Transfer Walsh 1♣
Walsh is familiar territory in modern bidding: with less than game-forcing strength, we bypass diamonds to show a 4-card major. That leaves the cheapest response doing little work. As Richard Granville puts it, “the 1♦ response to 1♣ is severely underused.”
So why not rotate the responses? Transfer Walsh uses 1♦ for hearts, 1♥ for spades, and 1♠ for hands without a 4-card major. Now opener can declare responder’s major, with an extra step to describe support.
| 1♣ - | |
|---|---|
| 1♦! | 0+, 4+♥ |
| 1♥! | 0+, 4+♠ |
| 1♠! | 4+, 0–3♠, 0–3♥ |
| 1NT | 8–11, 1–3♠, 1–3♥, no SPL |
| 2♣! | FG, 5+♦, 0–3♠, 0–3♥ |
| 2♦! | 0–7, 6+♠♥ |
| 2♥! | 8–11, 4+♥, 5+♠ |
| 2♠! | FG, 5+♣, 0–3♠, 0–3♥, 0–4♦ |
| 2NT! | NF INV, 6+♦ |
| 3♣ | NF INV, 6+♣ |
The 2♥ response is Reverse Flannery as in Strawberry Polish Club but can be invitational (8–11) rather than merely constructive (6–9).
Multi 2♦
The 2♦ response takes every 0–7 hand with a 6+ major, so whenever responder rebids a 6+ major after a red transfer, they hold 8+. Over the 2NT relay, responder trisects strength as in the Multi 2♦ opening: 0–3, 4–5, and 6–7. The most frequent third is 6–7, so it gets its own bids 3♥♠. The lower two thirds share 3♣♦, where opener relays to invite. Responder then signs off in 3M with 0–3 or bids 4M with 4–5.
| 1♣ - 2♦ - | |
|---|---|
| 2♥♠! | P/C |
| 2NT! | (R), INV+ |
| 3♥♠! | P/C |
| 4♣! | STR COG |
| 4♦! | PRE COG |
| 1♣ - 2♦ - 2NT - | |
|---|---|
| 3♣! | 0–5, 6+♥ |
| 3♣ - 3♦! | (R), INV+ |
| 3♣ - 3♥ | S/O |
| 3♦! | 0–5, 6+♠ |
| 3♦ - 3♥! | (R), INV+ |
| 3♦ - 3♠ | S/O |
| 3♥! | 6–7, 6+♠ |
| 3♠! | 6–7, 6+♥ |
There are two kinds of choice of games:
- 4♣ by strength
- 4♦ by distribution
Such distinction helps judging how to react to interference. Besides, 4♣ lets the strong hand declare. On the other hand, 4♦ closes the auction ASAP.
| 1♣ - 2♦ - 4♣ - | |
|---|---|
| 4♦! | TRF, 6+♥ |
| 4♥! | TRF, 6+♠ |