Jacoby Transfers: The Right Way to Show Five-Card Majors After 1NT

Jacoby Transfers let you show a five-card major after partner opens 1NT. Instead of bidding your suit directly, you bid the suit below it. Partner accepts by bidding your suit, and now the strong hand is declarer.

This is basic stuff, but lots of players mess it up. They forget when to transfer, when to break it, and what to do afterward.

Why Transfer?

Two main reasons:

1. The strong hand declares

When partner opens 1NT and you have the major, you want them to play it. The opening lead comes through dummy (you) and into declarer’s hand (partner). Their strong hand is hidden. Their tenaces are protected.

If you just bid 2♠ naturally, you declare with 8 points while partner’s 16-point hand sits in dummy. Bad idea.

2. More bidding room

After the transfer, you can pass, invite, force to game, or slam-try. You have options. Without transfers, you’re stuck with limited ways to show different strengths.

How Transfers Work

After partner opens 1NT:

  • 2♦ = Transfer to hearts (shows 5+ hearts)
  • 2♥ = Transfer to spades (shows 5+ spades)

Partner almost always accepts:

  • Over 2♦, bid 2♥
  • Over 2♥, bid 2♠

Now you can pass (weak hand), invite (2NT or 3 of the major), bid game (3NT or 4 of the major), or explore slam.

When to Transfer

Always transfer when you have:

  • Five or more cards in a major
  • Any strength (0-20+ HCP)
  • Partner opened 1NT

Even with a weak hand (0-7 HCP), transfer and pass. 2♥ or 2♠ usually plays better than 1NT going down.

Don’t transfer when:

  • You have only four cards (use Stayman)
  • You have both majors 5-5 (use Stayman first, or some pairs have other methods)
  • You’re planning to play a minor suit slam (but that’s rare)

Responder’s Rebids After Transfer

After you transfer and partner accepts, you have several options:

Pass = Weak hand (0-7 HCP), content to play 2♥/2♠

2NT = Invitational (8-9 HCP), exactly five cards in the major

  • Partner can pass, bid 3NT, or bid 3 of your major with good fit

3 of your major = Invitational (8-9 HCP), six+ cards in the major

  • Partner can pass or bid game

3NT = Game values (10-14 HCP), exactly five cards

  • Offers partner a choice between 3NT and 4 of the major

4 of your major = Game values (10-14 HCP), six+ cards

  • To play

New suit at 3-level = Natural, slam interest (forcing)

  • Shows 4+ cards in the second suit, 5+ in the major

Jump to 4 of a new suit = Splinter, slam interest

  • Shows shortness (singleton or void) in that suit

Opener’s Acceptance

Most of the time, opener just accepts the transfer. Bid the suit responder asked for.

But with maximum values (17 HCP) and excellent support (four cards), opener can “super-accept” by jumping to 3 of the major.

Example:

Responder bids 2<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> (transfer to spades)
Opener holds:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> AQ65
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> KJ3
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> AQ4
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> K82

Bid 3♠ (super-accept). This tells partner you have maximum points and great spade support. If they were inviting with 8 HCP, they can now bid game.

Super-accepts help when responder is borderline. With 8 HCP opposite 15-16, you stay low. Opposite 17 with a fit, you want game.

Breaking the Transfer

Can opener refuse the transfer? Yes, but rarely.

When to break:

  • You have a strong six-card suit and no fit for responder’s major
  • You have game values and responder’s major doesn’t appeal

This almost never happens. Don’t overthink it. Just accept the transfer 99% of the time.

Common Mistakes

1. Not transferring with weak hands

You have 4 HCP and five hearts. Partner opens 1NT. You pass because you’re weak.

Wrong. Bid 2♦ (transfer to hearts), then pass 2♥. Playing in a major at the 2-level beats defending 1NT when you’re weak.

2. Transferring with only four cards

You have four spades. You bid 2♥ (transfer to spades).

Wrong. Use Stayman, not a transfer. Transfers promise five cards.

3. Forgetting to transfer with game values

You have 12 HCP and five spades. You just bid 3NT.

You missed the chance to show your major. Partner might have three spades and prefer 4♠ to 3NT. Transfer first, then bid 3NT. Give partner the option.

4. Super-accepting with minimum hands

You have 15 HCP and four-card support. Responder transfers. You super-accept.

Wrong. Super-accepts show maximum (17 HCP). With 15-16, just accept normally.

Example Hands

Hand 1: Weak Hand - Transfer and Pass

Partner opens 1NT. You hold:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> J98642
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> 7
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> 1053
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> 842

Bid 2♥ (transfer to spades). When partner bids 2♠, pass. You have 2 HCP. Let partner play 2♠.

Hand 2: Invitational - Transfer and Raise

Partner opens 1NT. You hold:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> 74
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> KQ10853
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> A6
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> 942

Bid 2♦ (transfer to hearts). When partner bids 2♥, bid 3♥ (invitational with six hearts). Partner passes with a minimum or bids 4♥ with a maximum.

Hand 3: Game Values - Transfer Then 3NT

Partner opens 1NT. You hold:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> AQ1065
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> K3
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> 742
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> Q104

Bid 2♥ (transfer to spades). When partner bids 2♠, bid 3NT. This shows exactly five spades and game values. Partner chooses between 3NT and 4♠ based on spade length and honor cards.

Hand 4: Game Values - Transfer and Jump to Game

Partner opens 1NT. You hold:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> 85
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> AQJ1064
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> K7
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> 1053

Bid 2♦ (transfer to hearts). When partner bids 2♥, bid 4♥. You have six solid hearts and 11 HCP. No need to offer 3NT.

Hand 5: Slam Interest

Partner opens 1NT. You hold:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> KQ10654
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> A3
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> AJ82
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> 7

Bid 2♥ (transfer to spades). When partner bids 2♠, bid 3♦ (natural, forcing, slam interest). This shows 5+ spades, 4+ diamonds, and interest in slam. You can explore from here.

Texas Transfers

Some pairs play Texas Transfers: 4♦ transfers to 4♥, and 4♥ transfers to 4♠.

This is useful when you want to play game in a major with no slam interest. Instead of transferring at the 2-level and then jumping to game, you transfer directly to game.

Example:

You hold:
<span style="color:#000000;">♠</span> J108652
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♥</span> 7
<span style="color:#CC0000;">♦</span> AQ6
<span style="color:#000000;">♣</span> K94

Partner opens 1NT. Bid 4♥ (Texas Transfer to 4♠). Partner accepts, and you’re in game with the strong hand on lead.

Texas isn’t standard everywhere. Check with your partner.

Four-Card Transfers?

Some advanced pairs transfer with four-card majors if they have a weak hand and no interest in Stayman. This lets you play 2♥ or 2♠ instead of struggling in 1NT.

This is non-standard. Stick with five-card transfers unless you and your partner explicitly agree otherwise.

Why This Matters

Transfers put the strong hand in the right place. That’s worth half a trick on average, sometimes more.

They also give you bidding room. Without transfers, you’d struggle to show different hand types. With transfers, you can pass, invite, or force to game smoothly.

Learn transfers. Use them every time you have five cards in a major. Don’t overthink it. Just bid the suit below your suit, and proceed from there.

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