[blackshoe]

Friend of mine introduced me to this neat little gadget the other day. Basically, instead of normal "four suit transfers", you bid 2♠ with one of three hand types: a balanced raise to 2NT (inviting game) with no four card major, a weak signoff in clubs, a single-suited slam try in clubs. You bid 2NT with one of three hand types: a weak minor two suiter, a weak signoff in diamonds, or a single-suited slam try in diamonds.

Over 2♠, opener bids 2NT with a minimum, and 3♣ with a maximum. Responder can pass 2NT or bid 3♣ to show the weak signoff, or bid anything else to show the slam try. Over 3♣ he bids 3NT, passes, or bids anything else.

Over 2NT opener bids his best minor. Responder with the weak two suiter passes, with the diamond signoff corrects or passes, and with the slam try does anything else.

All well and good, but I got to thinking (frequently a mistake on my part ). Playing four suit transfers, the sequence 1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ is necessary to avoid missing a possible spade fit, and 1NT-2♣-2♥-2NT denies a four card major. But that latter hand, playing Boston Jacoby, will bid 1NT-2♠-2NT/3♣-Pass/3NT. So 1NT-2♣-2♥-2NT shows four spades. So 1NT-♣-2♥-2♠ is a redundant sequence.

What do we do with it? Is there anything useful we can do?

[mgoetze]

I doubt any of that was invented in Boston.

So anyway, 1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ could be weak with diamonds and spades.

[kenberg]

Here is another possibility. Playing 4-suit transfer I sometimes have the following agreement: 1NT-2♣-2♥-3♠ is a slam try in hearts, saying nothing whatsoever about the spade holding. Obviously I give up on the splinter to do this. I have recently started playing the convention that you describe. It has crossed my mind that then 2♠ could be used as a slam try (if no one forgets) and 3♠ can be a splinter. I have not yet informed my partner of this brainstorm.

[glen]

blackshoe, on 2011-August-22, 15:22, said:

... 1NT-2♣-2♥-2NT shows four spades. So 1NT-♣-2♥-2♠ is a redundant sequence.
What do we do with it? Is there anything useful we can do?

People playing these methods, albeit not named "Boston Jacoby", commonly use the sequence 1NT-2♣;-2♦/♥-2♠ as a game invite with 5+♠s. This frees up other sequences (1NT-2♥;-2♠-2NT) to be used to explore for the best game/slam, and it works well on 5-4 major game invites.

[mikeh]

blackshoe, on 2011-August-22, 15:22, said:

Friend of mine introduced me to this neat little gadget the other day. Basically, instead of normal "four suit transfers", you bid 2♠ with one of three hand types: a balanced raise to 2NT (inviting game) with no four card major, a weak signoff in clubs, a single-suited slam try in clubs. You bid 2NT with one of three hand types: a weak minor two suiter, a weak signoff in diamonds, or a single-suited slam try in diamonds.

Over 2♠, opener bids 2NT with a minimum, and 3♣ with a maximum. Responder can pass 2NT or bid 3♣ to show the weak signoff, or bid anything else to show the slam try. Over 3♣ he bids 3NT, passes, or bids anything else.

Over 2NT opener bids his best minor. Responder with the weak two suiter passes, with the diamond signoff corrects or passes, and with the slam try does anything else.

All well and good, but I got to thinking (frequently a mistake on my part ). Playing four suit transfers, the sequence 1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ is necessary to avoid missing a possible spade fit, and 1NT-2♣-2♥-2NT denies a four card major. But that latter hand, playing Boston Jacoby, will bid 1NT-2♠-2NT/3♣-Pass/3NT. So 1NT-2♣-2♥-2NT shows four spades. So 1NT-♣-2♥-2♠ is a redundant sequence.

What do we do with it? Is there anything useful we can do?

alternatively you could play what my current 'serious' partner and I play:

1N 2♣ 2♥ 2♠ remains as invitational with 4 ♠s and

1N 2♣ 2♥ 2N becomes the equivalent of 4N or better...at a minimum it is a hand inviting 4N with 4 spades, and could be better. This allows opener to reject via 3N, set trump via 3♠, forcing, or show a 5 card suit at the 3-level, to allow finding a 5-3 or 5-4 minor suit (or 5-3 heart) fit for slam exploration.

We could have flipped 2N and 2♠, but I got my partner to play a large number of gadgets with which he was unfamiliar and we agreed to try to preserve as much of the more normal meanings of sequences as possible, given that we are amateurs with real day jobs

We don't play the rest of your stuff...for us, 2N is always diamonds, minor 2 suiters are 3♣, weak, or 3♦ gf.

[awm]

Agree with Glen's post. Using 2♣...2♠ as invite with five spades has several advantages. You can play in 2♠ when opener isn't accepting the invite, which is often better than playing 2NT or 3♠. You gain 1NT-2♥-2♠-2NT as a free bid; I like to play second-round transfers here (so 2NT shows a spade/club two-suiter). You get to find out whether opener has four spades on some auctions, occasionally blasting game on sequences like 1NT-2♣-2♠-4♠ on hands where you'd have invited opposite opener's 2♦ or 2♥ rebid.

You also avoid giving opponents information about opener's shape on your balanced (natural 2NT) invites, making it a bit tougher for them on defense.

[blackshoe]

I dunno where the name comes from; it's the one I was given, and the one Mike Cappelletti gives it in his latest booklet on bidding gadgets.

Some things to think about. Thanks, folks.

[Flameous]

http://toohighagain....yman-twist.html

Also takes use of another sequence you might need or not.

[Zelandakh]

You do not have to limit the strong club portion of 2S to 1-suiters. I personally play 1NT - 2S as a range ask (INV NT hand) or weak with clubs or strong with clubs and another. Opener answers 2NT with a min or 3C with a max, then

3C = weak
3D = 5+ clubs, 4 hearts
3H = 5+ clubs, 4 spades
3S = 5+ clubs, 4+ diamonds
3N = to play (presumably Responder had a 4NT bid if Opener showed a min)

With the 1-suiter you can simply respond 1NT - 3C. Alternatively you could switch this to showing both minors, at least 5-4 and make 1NT - 2S; 2N/3C - 3S the 1-suited slam try.

For your other question, I play 1NT - 2C; 2H - 2S as a range ask and (instead of 2S) 2NT as a transfer to clubs, 3C a transfer to diamonds, and 3D a good heart raise.

Another note, the above structure allows you, if you want, to play only 3-suit transfers and to run your diamond hands through 2C, thus freeing up 1NT - 2NT for something else. Since my preference is to play puppet this is essential for me since I need this 2NT bid as 5 spades, 4 hearts, invitational.