Jacoby Transfers complement Stayman by letting you find Major suit fits when responder has 5 Hearts or 5 Spades. Jacoby Demand Responses A Jacoby Transfer response to 1NT or 2NT openings shows a 5+ card major suit by responder and forces the opener to bid it. One reason for opener to bid the suit is to keep the strong hand - the opening No Trump - as declarer and the weaker hand as dummy. This can often mean an additional trick, because the opening lead will come into the strong hand. Jacoby Mechanics The mechanics of Jacoby Transfers are as follows: Responder bids the suit immediately BELOW the intended suit -- 2 Diamonds or 2 Hearts in response to a 1 No Trump opener (or overcall) or a 2NT opener and without interference. Opener bids the demanded suit at the lowest legal level
Opener's partner places the contract
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1NT P 2¨* Jacoby Transfer to 2 Hearts 2© P 3NT 3NT = " I have 10+ HCP, North" 4 © 4© = " I have 3+ Hearts, too, South" North South ª KQx ª Jxx © KQx © Axxxx ¨ Kxx ¨ Qxx § Axxx § Kx
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1NT P 2©* Jacoby Transfer to 2 Spades 2ª P P P = "I have 5 +Spades and I'm weak, North" North South ª KQxx ª Jxxxx © Axx © Kx ¨ AKxx ¨ Qx § xx § xxxx