[Cyberyeti]

Spawned by some discussion in the "Where do bad players get their ideas from" thread about methods over 1N.

20+ years ago I seem to remember that one of the top Italian pairs used to use 4 card transfers over 1N. We used 4+ card inv or better red suit transfers over a wide range (11-16 1st/2nd, 14-19 3rd/4th) no trump with some success, does anybody do this any more ?

[helene_t]

In Italy I got a standard convention card template where one of the conventions one could "check" was canape-style transfers. So apparantly they have some popuarity there.

I think Heeman comes up occasonaly if you play tournaments in NL or Belgium. I played it for a while with Shogi, if it wasn't because we switched to an artificial 1NT opening, we would probably still use it. I like it better than standard transfers. It tends to leak less info about opener's hand.

[hrothgar]

The Scanian NT structure also uses transfers that show 4+ card suits.
The only time you transfer with a 4 card suit is when you hold invitational or better values

[kenrexford]

Older versions of MICS used them, as well.

[gordontd]

I think Brian Callaghan & Chris Duckworth use them.

[Zelandakh]

There is also the ETM Weak/Mini system that is based on 2-under asks. Ben allows (or did last time I looked) 4 hearts for his 2♦ transfer but the 2♥ transfer is always 5+. Both of these ideas seem to me to based on sound principles although I also see nothing wrong with 5+ card transfers; it is all just a matter of how you want to collect together the hand types.

[inquiry]

I did get this transfer from Ashton Bridgematters page. Transferring into a four card suits draws directors calls nearlly every time you table dummy.

Currently not using it, but still like it a lot.

[mycroft]

I play one 4-card transfer: 1NT-2♦; 2♥-2♠ is "invitational, both majors 44, 54, or 55. Will only have 4 hearts unless 5-5."

We follow the same procedure as: "An Announcement also is used for those methods that initially treat the bid as a transfer even though rarely the bidder will have a strong hand without the next higher suit. When the message is sent that the transfer was not a transfer, just the first step in showing another type of game-going hand, the call that sends that message must be Alerted." even though we don't have a game force, and we actually promise 4 hearts. If I "expected" 4+cards, I probably would Alert, never mind the regulation. That would increase the number of questions, but decrease the number of director calls (not remove them, of course; people will ask if it's legal.)