South African Texas Transfers

South African Texas Transfers are transfer bids in response to a 1NT opening. They are a variation of Texas Transfers, and use the club and diamond suits (instead of diamonds and hearts) to transfer to the majors.

Bid	Meaning
4	At least 6 hearts and game values, requiring partner to rebid 4.
4	At least 6 spades and game values, requiring partner to rebid 4.

South African Texas is less popular than Texas Transfers. The minor benefit of South African Texas is that it is theoretically easier to remember 4 as a transfer bid rather than 4. The drawback to South African Texas is the loss of Gerber 4.

It can also be noted that South African Texas offers the ability to show game-forcing spade hands in three ways:

• Via a 2 Jacoby Transfer followed by a 4 rebid, hinting at slam.
• Via a 4 transfer.
• Via a direct 4 bid.

In interference, South African Texas is only on if the interference is lower than 3.

South African Texas is attributed to Max Sapire of South Africa, a prominent player in the 1960s and 1970s. According to the Encyclopedia of Bridge, it is also credited as the original form of Texas Transfers invented by American player David Carter.