Responder's Request for Transfer after the 1 NT Opening
Yellow Card Bidding System Mantra ● First, determine which suit to play - then determine the contract level to play. ● Try to play a contract in the following priority:
1) Play a MAJOR suit contract.
2) Play a NO TRUMP contract.
3) Play a MINOR suit contract as a last resort.
As soon as the OPENER bids 1 NT , the partner (RESPONDER) knows what the final contract for the partnership will be. The responder knows the opener has 15 to 17 HCPs, no 5-card major and balanced, and knows the contents of its own hand. The opener does not have the big picture, so the opener must rely upon the responder to control the bidding and set the final contract.
With a 5+card major suit, the responder makes a request for a TRANSFER bid, which is an artificial bid that is one hierarchy step below the desired major suit. This is a signal for the opener's next bid to be the desired major suit. The opener accepts the transfer and bids the desired major suit first, thus becoming the DECLARER of the desired trump suit. The declarer's next bid sets the partnership's contract level. At the end of the bidding, the responder lays down its hand as the DUMMY for all players to see. However, the declarer's hand, which is stronger, remains hidden from the opponents. The partnership can play a contract in that major suit - which is the first priority for Yellow Card.
Examples of Transfers for a 1 NT opening
If the responder wants hearts to be the trump suit, the responder will bid 2 ♦ or 3 ♦ (Texas Transfer) , one hierarchy step below hearts. This bid asks the opener to "transfer the bidding" to hearts. The responder does not want to play diamonds. The responder wants the opener to bid hearts so the opener will be the declarer of the heart trump suit. The opener accepts the request to transfer the bidding to hearts and bids 2 ♥ or 3 ♥ respectively. The opener is the declarer of the hearts trump suit and will keep its hand hidden from the opponents.
If the responder wants spades to be the trump suit, the responder will bid 2 ♥ or 3 ♥ (Texas Transfer) , one hierarchy step below spades. This bid asks the opener to "transfer the bidding" to spades. The responder does not want to play hearts. The responder wants the opener to bid spades so the opener will be the declarer of the spade trump suit. The opener accepts the request to transfer the bidding to spades and bids 2 ♠ or 3 ♠ respectively. The opener is the declarer of the spades trump suit and will keep its hand hidden from the opponents.
Responder's Requirements for a Transfer
Suit Length: Must have a 5+card major suit (hearts or spades). Bid the longer major suit. If the number of hearts and spades are equal, bid the higher ranking spades. Ignore both minor suits, even if one of them is longer.
Point Count: There is NO point count requirement. The responder can have zero points in the 5+card major suit, and can still make a transfer bid to that major suit. The responder does not have to have HCPs in the trump suit.
Respond to 1 NT Opening - Transfers (Path 1)
Responder's Major Suit Length
Responder's HCPs and Bid
0-7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Part Score (47%)
Game Major (33%)
Game Minor (16%)
Slam (4%)
5+card Major Path 1 (Transfers)
5 hearts
2 ♦ Xfr to hearts
2 ♦ Xfr to hearts
4 ♦ Texas Xfr to hearts
4 ♣ Gerber Asking for Aces or 4 NT Quantitative Invitation Asking for Points
6+ hearts
4 ♦ Texas Xfr to hearts
3 ♥ Natural Bid
5 spades
2 ♥ Xfr to spades
2 ♥ Xfr to spades
4 ♥ Texas Xfr to spades
6+ spades
4 ♥ Texas Xfr to spades
3 ♠ Natural Bid
3/9/2025
15-22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Minimum PARTNERSHIP Point Count (assume opener holds 15 HCPs)
Bid 1: Opener bids 1 NT .
Bid 2: The response depends upon which 5+card major suit the responder has.
×
Responder has a 5+card Heart Suit
Bid 2: Responder makes Bid 2 based upon point count and heart-suit length:
• Responder bids 2 ♦ (0 to 13 pts): asks opener to TRANSFER suit to hearts.
• Responder bids 4 ♦ (10 to 13 pts with 6+hearts): (Texas Transfer) asks opener to TRANSFER suit to a game in hearts.
• Responder bids 4 ♦ (14 to 17 pts ): (Texas Transfer) asks opener to TRANSFER suit to a game in hearts.
• Responder bids 3 ♥ (14 to 17 pts with 6+hearts): This is a natural bid to play hearts with the responder as the declarer. Since both hands are the same strength, it does not matter which hand is the dummy. This gives the opener the option to bid game in No Trump, to bid game in hearts, or to explore a small slam.
• 18+ pts: Responder bids 4 ♣ (Gerber) or 4 NT (Quantitative Invitation) to explore a small slam.
Bid 3: The opener must trust the responder, accept the transfer, and bid hearts to declare hearts as the trump suit.
If the responder's bid 2 was 2 ♦ - The opener has two options based upon points:
• Opener bids 2 ♥ . The opener will be the declarer of hearts, and the partner's hand will be exposed in the dummy. The responder will set the contract level in Bid 4.
• Opener bids 3 ♥ with 17 pts and 4-hearts (max points and max suit length for a 1NT opening bid). This is the "Super Accept" transfer to hearts. This provides the responder more information on the opener's hand. The opener will be the declarer of hearts, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy. The responder will set the contract level in Bid 4.
