Our Precision with Transfers¶
This started from notes on "The Precision Bidding System in Bridge" by C.C. Wei (Edited by Alan Truscott), 2nd Edition, 1973. (ISBN 0-486-21171-1), then got a dusting of transfers in response to 1C.
Last Updated: 2025-01-05.
Strong Openings¶
1♣
16+HCP nothing about clubs sim
1♦
Negative 0-7 HCP, nothing about diamonds
1♥
8+ HCP, 5+S
1♠
Asking about S
1step
none of top three honors
2step
5♠ one of top three honors
3step
5♠ two of top three honors
4step
6♠ one of top three honors
5step
6♠ two of top three honors
6step
all three of top honors
NewSuit
asking
1step
no control (xxx)
2step
3rd round control (xx or Qxx)
3step
2nd round control (x or Kx)
4step
1st round control (void or A)
5step
AK or AQx
Rebid
Asking which?
1step
shortness (or AQx if 5step)
2step
strength (or AK if 5 step)
NewSuit
asking
1N
prefer 3N to 4S
2♣♦♥♠
slam interest, cue bid
2N
11-13, no shortness
3♣♦♥♠
shortness
3N
8-10
2♣♦♥♠
Natural
1♠
8+ HCP. Balanced, or semi-balanced with strength outside longer suits (e.g. 5m4M22) (see below)
1N
8+HCP, 5+ clubs, unsuitable for NT
2♣
see 1C-1H
2♦♥♠
natural
2N
asks for shortness (must have, or NT would have been ok)
2♣
8+HCP, 5+ diamonds
2♦
see 1C-1H
2♥♠
natural
2N
Forcing to 3N
3♣♦♥♠
Extra values, cue bid
3N
min
2♦
8+HCP, 5+H
2♥
see 1C-1H
2♠
natural
2N
forcing to 3N
3♣♦♥♠
Extra values, cue bid
3N
min
2♥
4-7, 6♥ (like weak 2)
2♠
4-7, 6♠ (like weak 2)
2N
GF 3-suiter (4441, 5440)
3♣
Asking for short suit
3♦
0-1♦
3♥
0-1♥
3♠
0-1♠
3N
0-1♣
3N
to play. "That's nice, dear."
3♣♦♥♠
4-7 hcp, 7+ suit (like preempt) sim
3N
DO NOT BID THIS (could be 65+ minors, I guess?)
2N
22-23 hcp, balanced
3♣
stayman
3♦
→3♥
3♥
→3♠
3♠
Minor suit stayman
3N
stop
4♣
Gerber (ew. find something else)
4♦
→4♥ stop
4♥
→4♠ stop
Limited Openings¶
1♦
11-15, 4+♦ sim
1♥♠
1N
8-10, balanced (often passed!) sim
2♣
11+hcp, 5+♣, no 4M, forcing one round sim
2♦
11+ hcp, 3+♦, forcing one round sim
2♥♠
11-15, 6+♦-5M
2N
11-13, balanced-ish
3♣
14-15, 5+♣
3♦
14-15 5+♦
3♥♠
splinter: 14-15, singleton/void
3N
14-15 4♦
2♥♠
game forcing
2N
16+ hcp, balanced sim
3♣
forcing
3♦
weak, 5♦ sim
3♥♠
splinter
3N
14-15 balanced, no 4M sim
4♣
splinter
1♥
11-15, 5+♥
1♠
8+ hcp, 4+♠
1N
8-12, balanced, mostly-forcing one round, not 4♠
2♣♦
3+♣/♦ (often 3, sometimes 2)
2♥
rebid: 6+♥, min
2♠
reverse: max, 45xx
2N
stop
3♣♦
max, invites
3♥
max, 6+♥
2♥
8-10, 3♥
2N
Jacoby 2NT (see below)
3♥
10-11 total points usually 4♥, invites
3♠
splinter
3N
13-15 3♥
4♣♦
splinter
1♠
11-15, 5+♠
1N
8-12, balanced, mostly-forcing one round
2♣♦
3+♣/♦ (often 3, sometimes 2)
2♥
4+♥
2♠
rebid: 6+♠, min
2N
stop
3♣♦♥
max, invites
3♠
max, 6+♠
2♠
8-10, 3♠
2N
Jacoby 2NT (see below)
3♠
10-11 total points usually 4♠, invite
3N
13-15 hcp 3♠
4♣♦♥
splinter
1N
13-15, balanced (see below)
2♣
2♦
11+ hcp, forcing one round sim
2♥♠
2N
14-15, 6+♣, two side suits stopped sim
3♣
11-13, 6+♣, usually one side suit stopped sim
3♦
xx56 sim
3♥♠
