A Jacoby transfer is a response to 1NT that shows a five-card or longer major by bidding the suit below it:
| Your bid | Your suit |
|---|---|
| 2♦ | Five or more hearts |
| 2♥ | Five or more spades |
Opener is expected to "accept the transfer" by bidding your major. You need no points at all to transfer: even with a worthless hand and five spades, 2 spades played by opener beats 1NT.
Why Transfer Instead of Bidding the Suit?
Two solid reasons:
- The strong hand stays hidden. After a transfer, the 1NT opener becomes declarer. The opening lead comes into the 15-17 point hand instead of through it, protecting tenaces like the king-jack.
- You get two bids for one. Because the transfer itself was cheap, responder can pass with a weak hand, invite with 2NT or three of the major, or force to game, all after showing the five-card suit.
A weak-hand transfer: responder shows five spades with 2 hearts, opener accepts, responder passes.
Responder's Follow-Ups
After opener accepts the transfer:
- 0-7 points: pass. You have improved the contract already.
- 8-9 points: invite with 2NT (five-card suit) or raise to three of the major (six-card suit). Opener decides based on maximum or minimum.
- 10+ points, five-card suit: bid 3NT, offering opener a choice: pass with a doubleton, correct to four of the major with three-card support.
- 10+ points, six-card suit: bid game in the major yourself.
Common mistake: transferring and then bidding again with a weak hand. The transfer already showed the suit. With 0-7 points, transfer and pass.
Partner opens 1NT (15-17). Your bid?
Partner opens 1NT. What do you bid with this near-worthless hand?
Your hand:
Transfers work alongside Stayman: use Stayman with four-card majors and invitational values, transfers with five-card or longer majors at any strength. For the auction fundamentals behind these conventions, see bidding basics.