If the responder's bid 2 was 4 ♦ (Texas Transfer) - The opener has only one option:
• Opener bids game at 4 ♥ . The opener will be the declarer of hearts, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy.
If the responder's bid 2 was 3 ♥ - The responder has a long suit (6+hearts) and enough points to place the partnership close to slam territory. Opener can make one of four bids:
• Opener bids 4 ♣ to investigate a possible small slam
• Opener bids 3 NT to play the contract in No Trump
• Opener bids 4 ♥ to play a game level contract in hearts
• Opener bids 4 NT to investigate a possible small slam
Bid 4: Responder reveals its point count and proposes contract level based upon the opener's Bid 3
Opener's bid 3: 2 ♥ • Responder bids PASS (0 to 7 pts): There are not enough points for a game, so let the opener play 2 hearts.
• Responder bids 2 NT (8 to 9 pts): This is a point range bid. There are not enough points for a game, so let the opener decide whether to play hearts or No Trump, and at what level.
• Responder bids 4 ♥ (10 to 13 pts): There are enough points for a game.
Opener's bid 3: 3 ♥ Super Accept • Responder bids PASS (0 to 7 pts): There are not enough points for a game, so let the opener play 3 hearts.
• Responder bids 4 ♥ (8 to 13 pts): There are enough points for a game.
Opener's bid 3: 4 ♥ • Responder bids PASS The partnership is at game with the opener as the declarer.
Bid 5: If the responder bid 2 NT at bid 4, the opener makes one of three final bids:
• Opener bids PASS : The partnership is at game with the opener as the declarer.
• Opener bids 3 ♥ : The opener will be the declarer of hearts, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy.
• Opener bids game at 4 ♥ : The opener will be the declarer of hearts, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy.
×
Responder has a 5+card Spade Suit
Bid 2: Responder makes Bid 2 based upon point count and spade-suit length:
• Responder bids 2 ♥ (0 to 13 pts): asks opener to TRANSFER suit to spades.
• Responder bids 4 ♥ (10 to 13 pts with 6+hearts): (Texas Transfer) asks opener to TRANSFER suit to a game in spades.
• Responder bids 4 ♥ (14 to 17 pts ): (Texas Transfer) asks opener to TRANSFER suit to a game in spades.
• Responder bids 3 ♠ (14 to 17 pts with 6+spades): This is a natural bid to play spades with the responder as the declarer. Since both hands are the same strength, it does not matter which hand is the dummy. This gives the opener the option to bid game in No Trump, to bid game in spades, or to explore a small slam.
• 18+ pts: Responder bids 4 ♣ (Gerber) or 4 NT (Quantitative Invitation) to explore a small slam.
Bid 3: The opener must trust the responder, accept the transfer, and bid spades to declare spades as the trump suit.
If the responder's bid 2 was 2 ♥ - The opener has two options based upon points:
• Opener bids 2 ♠ . The opener will be the declarer of spades, and the partner's hand will be exposed in the dummy. The responder will set the contract level in Bid 4.
• Opener bids 3 ♠ with 17 pts and 4-spades (max points and max suit length for a 1NT opening bid). This is the "Super Accept" transfer to spades. This provides the responder more information on the opener's hand. The opener will be the declarer of spades, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy. The responder will set the contract level in Bid 4.
If the responder's bid 2 was 4 ♥ (Texas Transfer) - The opener has only one option:
• Opener bids game at 4 ♠ . The opener will be the declarer of spades, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy.
If the responder's bid 2 was 3 ♠ - The responder has a long suit (6+spades) and enough points to place the partnership close to slam territory. Opener can make one of four bids:
• Opener bids 4 ♣ to investigate a possible small slam
• Opener bids 3 NT to play the contract in No Trump
• Opener bids 4 ♠ to play a game level contract in spades
• Opener bids 4 NT to investigate a possible small slam
Bid 4: Responder reveals its point count and proposes contract level based upon the opener's Bid 3
Opener's bid 3: 2 ♠ • Responder bids PASS (0 to 7 pts): There are not enough points for a game, so let the opener play 2 spades.
• Responder bids 2 NT (8 to 9 pts): This is a point range bid. There are not enough points for a game, so let the opener decide whether to play spades or No Trump, and at what level.
• Responder bids 4 ♠ (10 to 13 pts): There are enough points for a game.
Opener's bid 3: 3 ♠ Super Accept • Responder bids PASS (0 to 7 pts): There are not enough points for a game, so let the opener play 3 spades.
• Responder bids 4 ♠ (8 to 13 pts): There are enough points for a game.
Opener's bid 3: 4 ♠ • Responder bids PASS The partnership is at game with the opener as the declarer.
Bid 5: If the responder bid 2 NT at bid 4, the opener makes one of three final bids:
• Opener bids PASS : The partnership is at game with the opener as the declarer.
• Opener bids 3 ♠ : The opener will be the declarer of spades, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy.
• Opener bids game at 4 ♠ : The opener will be the declarer of spades, and the responder's hand will be exposed in the dummy.
When the partner holds 18+ HCPs, the partnership has enough points for a slam. The partner has two options on how to explore the possibilities of a slam:
• Bid 4 ♣ - Gerber. This artificial bid is asking for the number of opener's Aces.
• Bid 4 NT - Quantitative Invitation. This is a natural bid that is asking for the opener's points.
Visit the web page on Invitation to Slam.
