Introducing Jacoby Transfers (Easier)

When Partner opens the bidding 1NT (15 to 17 HCP) what do I do with this hand?

♠QJT53
♥98
♦A86
♣Q62

I don't have the values to force to game. Partner might only have 15 HCP. I only have 9 HCP. That's not enough for a game. I could invite game by bidding 2NT. Partner will then bid 3NT if they have a maximum (17 HCP) for their bid. If Partner only has 15 HCP they know to Pass. We won't get too high.

That's nice, but I do have a five card major suit I would like to tell Partner about. We might easily have an eight card ♠ fit and we would be better off playing there. I want to tell Partner about my ♠ suit.

HELP! How do I show this hand?

Jacoby Transfers to the rescue.

It is easy to show an invitational hand with a five card major using Jacoby Transfers. Let's see how.

Jacoby Transfers occur after Opener opens the bidding 1NT (or 2NT but that will come later). Responder if they have a five (or more) card major will now bid the suit UNDERNEATH their major suit.

So if Partner opens the bidding 1NT and I have five ♥ I bid 2♦. That is the suit underneath my five card major.
OR if Partner opens the bidding 1NT and I have five ♠ I bid 2♥. That is the suit underneath my five card major.

How does this help?

When you bid the suit UNDERNEATH the major suit you have you FORCE Partner to bid your suit.

So after the 1NT bid, if you bid 2♦ you force Partner to say 2♥.
OR after the 1NT bid, if you bid 2♥ you force Partner to say 2♠.

You can now (after Partner's forced response) bid 2NT. This will show an invitational hand with a five card major.

You can also make other bids to show other hands. We will talk about them next post.

If your partnership plays duplicate you are required to do several things.

First of all, when someone opens the bidding 1NT their partner is required to state out loud the point count they are showing. So when I open the bidding 1NT my partner says "15 to 17" out loud so everyone at the table can hear.

If you are playing Jacoby Transfers, when the responder makes a transfer bid the 1NT opener is required to state the suit they are transferring to. So after I open the bidding 1NT and my partner says "15 to 17", if my partner then bids 2♦ I say "Hearts" out loud so everyone at the table can hear.

Question: Do I need a five card suit? Can I transfer with a four card suit?
Answer: You need at least a five card suit to make a transfer. You can have more. With a four card suit bid Stayman.

Question: How many points do I need to make a Jacoby Transfer?
Answer: We will talk about your responses in a later post but to make a Jacoby Transfer you don't need any points at all. Yep. Zero.

Question: Partner opened the bidding 1NT and I bid 2♦ as a transfer but Partner bid 2♠ instead of 2♥. What does that mean?
Answer: It means Partner forgot you were playing Jacoby Transfers. They made a mistake. Be gentle with them.

Opener opens the bidding 1NT:

If Responder bids:	This shows:	1NT Opener must:
2♦	A five or more card ♥ suit	State "Hearts" out loud and bid 2♥
2♥	A five or more card ♠ suit	State "Spades" out loud and bid 2♠

So let's practice these transfer bids. On the following hand Partner opens the bidding 1NT. You are playing Jacoby Transfers. What is your bid and what are you telling Partner?

