Overview of Transfer and Penalty
Transfer and Penalty bidding after opponents open a weak NT.
We value keeping the overcaller as captain of the auction in competive auctions. The transfer request allows that option.
This system is similar to the one we use when competing against strong NT openings. The difference is that we want the ability to penalize the No-Trump opener to collect a potentially better score than any part-score our direction. This means that we can no longer use the Double of the NT to show a two-suited minors or majors hand. We'll move that bid to the 2♣ slot and sacrifice the ability to transfer to 2♦ and play there. This isn't much of a hardship. Weak NT generally denies having a better 1-level bid; unlikely to have a good 4 card major and therefore more likely to have a 5 card minor.
- Dbl -> A stronger hand than the opener. At their top HCP range for weak NT or better.
- 2♣ -> 2-suited in the Majors (less than HCP for Dbl above)
- 2♦ -> Hearts (at least 5 cards, likley 6)
- 2♥ -> Spades (at least 5 cards, likely 6)
- 2♠ -> Spades AND a Minor
- 2NT -> Hearts AND a Minor
- 3♣ -> Clubs
- 3♦ -> Diamonds
Generally (with the opponents playing 12-14 HCP weak NT), all bids except the double are limited to 8-14 HCP. The responder can utilize this information when considering if their side could make a game with 12-14 HCP in an opponents hand.