[Codo]

Hi system nerds, I have a problem and hope for a good solution.

We try to play transfer walsh over 1 ♣ in a weak NT context. Over say 1 ♣ 1 ♥ this means, that we need to put the 15-17 NT hands with 3 Spades and the weaker 3415, 3316, 3136 hands in to the 1 ♠ reply.
Short question: How do you sort these handtypes out- at best at a low level?


I bet this had been discussed before, but I am not GWNN the finder,,,,

[Free]

My first thought is: why not bid 2♠ on the 15+ hands and sort things out later? This would make 2♠ either minimum with 4 card support or extra's with 3 card support.

[straube]

Rough draft...

1C-1H....

.....1S-min bal 11-13 (2-3 spades)
.....1N-15-17 bal (2-3 spades)
.....2C-natural, the bid of choice with 3136
.....2D-diamond reverse or 15-17 bal with 4 spades
..........2H-weak relay
...............2S-15-17 bal with 4 spades
.....2H-heart reverse or 15-17 unbal with 3 spades
..........2S-weak relay
...............P=15-17 unbal with 3 spades
.....2S-min with four spades or unbal with 3 spades (not 6C)

[PhilKing]

You can't do everything, but it helps to decide what you need to do. For instance, you do not "need" to play that completing to 1♠ shows three spades. It's true that this is useful information, but it can easily be found out later, and being able to stop in 1♠ is just waste of time. Just rebid 1NT with 15-17 balanced. After 1♣-1♥, 1♠ is now available to show a myriad of other hand types. You can include the following:

1. All hands with 4♦ and 5♣

2. Various hands with 6♣ too good for 2♣ (this means you can play an immediate 3♣ as very sound). You can get to show a 2NT rebid with specifically six clubs, for instance, in most conceivable auctions.

3. good three card raises in spades

Over that, responder's life is easy - with less than GF values, he just imagines he is facing 4♦5♣ and makes the appropriate limit bid. And with GF values he bids 2♥(effectively fourth suit). A typical auction might start:

1♣-1♥-1♠-1NT (which is to play opposite a minimum with 45m)

Opener now bids:
2♣ = 45m 15-16
2♦ = 45m 17+
2♥ = 3♠-6♣ at least invitational
2♠ = good 3-card raise to 2♠ (3415 or 3145 14-16, or 3??6 14-15, this being the system solution for your particular problem)
2NT = 6 clubs natural, about 16-17 points
3♣ = nat inv, just as strong as a 3♣ rebid but few points (hence probably 7 clubs)

Obviously if responder had bid something higher than 2♣ some of these bids get pushed a little higher, but all the hand types can still be untangled.

The further spin off benefits are as follows:

1. 2♦ is a transfer reverse into hearts. This gives you an "out" by just completing to 2♥ showing a minimum response with 3♥ and short clubs.

2. 2♥ shows a good raise to 2♠ with four trumps. In you case that would include 15-16 balanced with four spades and also say, a 4315 12 count.

3. A direct raise to 2♠ shows spanners. The raise by necessity now includes 3415 11-counts and the like, but I just do not believe that is even remotely a bad thing. In fact most hands with four trumps qualify for 2♥. You have a total of three ways of raising to Two Spades, so you get to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Oh, and completing to 1♠ is obviously forcing in this scheme.

[jallerton]

There are quite a few things you could so here, if you don't mind making thw whole structure unfamiliar.

You could play 1♠ as showing any minimum (unbalanced) hand (so bidding 2♣ or 2♠ instead would be constructive, to mirror the extra HCP shown by a 1NT rebid).

You could play 1♠ as showing extra values with various shape possibilities. Clearly, if you are happy to play 1♠ as forcing, it can be multi-way.

You could play 1♠ as showing 15-17 balanced (possibly even 4-card support) with 1NT showing the 18-19(20) balanced hand types.

Although the inferences are slightly different, I believe Fantunes play 1♠ as usually showing 4-card spade support. If you played this, you could use 2♠ for the minimum 3-card raises, a hand type not relevant in Fantunes.