jacoby transfer

Jacoby Transfer

/ Sunil Khanna / 2 Comments

Opening partner bid is INT shows 15-17 HCP and a balanced hand which, also, means that he has atleast 2 cards per suit and only one suit will have 2 cards. 

If responder has 5+ cards in a MAJOR, he initiates Jacoby Transfer.

Responder should Bid 2!d or 2!h when he has 5+ Hearts or Spades, respectively. When 5+ cards of both majors, initiate transfer in hearts.
Remember Diamond for Hearts and Hearts for Spades.

Opener relays 2!h or 2!s, to confirm that he has noted the responder’s intention to transfer. More responder assessment is needed to confirm a FIT, as opener may have just 2 cards of the transferred suit (being a 1NT balanced hand).

Jacoby Transfer. 2!h is Jacoby Transfer alert. 2!s is confirmation relay. 3NT is game confirmation with 10+ HCP and ONLY 5 cards in !s

When opener has 4+ cards of the transferred Major, options in a convention called Larry Cohen’s Super Accept can be used to make a quicker assessment of combined hands.

Super Accept when 1NT hand has 4+ cards of the transferred major

Super accept bids of opener go as follows:

  • Bid 3!h or 3!s and confirms a FIT . Responder now knows, partnership has 9+ cards together in trump suit. 
  • Bid 2NT -When opener has a 4 3 3 3 hand for 1NT opening.
  • If opener has a doubleton in the balanced hand, he bids that suit at level 3

Jacoby Transfer does not have any minimum HCP requirement, hence after Super Accept by the opener, the responder has to evaluate whether to bid at Part score, game or go for slam investigation (Since 1NT opening has disclosed opener’s hand to be 15-17 HCP, responder needs to assess where to limit the auction).

Responder’s next bid is based on his hand strength and number of cards in the transferred suit:

  • Pass if game reaching points are insufficient i.e. 0-7 total points. Remember 1NT is 15-17 points.
  • 2!s when transfer is in hearts and responder has 5+ !s, too.
  • 2NT – With 5+ cards of transferred suit and 8-9 points invitational hand. Because opener may have 2 of the said suit or shortness in game. Let opener decide further action.
North had only 5 cards of !s and invitational hand, hence 2NT. South had the option to correct to 4!s but he chose to play in 3NT.

  • Post transfer new suit of minors (3!c or 3!d) by responder is game forcing. Responder generally bids the new suit to show unbalanced hand which has just 5 of the transferred Major and 4+ Cards of bid minors. Opener can bid game in Major (if opener has 3+ Cards of transferred Major) or 3NT.
New Minor suit after Jacoby Transfer relay is game forcing. Responder must have 10+ points and 4+ Cards of bid minor.
New suit game forcing post Jacoby Transfer.
  • 3 of transferred Major- 6+ cards of Major and 8-9 points invitational hand.
  • 3NT- With only 5 cards of transferred suit and 10+ points. Opener has the option to shift the game into transferred Major, if he desires, when balanced hand has 3 or more of the same Major.
  • Game in transferred Major- 6+ cards of Major and game forcing 10+ points hand. Slam interest can be explored by responder in this situation.
  • 4NT exactly 5 of the Transferred major and invite to slam in 6 of major or 6NT

Responder should Jump to game directly after transfer, if just sufficient points for game but short on slam.

Jacoby Transfer can also be used with 2NT opening bid.

2NT opening and Jacoby Transfer at level 3


4!s is Super A ccept. South confirms 4+ cards of Jacoby Transfer intended suit.

In a strong hand above 22+ HCP, opener bids artificial 2C and responder relays appropriately under Strong Club convention. If responder bids 2NT or opener rebids 2NT, Jacoby Transfer can be used.

After opener’s 1NT, if opponent interferes with Double or 2C,  Jacoby Transfer can  still be used but with invitational hand strength.

Important:

  • In uncontested auctions, Jacoby transfer does not have any minimum HCP requirement. i.e. it can be initiated with a 0 HCP responder hand. The logic behind this action is that while opener carrying 40% of total HCPs of all 4 hands, it is better for him to play a 7 card trump suit then declare 1NT.
  • However, if opponents interfere with Cappellette, Jacoby transfer can still go on but with invitational hand. You PASS otherwise. What it means is :

 1NT-2!c-2!d- is Jacoby transfer to hearts with 5+ hearts and 8+ HCP

 1NT-2!c-2!h- is Jacoby transfer to spades with 5+ spades and 8+ HCP

  • If bidding space for Jacoby transfer is eaten by overcall, use Cue Bid to signal Stayman as an alternative.
  • 2nd suit bid by responder after completion of the transfer is Game Forcing. Hence this bid must come only when responder has 10+ HCP. 
  • In uncontested auction, When responder has 5 of a Major and 8+ HCPs, Stayman is a preferred alternative. It will signal the opener invitational hand. As mentioned above, Jacoby Transfer can be initiated with 0 HCP and therefore, stayman will quicken the decision on further bids.
with 9 HCP and 5 !s East has bid Stayman instead of Jacoby Transfer to signal invitational hand. Responder had the option to bid 2!s to show 5 cards but he chose 3NT as game option.