3N
14-15, 6+♣, solid sim
2♥♠
3♥♠
15 HCP, 4♥/♠
2N
~11 hcp, invites 3N sim
3♣
8-10 hcp, ♣ support sim
2♦
11-15 HCP. 4414ish. 3415, 4315, 4405 weak clubs. sim
2♥♠
To play
2N
3♣
To play
3♦
Relay to 3N
3♥
Invite to 4H, promises 5H
3♠
Invite to 4S, promises 5S
3N
To play
2♥♠
Weak: 6-10 HCP, 6+♥/♠
2N
Ogust
3♣
Weak Hand, Weak Suit
3♦
Weak Hand, Strong Suit
3♥
Strong Hand, Weak Suit
3♠
Strong Hand, Strong Suit
3N
AKQ in original pre-empt suit
3N
Gambling
1C-1S responses¶
1♠
8+ HCP. Balanced, or semi-balanced with strength outside longer suits (e.g. 5m4M22)
1N
asking info
2♣
8-11
2♦
Forcing Stayman
2♥
4H, may have 4S
2♠
4S, denies 4H
2N
Flat, exactly 8, takes off game force
3♣
5C, no 4M
3♦
5D, no 4M
3♥
5H
3♠
5S
3N
Flat, 9-11
2♥♠
5 cards
2N
exactly 16, takes off game force
2♦
12+, no 4M
2♥♠
4 cards
2N
Asks for cuebids
3♣♦♥♠
5 cards
3N
16-18 balanced
2♥
12+, 4H
2♠
12+, 4S
3♣
12+, 5C good suit, otherwise prefer 2D
3♦
12+, 5D good suit, otherwise prefer 2D
3♥
12+, 5H
3♠
12+, 5S
2N
Exactly 16 balanced, takes off game force
3♣
GF Puppet
4♣
Gerber
3N
no 4M, 17-18
4♣
Gerber
4♣
Gerber
NT responses¶
1N
13-15, balanced
2♣
Stayman
2♥
4h, might have 4s
2♠
5+♠,4♥ invitational
2N
4♠, invitational
2♦
→2♥
4N
quantitative
2♥
→2♠
4N
quantitative
2♠
Range ask. One of (10-11 balanced, 6+c weak, 6+c invitational+)
2N
min
3♣
for goodness sake stop here
3♣
max
3♦♥♠
(after either) shortness in the bid suit. 6+c. Game force or better.
3N
to play
4♣
invite for 5♣
4♦♥♠
4+, slam try
4N
quantitative for 5♣/6♣/6N
5N
quantitative for 6♣/6N/7♣/7N
2N
6+♦, either to play or slam interest if bidding continues
3♣
Good ♦ suit
3♦
for goodness sake stop here
3♦
Average- ♦
3♥♠
(after either) shortness, game force
3N
(after either) to play
4♣
(after either) shortness, game force
4♦
(after either) invite to 5♦
4♥♠
(after either) 4+, slam try
4N
(after either) quantitative for 5♦/6♦/6N
5N
(after either) quantitative for 6♦/6N/7♦/7N
3♣♦♥♠
splinter, game forcing
3N
11+ balanced no slam
4♣
Gerber
4♦
0 or 4 aces
4♦
→4♥ 6+♥
4N
Blackwood
4♥
→4♠ 6+♠
4N
Blackwood
Jacoby 2NT¶
1♥♠-2N
Game forcing, slam interest, no singleton/void, usually 4 card support
3♣♦
(or other major) 0-1 of bid suit
3♥♠
(bid suit) 14-15, no shortness, no outside 5 card suit
3N
14-15, AKQ of suit
4♣♦
(or other major) 5+ cards in bid suit
4♥♠
(bid suit) 11-13, no shortness, no outside 5 card suit
2D-2N (forcing)¶
3♣
11-13
3♦
Shape?
3♥
3415
3♠
4315
3N
4414 or 4405 (both)
3♦
14-15, 4414
3♥
14-15, 3415
3♠
14-15, 4315
3N
14-15, 4405
After any of these, responder bidding ♦ is a Control-Asking Bid (responses).
Balanced Hands¶
Most of these are duplicates, but it's nice to have them all in one place.
1♦-1N
11-12
1N
13-15
1♣-1N
16-18
1♣-2N
19-21
2N
22-23
1♣-3N
24+ (good luck finding the right slam)
Interference¶
Partner-(RHO)-?
1N-(X)
Moscow escapes (only over PENALTY doubles. Systems on over artificial double. This is effectively DONT, the other direction.)
