Wednesday, October 08, 2003 12:19 AM

Texas Transfers - 4S

PITBULLS:

After one partner has opened with 1 No Trump, or 2 No Trump, many partnerships use the Texas Transfer Convention to show a long Heart suit or a long Spade suit by bidding the lower-ranking suit to transfer the 1 No Trump bidder. Using this convention, many partnerships discovered that the bid of 4 Spades was idle and had no significance. Mr. Eddie Kantar and Mr. Danny Kleinman devised a way to apply the use of this 4 Spades bid.

After one partner has opened the bidding with 1 No Trump, or even 2 No Trump, a response of 4 Spades strongly indicates a holding very much interested in bidding slam, especially and generally in 6 No Trump. However, if a suit could be established, then the slam would be played in that suit.

With the bid of 4 Spades, they decided that there was sufficient bidding space available to stop short of slam if necessary. Therefore, a bid of 4 Spades was regarded as non-forcing to 4NT. In case the No Trump opener held a minimum and a 4-3-3-3 distribution, then the No Trump bidder would bid 4 No Trump, and the contract would be played in 4 No Trump.

If the opener rebids at the Five Level, the opener would show a 4-card suit with his bid. If the opener rebid at the Six Level, the opener would show a 5-card suit with his bid. The important difference is that a rebid at the Five or Six Level indicates an excellent holding with two or more honors, at least Queen high. Any positive response from the 2 No Trump bidder indicates an excellent holding with two or more honors, at least King high.

In the case that the No Trump opener, after a 4 Spades response, does not have a holding that fits the requirements mentioned above, then the No Trump bidder can bid 5 No Trump, which asks the responder to establish a suit. If the responder then shows a suit preference at the Six Level, then the No Trump bidder is expected to pass with at least a 4-card support in the responder's suit. If the No Trump bidder does not have this support, then the No Trump bidder is expected to continue the bidding until a slam contract has been reached.

The 4S bidder can also hold the hard to bid 16-18 HCP hands that are 5-4 in the minors. If after partner bids 4NT and partner pulls to a minor she is showing that hand . The 4S bid should always be a balanced hand or a hand with 5-4 in the minors.

This treatment still leaves 1NT-P-4NT as invitational unless a partnership can come up with a better idea for the bid . I prefer the bid to mean pick a minor at the 5 level as the 4S bid covers the invitational hands if partner is minimum.

This hand came up at the IMP league tonight . Ax Jx AKJxx Axxx and partner opens 1NT . You bid 4S and partner bids 6C showing a maximum with a 5 card club suit . In support of clubs your hand goes through the roof so a contract of 7C is odds on . 6D is an impossible bid in this auction so it must be a Q bid trying for a club grand . Partner can bid 6H and 6S should bring 7C rather then 6NT. It turns out that partner has 19 top tricks in 7C . At both tables 6NT was reached and 6C was reached with a minor suit Stayman auction.