Hand 1

♠QJT53
♥98
♦A86
♣J62



Hand 2

♠KJ862
♥T7
♦74
♣AJT2



Hand 3

♠J9765
♥QJ3
♦T
♣J863



Hand 4

♠642
♥QT873
♦AJ9
♣A7



Hand 5

♠J42
♥AQ942
♦87
♣AT6



Hand 6

♠KJ932
♥8
♦9542
♣T94



Hand 7

♠J63
♥K9864
♦Q3
♣K32



Hand 8

♠QT942
♥QT6
♦K
♣9875



Hand 9

♠T9752
♥T92
♦4
♣KT82



Hand 10

♠KJ852
♥Q76
♦T6
♣AQ7



Hand 11

♠T6
♥QJ962
♦QT42
♣87



Hand 12

♠AK984
♥95
♦KQ7
♣QJ2



Hand 13

♠A86
♥QJT54
♦QJ5
♣K9



Hand 14

♠J6543
♥AQ7
♦A85
♣Q4



Hand 15

♠A6
♥T9543
♦92
♣T853



Hand 16

♠K7
♥KT986
♦J2
♣K953



Hand 17

♠976
♥AKJ85
♦K97
♣94



Hand 18

♠K9
♥AK953
♦QJ72
♣J3



Hand 19

♠A83
♥A8743
♦Q6
♣T32



Hand 20

♠K4
♥KQ642
♦Q96
♣K63



Hand 21

♠K8653
♥T8
♦Q9
♣AK95



Hand 22

♠942
♥AKT83
♦K98
♣87



Hand 23

♠J9874
♥9
♦KJ82
♣T87



Hand 24

♠AJ5
♥QJT32
♦AJ93
♣6



Hand 25

♠73
♥K9854
♦K854
♣QJ



Hand 26

♠98653
♥94
♦T
♣AT962



Hand 27

♠A62
♥AJ543
♦KQ5
♣97



Hand 28

♠A8652
♥T7
♦AK9
♣J95



Hand 29

♠AJ3
♥AK862
♦AJ8
♣32



Hand 30

♠AJ652
♥KT2
♦KJ
♣J82



Hand 31

♠AJ943
♥Q4
♦Q74
♣973



Hand 32

♠J9864
♥932
♦KT
♣AJ8



Hand 33

♠JT972
♥T96
♦QJ76
♣J



Hand 34

♠K62
♥K9876
♦86
♣Q92



Hand 35

♠K7
♥KJ642
♦QJ7
♣KJ3



Hand 36

♠K76
♥A9542
♦Q9
♣K75



Hand 37

♠K9873
♥86
♦Q54
♣A62



Hand 38

♠KQJ84
♥742
♦Q5
♣J74



Hand 39

♠KQT62
♥Q2
♦64
♣AQ95



Hand 40

♠KT753
♥AJ
♦J53
♣Q85



Hand 41

♠KT982
♥K95
♦K7
♣A54



Hand 42

♠Q76
♥AJ943
♦J8
♣J72



Hand 43

♠Q86
♥A8754
♦AK5
♣T8



Hand 44

♠Q8752
♥T3
♦K542
♣QJ



Hand 45

♠Q92
♥98732
♦K972
♣8



Hand 46

♠Q92
♥KQT53
♦AK8
♣K6



Hand 47

♠QJ964
♥K5
♦KJ5
♣K53



Hand 48

♠QT
♥AK843
♦JT75
♣T2



Hand 49

♠T9
♥JT843
♦T72
♣KQ7



Hand 50

♠85
♥KQJT5
♦K632
♣A5



Hand 51

♠QJ932
♥QJT
♦943
♣KJ



Hand 52

♠A9542
♥2
♦Q95
♣8753



Hand 53

♠KJ
♥K9762
♦AT6
♣KQ3



Hand 54

♠KJ642
♥972
♦QT8
♣T2



Hand 55

♠T6
♥KT854
♦J6
♣J862



Hand 56

♠KT9
♥AK654
♦QJ6
♣K7



Hand 57

♠K83
♥AQT85
♦96
♣AJ8



Hand 58

♠Q3
♥A8653
♦J965
♣A7



Hand 59

♠AT965
♥QJ
♦KJ7
♣Q86



Hand 60

♠K5
♥K5432
♦9532
♣J8



Hand 61

♠AJT96
♥Q62
♦KJ8
♣94



Hand 62

♠75
♥AKJ86
♦543
♣A43



Hand 63

♠QJ432
♥A72
♦KQ
♣432



Hand 64

♠AJ432
♥KJ2
♦A62
♣AT



Hand 65

♠T32
♥AQJ97
♦A543
♣T



Hand 66

♠AQ2
♥AT983
♦A6
♣Q84



Hand 67

♠QJ
♥KQJ97
♦82
♣QJ52



Hand 68

♠K7
♥AQJT3
♦J653
♣86



Hand 69

♠AKQ72
♥972
♦76
♣942



Hand 70

♠A9
♥JT975
♦K92
♣K62



Hand 71

♠93
♥J7643
♦QJ83
♣KQ



Hand 72

♠A9742
♥KT
♦KT32
♣53



Hand 73

♠AKJ96
♥76
♦J42
♣952



Hand 74

♠94
♥AQJ96
♦43
♣J865



Hand 75

♠T97
♥AQT92
♦4
♣AJ93



Hand 76

♠A9876
♥Q4
♦A65
♣AK3