Useful Space Principle - The USP at Lower Levels: Transfer Responses To Overcalls

The USP At Lower Levels: Transfer Responses To Overcalls

Suppose that North opens a strong NT, North-South are playing Jacoby transfers, and South holds ♠ KQ965 ♥ 6 ♦ 8752 ♣ 854. South bids 2♥, hoping to pass North's 2♠. But South would also bid 2♥ with ♠ KQ965 ♥ 6 ♦ 8752 ♣ A54 (South will force to game) and ♠ AKQ65 ♥ 6 ♦ 8752 ♣ A54 (South will explore slam).

The transfer gives the partnership plenty of space for any continuation it might have in mind. In contrast, the traditional bid of 2♠ as a signoff over 1NT means that the partnership must give up bidding space in order to make forcing bids that start at the three level. It is when South wants to sign off by bidding 2♠ directly that the smallest amount of bidding space is needed, but that bid takes away three steps (2♣, 2♦ and 2♥). Transfers, whatever costs they entail, tend to conform to the USP.

Now consider competitive bidding. Suppose that West opens 1♠, North overcalls 2♥ and East passes. South holds ♠ 854 ♥ 6 ♦ KQ9653 ♣ 854. Now:

• If 3♦ is nonforcing all is well. South describes his hand and leaves the rest to North.
• If 3♦ is forcing South must pass and possibly miss a good diamond contract. The 3♦ bid takes up so much space that, if it is forcing, South cannot show a weak hand with a good suit.

Again after 1♠ – (2♥) – P, South holds ♠ 854 ♥ 6 ♦ KQ9653 ♣ KJ4. Now:

• If 3♦ is nonforcing South must cue bid 2♠ to prepare a rebid in diamonds. The hand is too strong to bid a nonforcing 3♦. But North's rebid, very often 3♥, may well prevent South from showing the diamonds below 3NT.
• If 3♦ is forcing all is well on this hand, and if South has a heart fit and a good hand he can cue bid 2♠. In this sequence the cue-bid takes up minimal space – but how is that space to be used effectively when South has already shown a heart fit in a strong hand?

Regardless of the agreement on the forcing nature of 3♦ or 3♣ in this auction, there is a problem caused by the misallocation of bidding space. If 3♦ is forcing, a good diamond suit in a weak hand is problematic. If 3♦ is nonforcing, the ambiguous 2♠ cue-bid may well prompt a rebid by North that preempts South's diamonds.

The USP suggests that in responding to overcalls, a hand with at least invitational strength plus a fit for overcaller's suit make the highest level non-jump bid available. This frees lower bids to be used as natural and forcing, or as transfers – and the transfer buys space to show a weak, a game forcing, or even a slam invitational hand, just as do Jacoby transfers. So doing puts the bidding space where it is most needed – to complete the transfer and possibly to further describe the hand, and to make a natural, forcing new-suit bid below the cue-bid.

Those who play transfer advances of overcalls usually agree that the transfer bids begin with the cue-bid of opener's suit. Bids between the overcall and the cue-bid may be treated as natural and forcing; transfer bids are available to handle weaker hands with their own good suit.

For example, after 1♥ – (2♣) – P, some play this structure:

• 2♦ is natural and forcing
• 2♥, the cue bid, is a transfer to spades with strength to be clarified later
• 2♠ is a transfer to clubs – that is, a strong raise of partner's overcall
• 2NT is natural and nonforcing
• 3♣ is a limited natural raise

After 1♥ – (1♠) – P:

• 2♣ is natural and forcing
• 2♦ is natural and forcing
• 2♥, the cue bid, is a transfer to spades (this is the strong raise)
• 2♠ is a limited natural raise

Again, the point of the foregoing is to illustrate how application of the USP can make bidding agreements more effective, not to define an optimal structure for responding to overcalls.