[Hanoi5]

I bought Precision Today by Berkowitz and Manley and after reading it I was left with several questions unanswered (I think).

Say partner opens 1♣ and I hold:

♠KTxx
♥x
♦QJTxx
♣QJx

Let's say I transfer to ♦ via 2♣:

1. How would we find a 4-4 spade fit? If I understand correctly partner will accept the transfer any time he has 3 cards and by beta-accepting he'll get to know my controls. What if he holds:

♠AQJx
♥AKQxx
♦K9x
♣x

What about the possible 5-3 heart fit? And if you tell me Majors are the priority, are control askings over? What if hearts and clubs were reversed in both hands? How about Trump-Asking and Control-Asking Bids?

2. What if responder holds a 6m-5M? Majors take precedence?

3. Will we sometimes end up playing in a 5-3 Major when there is a 4-4 Major available?

[PrecisionL]

Playing Transfer Precision:

1. Opener will NOT accept the transfer when he has a good 5-card major that can be shown cheaply. If there is not a fit in the major, then he can bid 3♦ as Beta with diamonds trumps.

Bidding might go 1♣ - 2♦ - 2♥ - 2♠  - 2NT (if looking for 4-cd spade suit) / 3♦ checking on controls just in case you have more than a minimum.

2. 5-card majors usually take precedence over 6-card minors unless there is a big disparity in honors (Axxxx vs KQTxxx).

3. Major 4-4 fits will sometime not be found if responder's hand is not balanced and he shows 3-card (or better) support for opener's 5-card (or better) major.

[Hanoi5]

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So 3♠ means opener has a 4-card fit, does it ask to start cue-bidding? Could opener just rebid 4♠? Is 3♠ some sort of asking?

[mtvesuvius]

This is one of the big disadvantages of the transfers into minors -- I have had very similar problems when playing them, and one of the options is to make the 2♦ call also Staymanesque: S1 - Side 4cM, S2+ - Normal responses without a 4cM. After S1, then opener can bid S1 to go back to the normal responses, and S2 to ask for a 4cM.

It's not perfect, but it worked for a few of my partnerships, and helped us avoid ridiculous 3N or 5m contracts when we are cold for 4M.

[PrecisionL]

Hanoi5, on 2011-June-11, 16:25, said:

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So 3♠ means opener has a 4-card fit, does it ask to start cue-bidding? Could opener just rebid 4♠? Is 3♠ some sort of asking?

There are various possibilities: 2♥ could be SAB and then 2♠ would be no support and 1-3 Controls, now 3♠ would be a SAB-4 ask and the response would show 4-cd support and a minimum hand (1-3 Controls)

[PrecisionL]

mtvesuvius, on 2011-June-12, 14:14, said:

This is one of the big disadvantages of the transfers into minors -- I have had very similar problems when playing them, and one of the options is to make the 2♦ call also Staymanesque: S1 - Side 4cM, S2+ - Normal responses without a 4cM. After S1, then opener can bid S1 to go back to the normal responses, and S2 to ask for a 4cM.

It's not perfect, but it worked for a few of my partnerships, and helped us avoid ridiculous 3N or 5m contracts when we are cold for 4M.

True, transfers into minors are problematic, but they can be handled with some artificiality. Keylime and I play 1 - 2♣ (either or both minors) - 2♦ (Relay) - 2♥ = 5+ clubs / 2♠ = 5+ diamonds and 2NT = 5-5.

See url below for more details.