[eagles123]

a general question, is it ever right to transfer over 1N with a 4 card suit

- does this depend on the strength on 1NT

if so what would be an example hand where you would transfer

many thanks

Eagles

[mgoetze]

Not in any sort of standard system, no.

[awm]

I think it's much more often right to bid stayman with a five-card suit. Besides the usual 5/4 majors hands, I've had good success doing this on 5332 hands with a weak five-card suit.

[helene_t]

I might consider it with QJT9 and out but the short answer is no:

- They haven't doubled 1NT yet. 2M might get doubled
- If they double 1NT, we might be able to scramble. If they double 2M which could be a 4-2 fit there is no escape
- If p has has 4-card support he will often superaccept
- If p has 3-card support, he might compete after opps balance
- If p has 2-card support, it is likely worse than 1NT even if they don't double

[MrAce]

I transfer with 4 card suits much more often than others. When I am bored. I have yet to see a good result doing it

[steve2005]

I've seen methods where a transfer is made on a 4-card suit with a canapé hand. Have seen this with both INV or GF. Didn't think much of it but everyone has their system.

[chasetb]

As many, many movies would say: NOOOOO, IT'S A TRAP!

[Cthulhu D]

awm, on 2014-October-11, 11:04, said:

I think it's much more often right to bid stayman with a five-card suit. Besides the usual 5/4 majors hands, I've had good success doing this on 5332 hands with a weak five-card suit.

I think this has a lot to recommend it.

[Cyberyeti]

eagles123, on 2014-October-11, 10:34, said:

a general question, is it ever right to transfer over 1N with a 4 card suit

- does this depend on the strength on 1NT

if so what would be an example hand where you would transfer

many thanks

Eagles

I presume by this you mean "is it right to use a standard transfer that normally shows 5 cards ...", I would say no, but over a wide range no trump a system using systemic 4 card inv+ transfers can be useful.

[wank]

the answer is yes. if you're playing a weak no trump, and have something close to 0, 4th hand is likely to have a penalty double. by transferring you make it, on the whole, more difficult for them to extract a penalty, even if they play double of the transfer as showing a hand which would have doubled 1nt.

this is rather scoring and vulnerability dependent. at teams it's often best to take your medicine in 1nt. but at pairs you're often getting a bottom for a moderate penalty, say 500 against 430.

[NickRW]

Playing Stayman and at least red suit transfers, then it would be non standard - though as noted as above you'll sometimes get away with it.

If you play Keri (or mods thereof) transfers on 4 (on some hand types) are routine - but then you're not playing Stayman in that way of doing things, 2♣ being used for other things.

[kupi007]

Bidding directly 4-card ♥ suit with bad hand after weak nt have some appeal, but normally transfering to 4-card major is bad, you give extra chance to paly doubled, and as mentioned earlier, runouts after nt should handle bad hand with 4-card major that cannot stayman.

[beatrix45]

Xfers with a 4 cd suit are a lie sometimes used to escape partner's 1NT opener when you have a hopelessly weak hand and are non-vul. It can work on a given hand, but it erodes confidence. It can occasionally get you in serious trouble when pard superaccepts. It's like having a man who lies about having sex with some floozie. It may be the best way to go in the short term, but eventually it usually becomes a problem.

P.S. For what it is worth, I don't see the sense in playing Xfers over the weak NT. Fantunes and others do it, but they have a very complex and integrated system. Google 'Moscow Escapes' just for fun.

[nige1]

eagles123, on 2014-October-11, 10:34, said:

a general question, is it ever right to transfer over 1N with a 4 card suit - does this depend on the strength on 1NT
if so what would be an example hand where you would transfer

IMO Transfers are artificial not natural bids. After a natural notrump bid, there are several conventional treatments that involve transfers to four card suits. In Tiger Bridge (1970), Jeremy Flint advocates 4 card transfers to escape undoubled, when partner opens a weak 1N and you have a weak hand. The hope is that 2M is less likely to be doubled than a weak notrump. He also suggests responding 3N with a weak hand and a long minor as an alternative tactic! In 1966, playing a weak notrump, Peter Pinder and he were 1st and 2nd in the McKenny Trophy

[ochinko]

I must admit, I transfer to a 4 card major almost always when I have a void or a singleton in the other major, and a hand that is so weak that wouldn't consider inviting.

I can't really complain of the outcome. With a doubleton in the other major was always disastrous, though.

[beatrix45]

Bidding a 4-bagger like it was a 5+ bagger is OK (out of desperation) if you are playing opposite a weak or Kamikazi NT opener and you are very weak yourself. Playing Xfers opposite weak NT openers makes no sense to me, although a few top pairs do so for reasons I don't understand. You might enjoy googling 'moscow escapes bridge'.