T/O doubles of a major makes as much sense as playing them after a 1NT opening. You need rules for “super
accepts” & breaking the transfer
but they are handy. Transfers help define the
redouble making it now
punitive with no fit nor single-suited hands.
Disturbing the
opponents’ auctions are a good tactical ploy. When partner opens a major , the opponents make a take-out double , you can effectively use transfers as a two pronged tactic. You can
mess up their T/O double & also describe your hand better to your
partner. You sacrifice the 1NT as natural ( after a major only ) which is
not a great loss as with hands with no fit
for partners major under the
values for a redouble , it is usually better
to defend. Let the opponents play
the misfits. If you have a top end 1 NT bid , you can always redouble & bid NT at your
first opportunity. A 1NT bid showing clubs
, pre-empts them out of their 1NT
response. A 1NT bid , in my opinion ,
just rescues the
opponents especially
if they are vulnerable. Think
about it. You have no fit with
partner along with 7-9 HCP. This means you out gun them possibly 22-18 ( giving
partner her 13 HCP ) & its a misfit
auction. Why bid with those hands ? D.S.I.P. doubles later on in the auction will show values just
under a redouble so penalty
conversions can take place or
a scramble to a partial.
A transfer can be used
like a relay to give two meanings
to the same bid of a simple raise of partners major. If you transfer
into her suit it is constructive , if you make a simple direct raise , it is not. You keep the auction at the two level & describe two different hand
types. Susan tells me that Klimo has added a twist to these bids. He adds an or element to the transfers. They are either
, a simple raise in partners major
with values in the transfer suit or
the single suited hand as
described. This understanding clarifies simple raises & shows where you live. For game tries &
defensive purposes. This can not be bad J .
“Showing where you live” is a time honoured hand evaluation technique that is used for game tries. Kokish game tries are defined as showing where you would accept a game try. These transfers with a fit , follow the same principle. You show where you live with a transfer
simultaneously showing
support for
partner’s major . Excellent bidding. J
The transfer element hurts the opponents ability to compete. They either must go to a higher
level with their suit or double which gives us more room to compete &
allows us to redouble to show values. There is a case for playing transfers
over any
opening bid but we only play them after a major opening. If partner opens a minor , 1NT to
play make sense & you can always get your long suits in at the one level. It is the rank problem with a major suit opener that needs to be fixed via a transfer.
Transfers have super accepts associated with them making them even more
powerful. A partnership can discuss that just accepting the transfer means no
interest in that suit.
1© Dbl 1ª natural and forcing
1N = transfer to ♣ any strength or raise with values in clubs
2§ = transfer to ¨ any strength or raise with values in diamonds
2¨ = transfer to © (8 – 10 HCP) constructive raise
2♥ - non
constructive raise 3 card support
3♥ -
pre-emptive 4 card support
2NT – Limit raise or
better
1ª Dbl 1N = Transfer to § any strength or
raise with values in clubs
2§ = transfer to ¨ any strength or raise with values in diamonds
2¨ = transfer to © any strength or
raise with values in hearts
2© = transfer to ª (8 – 10 HCP) constructive raise
2♠ - non
constructive 3 card support
3♠ - pre-emptive 4 card support
2NT – Limit raise or
better
With
the Klimo adjunct , all transfers can also show a raise with values in that suit.