IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

Transfer bids have been around for many years. While the Jacoby Transfer is the one familiar to most players, its cousin the Texas Transfer is also a nice addition to your convention card. Used together, they give you a way to invite slam.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

#13-46
Dlr	E
Vul	N/S

	AJ7
	KQJ1076
	5
	K72

	Q1084
	842
	J632
	103

	652
	53
	AQ1094
	J84

	K93
	A9
	K87
	AQ965

West	North	East	South
-	-	Pass	1NT
Pass	2	Pass	2
Pass	4	Pass	4NT
Pass	5	Pass	6
Pass	Pass	Pass

Bidding: This N/S partnership uses both Jacoby and Texas transfer bids. When North first transferred and then jumped to game, he was making a slam try. With a six-card suit and interest only in game, he would have simply transferred to hearts at the four-level. South loved his hand and used Roman Keycard to find two keycards and the queen of hearts. Knowing one keycard was missing, he stopped in the small slam.

Play: West led a diamond and held declarer to twelve tricks. With any other lead, North’s spade and diamond losers would have been discarded on the long club suit.

Many pairs lacked a way to invite slam with the North hand and stopped in game.

Copyright ©2013 Larry Matheny