Texas Transfers

Texas Transfers are used to show hands with very long major suits worth a game contract (but not slam) after partner opens or overcalls a natural 1NT. The theory behind Texas Transfers is much the same as that behind Jacoby Transfers: when one hand is stronger than the other, it is best for the strong hand to declare the contract for the purpose of high card concealment. Playing Texas, the following conventional responses to 1NT apply:

Response to 1NT	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.

Texas Transfers can also be used after a natural 2NT opening. The same rules apply except responder can obviously have a weaker hand when committing to game.

Note that 4 and 4 promise game values, but deny slam values. With a hand interested in slam, responder should start with a Jacoby Transfer and make a forcing rebid at his next turn.

		West			East
		AQT7			5
		96			AJT8742
		A764			K5
		KQJ			T86
		West     1NT 4		North     Pass All Pass	East     4!	South     Pass

Holding a 7-card heart suit and sufficient values for game, East bids 4. West dutifully bids 4.

		West			East
		A2			KQ9873
		JT54			A2
		AQ4			J3
		AJT2			986
		West     1NT 4		North     Pass All Pass	East     4!	South     Pass

With a 6-card spade suit and game-going values, East bids 4 to transfer to spades.

		West			East
		AK5			QT7632
		AQ3			K92
		AQ4			T6
		QT43			75
		West     2NT 4		North     Pass All Pass	East     4!	South     Pass

Texas Transfers also work when you open 2NT. East has just enough values to warrant game.

If the opponents compete over 1NT, Texas Transfers are only on if the interference is lower than 3. If the opponents compete over a 2NT opening bid, then Texas is off entirely.

		West			East
		AK84			52
		J9			AKT8632
		A752			43
		KJT			Q2
		West     1NT 4		North     Dbl All Pass	East     4!	South     Pass

4 is a Texas Transfer, requiring partner to rebid 4.

		West			East
		97			KJT86432
		AQJ8			54
		KT73			A
		AQ2			65
		West     1NT 4		North     3 All Pass	East     4!	South     Pass

4 is a Texas Transfer asking partner to bid 4.

		West			East
		AK94			QJ2
		T82			KQJ7654
		Q7			54
		AQJ2			8
		West     1NT		North     3	East     4	South     All Pass

4 is natural because North's overcall was higher than 3.

• If you play Texas Transfers, then the following Jacoby Transfer auctions become superfluous:

  West     1NT 2

  East     2! 4

  West     1NT 2

  East     2! 4

  
  What do they mean now? These sequences show mild slam interest in hearts and spades respectively. Opener is allowed to make some exploratory noises with a good hand. In practice, I have never seen these auctions actually entice opener to push on toward slam. Especially if you play super-accepts in conjunction with Jacoby Transfers. In that case, opener's 2/ already denies a maximum since she failed to rebid 3/. But hey, some agreement is better than no agreement.

• It is easy to forget Texas Transfers, so make sure to remember them when they come up. There is nothing quite like going down 5 in a 6-card trump fit.

• Make sure you agree with your partner about when Texas is on and off after the opponents intervene, and be sure to remember that agreement as well.

Texas Transfers are attributed independently to American player David Carter of St. Louis, Missouri and Mr. Olle Willner of Sweden.