R
→2c one suited
2♣
♣ and another
2♦
♦ and a major
2♥
♥ and ♠
2♠
5+♠, invitational
1N-(2♣)
No matter what it means
X
Stayman
*
Systems on
1N-(*)
Transefer Lebensohl with Tim
Good players who are prepared will often find an excuse to bid over 1C, even with puny hands.
1♣-(X)
Least-effective interference. Just gives us more room. Ignore the meaning of the double.
P
0-4, Systems on as if 1C-(P)-1D, but not forcing
XX
9+, any 4441 or 5440, GF
1N
(or 2N with 2X overcall) Where is shortness?
2♣♦♥♠
Short in bid suit
2N
Control-asking bid (A=2 controls, K=1), please bid past game if 4+ controls (because majors)
3♣
0-2 controls
3♦
3 controls
3♥
4 controls
3♠
5 controls
3N
6+ controls
*
Natural, sets trump
1♦
5-8, any shape (like a good 1D response to 1C), systems on as if 1C-(P)-1D
*
Everything else, systems on, but with 9+
1♣-(1♦)
No matter what 1D means
P
0-4, systems on as if 1C-(P)-1D, but not forcing
X
5-8, systems on as if 1C-(P)-1D (or 9-10 balanced no stopper, or 9+ 4441 impossible negative)
1N
8-10, stopper in one of their suits, if suit(s) were implied. If no stopper, double.
2N
11-13 or 16+ as usual. Nothing specific about stoppers, because points.
*
Everything else, systems on, but with 9+
1C-(1H->2S
Effective interference!
P
0-4 hcp
D
5-8 hcp, no 5 card suit or 9+ hcp
minX
5-8 hcp 5+X
jumpX
9+ hcp 5+X
minN
6-8, balanced, stopper
jumpN
9-11 balanced
2jumpN
12-14 balanced
2♣♦♥♠
(cuebid of implied suit) 9+, short in X
1C-(2N+
Unlikely this is their hand
D
penalty
3♣♦♥♠
5+ cards, game force
3N
9-12 and stopper in at least one of the implied suits
cuebid
strong takeout
Overcalls¶
DONT¶
I like bidding over 1N and strong 1♣ systems, particularly at the beginner to intermediate level. Many partnerships at that level haven't discussed what to do over any interference, including a double. At a higher level, there's lots of interference, so everyone has a plan. DONT may or may not be the right choice there, but it's a contender at least. Another choice would be to use a different overall system over weak 1NT.
Over 1♣, shift all of the responses down.
(1N)-D
single suited, at least KQ109xx
P
convert to penalty. I have entries and think I know what your suit is.
2♣
relay
P
♣
2♦♥
♦/♥
2♠
♠ (stronger than 2S directly)
2♦♥♠
strong 6 card suit of your own
(1N)-2♣
2-suited ♣-(♦/♥/♠) 5-5+, could be 5-4 with 15+
2♦
What's the other suit?
P
♦
2♥♠
♥, ♠
2N
strong game invite in second suit
2N
game invite, please name second suit (much more likely over weak NT)
3♣
support, continued disturbance
(1N)-2♦
2-suited ♦-(♥/♠) 5-5+
2♥
What's the other suit?
P
♥
2♠
♠
2N
strong game invite in spades
2N
game invite, please name second suit (much more likely over weak NT)
3♣
scrambling, long clubs
3♦
support, continued disturbance
(1N)-2♥
2-suited ♥♠ 5-5+
2♠
preference
2N
game invite
3♣♦
void
3♥
no thank you
3♠
preference, STOP
3♠
no thank you and my spade suit is a lot better. STOP.
(1N)-2♠
one-suited in spades, weaker than (1N)-D-2♣-2♠. Think weak 2.
(1N)-2N
Minors, weak
(1N)-3♣♦♥♠
pre-emptive, 7+X
Over interference:
(1N)-X-(XX)
This is usually either strong (with strong NT) or escape (with weak)
P
feel free to bid your suit next
X
Natural
(1N)-X-(2♣♦♥♠)
Usually systems-on
D
(of a natural bid) bid your other suit
D
(of an artificial bid) lead directing
X
Natural
When used against us:
1N-(X)
We get extra information
XX
headed for 3N, but let's see if we can get a penalty
others
systems on
1N-(2♣)
If 2C isn't both majors
X
stayman
others
systems on
1N-(2♦)
Unless it means hearts
X
→♥
2♥
→♠
2N
4-way Stayman
3♣
5♣
3♦
5♦
3♥
4♥
3♠
4♠
3N
None of the above
1N-(2♥♠)
treat as single-suit overcall
X
penalty
others
natural