We have been looking at transfers into the majors. But what about transfers into the minors? Look, for example, at the North hand. What would you respond after partner opens one no-trump?

Only regular and experienced partnerships should use transfers into the minors, primarily because their frequency is so low. Here, for example, if North's long suit were a major, he would transfer into that suit and insist on making it trumps. But since it is a minor and the hand has no singleton or void or strength for a slam, North should raise to three no-trump. Go for the nine-trick game, not the 11-trick.

South is in three no-trump, and West leads the heart king. What should South do?

Declarer has six top tricks: two spades, one heart, two diamonds and one club. Obviously, the others must come from dummy's diamonds. This means assuming that the missing diamonds are breaking 3-2, not 4-1 or 5-0. Next, South should duck (lose) the first trick -- the Bath Coup. If West continues with hearts, declarer has two heart tricks. If West shifts, South still has a heart stopper. (Note that if declarer wins the first trick, he goes down, East pushing a heart through when in with his diamond trick.) South takes trick two and ducks a diamond immediately, playing a low diamond from each hand. Then he coasts to at least nine tricks. And note that five diamonds has no chance.

If you would like to learn about transfers into the minors, go to my website, www.phillipalderbridge.com, and look under the Transfers link.

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