Tolleson Transfer Bids
Tolleson Transfer bids, a new way of 4-way transfers after 1 No Trump opening. They have been devised and invented by American-born German player Jeanine Greifswald-Tolleson, and contributed by Mr. Frank Göbel. The following all assume partner opened with 1 No Trump, the range being between 15-18 high card points and a possible 5-card Major suit. The range is not as important as the 5-card Major suit certainly is for Tolleson Transfer bids to take full effect. Minor suit transfers are bid with 6-card Minor suits only, or very good 5-card Minor suits, with a minimum of: AQJ10x.
The following schematic illustrates the ensuing auction when employing Tolleson Transfer Bids:
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
2  |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Clubs or Hearts. | |||
2  |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
| 2 NT | Promises the normal values of 8-9 high card points and balanced hand with a 5-card Heart suit. | |||
| Pass | Promises minimum values and only a 5-card Heart suit. |
2D - transfer to C or H or 8-9 hcp (usual 2nt answer). Opener has to bid 2H,
and now the following apply:
pass=weak H
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Clubs or Hearts. | |||
| 2 |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
2  |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Clubs. | |||
3  |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing a singleton/void in Diamonds. Game-forcing. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing a singleton/void in Hearts. Game-forcing. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing a singleton/void in Spades. Game-forcing. | |||
| 3 NT | Allows opener to choose final contract either in Clubs of No Trump. The opener must have the other three suits stopped and guarded. With maximum values and good support, the opener may choose a slam in Clubs opposite game values. |
2S=transfer to C, opener has to bid 3C, and now
3D=splinter in D, game forcing
3H=splinter in H, game forcing
3S=splinter in S, game forcing
3NT= game forcing
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 NT | Promises a balanced holding, no 5-card Major suit, and 8-9 high card points. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing a singleton/void in Clubs and a 5-card Heart suit. Game-forcing either in Hearts or No Trump. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing a singleton/void in Diamonds and a 5-card Heart suit. Game-forcing either in Hearts or No Trump. | |||
| 3 |
Game-forcing in Hearts. Promises a 6-card plus Heart suit. This is not a Splinter bid. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing a singleton/void in Spades and a 5-card Heart suit. Game-forcing either in Hearts or No Trump. |
2NT=8-9 hcp
3C=splinter in C, game forcing in H or NT
3D=splinter in D, game forcing in H or NT
3H= game forcing in H, no splinter
3S=splinter in S, game forcing in H or NT
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Diamonds or Spades. This first response may also promise a distribution of 5-5 plus in both Minor suits and a singleton (not a void) in Hearts. | |||
| 2 |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
| Pass | Promises minimum values and at least a 5-card Spade suit. | |||
| 2 NT | Shows a distribution of 5-5 in both Minor suits and a singleton (not a void) in Hearts. | |||
| 3 |
The opener bids his better Minor suit or | |||
| 3 |
The opener bids his better Minor suit. | |||
| Pass | With minimum values, the responder passes the preferred Minor suit of the opener. | |||
| 3 |
With additional values, the responder again shows singleton/void in Hearts by splintering. | |||
| 3 NT | With additional values, the responder bids game in No Trump. |
2H - transfer to D or S or 5/5 in minors with singleton (not void) in H.
Opener has to bid 2S, and now the following apply:
pass=weak S
2NT=5/5 in minors with singleton (not void) in H, opener then bids 3
card minor. Responder can pass with very weak hand or show splinter
with 3H.
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Diamonds or Spades. This first response may also promise a distribution of 5-5 plus in both Minor suits and a singleton (not a void) in Hearts. | |||
| 2 |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
| 3 |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Diamonds. | |||
| 3 |
The opener bids his better Minor suit. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid in Hearts showing singleton/void. Game-forcing. | |||
| 3 |
The opener indicates that he can play No Trump opposite a singleton/void in Hearts. | |||
| 3 NT | The opener denies that he can play No Trump opposite a singleton/void in Hearts. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid in Spades showing singleton/void. Game-forcing. | |||
| 3 NT | Splinter bid in Clubs showing singleton/void. Game-forcing. |
3C=transfer to D, opener has to bid 3D, and now
3H=splinter in H or no splinter game forcing, opener bids 3S if he
can play NT with splinter in H, else 3NT denying he can do
it
3S=splinter in S
3NT=splinter in C
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Diamonds or Spades. This first response may also promise a distribution of 5-5 plus in both Minor suits and a singleton (not a void) in Hearts. | |||
| 2 |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing singleton/void either in Clubs or Diamonds. Game-forcing in Spades or No Trump. | |||
| 3 NT | Denies interest in singleton/void. | |||
| 3 |
The opener requests the location of the singleton/void. Possible slam try in Spades. | |||
| 3 |
Singleton/void in Clubs. | |||
| 3 NT | Singleton/void in Diamonds. |
3D=splinter in C or D, game forcing in S or NT, 3H asks for splinter,
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 |
Tolleson Transfer bid to Diamonds or Spades. This first response may also promise a distribution of 5-5 plus in both Minor suits and a singleton (not a void) in Hearts. | |||
| 2 |
Opener accepts the transfer automatically. | |||
| 3 |
Splinter bid showing singleton/void in Hearts. Game-forcing in either Spades or No Trump. | |||
| 3 |
Game-forcing rebid for either Spades or No Trump. Denies any singleton/void. |
3S is C, 3NT D then.
3H=splinter in H, game forcing in S or NT
3S=game forcing in S or NT, no splinter
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 |
Promises a 5-5 distribution in both Minor suits and a singleton (not void) in Spades. |
2S=5/5 in minors with singleton (not void) in S
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 2 NT | Promises a 5-5 distribution in both Minor suits and a void in a Major suit. | |||
| 3 |
The opener rebids his better Minor suit. | |||
| 3 |
The opener rebids his better Minor suit. | |||
| Pass | The responder passes with minimum values. | |||
| 3 |
Promises a void in Hearts. The opener may infer a 3-card Spade suit. | |||
| 3 |
The opener promises a 5-card Spade suit after opening 1 No Trump. | |||
| 3 |
Promises a void in Spades. The opener may infer a 3-card Heart suit. | |||
| 4 |
The opener promises a 5-card Heart suit after opening 1 No Trump. |
2NT= 5/5 in minors with void in a major. Opener then bids 3 card minor.
Responder can pass with very weak hand or show splinter with 3H or 3S (mark
that this also shows 3 in other major, so if opener opened with 5 in that
major they have a major fit!)
| Opener | Responder | Meaning | ||
| 1 NT | The lower the range becomes, the higher are the necessary values held by responder. | |||
| 3 |
A Splinter bid promising a 3-suited holding with singleton/void in Clubs. | |||
| 3 |
A Splinter bid promising a 3-suited holding with singleton/void in Diamonds. | |||
| 3 |
A Splinter bid promising a 3-suited holding with singleton/void in Hearts. | |||
| 3 |
A Splinter bid promising a 3-suited holding with singleton/void in Spades. |
Mark that this kind of bidding allows you to use 3 Clubs after 1 No Trump opening for 3-suited hands with Splinter in Clubs, the same meaning given to 3 Diamonds, 3 Hearts, and 3 Spades after a 1 No Trump opening. With a first response of 3 Clubs, this had previously been impossible because of transfer to Diamonds.
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.
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