A useful way to play 4-way transfers without having to bid stayman when you don’t want to hear partner’s majors.

A2 82 K9743 J976
A good old fashioned 1N-2N asking partner to bid game with a maximum would be perfect for this hand. Playing basic 4-way transfer we would bid: 1N-2C-2x-2N (alerted).

Expert standard in this case: 1NT-2 = 6+ clubs or Range Ask. Opener's replies:
 
2NT Minimum (15-16)
 
3 = Maximum (16-17)

KQ4 KT43 AK93 76
1NT-2-2NT opener's minimum
AJ92 AKQ2 QJ2 93
1NT-2-3 opener's maximum
A2 82 K9743 J976
1NT-2-2NT-Pass opener's minimum
A2 82 K9743 J976
1NT-2-3♣-3NT opener's maximum
642 2 432 QT9763
1NT-2-2NT-3 sign-off with clubs
K2 2 Q432 AJ9763
1NT-2-3-3Transferring to a minor and bidding a new suit at the 3 level shows a singleton or void.
Whenever we have a 4-card major and a longer minor, we start with Stayman. So transferring to a minor and bidding a major doesn’t need to be natural.
1NT-2NT Diamond transfer. Opener's replies:
 
2 I don't like diamonds
 
2 I like diamonds. Maximum OR a good fit.
AKJ2 Q82 K93 K43
1NT-2NT-3 I like diamonds
AQJ2 Q82 K94 K43
1NT-2NT-3-3-3 Partner showed heart shortness. The 1NT Opener should avoid bidding 3NT and proceed with the most natural bid they can.
Here we should show partner how strong our spades are. If partner has a hand with 3 spades to go with their singleton heart 4 could easily be the best game.
Q2 82 K43 AJ9763
1NT-3NT Wrong hand to transfer. We only transfer to clubs when we are planning to pass 3 or if we want to tell partner about shortness.

Inviting with spades
We were taught to transfer to 2 and bid 2NT with 5 spades and 8-9 points. Experts have found a better way to invite: Stayman followed by 2.
AKJ92 542 3 8763
1NT-2 Stayman. Planning to invite with spades.
54 AK64 A764 A52
1NT-2-2-2-Pass Even with a 7 card fit, we are much better off playing in 2 in this hand. This is the main benefit: stop in 2 when partner has a minimum.
Examples of aggressive invites with 5 spades:KJT83 4 83 K9432 or AK843 87 T9832 4

96 KJ42 KQT3 AQ3
1NT-2-2-2-Pass minimum without a fit.
74 AK93 KQ93 AJ6
1NT-2-2-2-2NT maximum without a fit.
Q72 AK92 AQ92 93
1NT-2-2-2-3 fit, interest in game

Only one way to bid garbage
This is a small price to pay for the previous agreement.
Q9764 K543 Q32 6
1NT-2-2-2 We cannot bid 2 on this hand as it would show invitational values.
We would have had enough to invite game had partner shown a fit for one of our majors, but now we must back off.
2 says we were just bidding garbage stayman. It could be longer in either major.

Source: 1NT Opening Structure by Gavin Wolpert

Top