Hand of the Fortnight

Number 13

 

Theme:         Transfers over 1NT

 

North is Dealer. You are sitting West. All vulnerable.

The bidding has gone:

                                    N       E       S      W

                            /            1NT    /            ?

 

You (West) have:

                                    S:   9

                                    H:   T 8 7 5 4

                                    D:   T 9 6 4 3

                                    C:   9 6

 

Q:         What do you bid?

A:     2D  (a “systemic bid” meaning: “Partner, transfer to Hearts”).

Yes, you do have 0 HCP    BUT   you have 5 Hearts. and partner should have 2-4 Hearts so

MAKE SURE HEARTS ARE TRUMPS.

2D asks partner to transfer to Hearts (i.e. the major suit above).

2H   “          “        “          “       “  Spades (  “    “        “         “         “   ).

Note:             Some partners also use a 2S response to 1NT as a transfer to 3C.

 

Let’s look at the E/W hands:

                                    W                                                        E

                           S:    6 4                                                  S:   Q 8 7

                           H:   T 8 7 5 4                             H:   A Q 6

                           D:   T 9 6 4 3                             D:   A J 2

                           C:   9                                          C:   K 7 5 3

 

At tables that transferred to a 2H contract, the good news was that the HK was later successfully finessed. The Diamond honours split resulting in E/W losing 2 Spades, 1 Heart over-ruff by North’s H9, 1 Diamond and 1 Club trick.                           Score:    +110

 

At a table that passed out the 1NT, the play started as follows:

Trick 1:            South led the S3 – North capturing with the SA.

Trick 2:            North led back the SJ. East ducked (with S8 hoping North had doubleton SA & SJ.

                                    Good News: North did!     

Trick 3:            Bad news: Astute North led the CJ through – East ducked! South plays C2.

                                    (If North led anything below C9, East plays low to save the CK.)

Trick 4:            North led the C8 through. East covered with CK hoping for a miracle in Clubs.

                                    More bad news: South took the CK with the CA!

Tricks 5 – 9:            South reeled off 4 more Spade winners then CQ trick.

            Trick 10:      South led back the HJ captured by East’s HQ.

 

N.B. East still has no entry to Dummy’s hand to try any red finesse(s).

 

Hence there may be 2 red losers  (unless the HK drops on the HA – Trick 11).            Score:    – 400.

But wait: Here is the good news! 2 N/S pairs scored +620 taking 9 black tricks and 1 red.

 

RULE: The weaker the hand, the more important it is to transfer over 1NT

 

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