[maris oren]

how do i transfer to diamonds after partner's opening bid of 2NT? Opponents didn't bid.

[paulg]

I don't think there is a standard but there are two methods I've seen:

Some use 3♠ as minor-suit Stayman and try to show one-suited minors through this.

The other method is 2-under transfers at the four-level, so 4♠ is a transfer to diamonds: not a method to play without a regular partner.

Both methods are aimed at slammish hands. Without this strength, you either bid 5♦ or 3NT.

[mikeh]

Generally speaking, you don’t. There’s only so much room for bidding after 2N, and generally methods are designed to find major suit fits or 3N or high level contracts, including minor suit games or slams.

It’s possible to incorporate t minor suit transfers into a coherent bidding method but it requires detailed partnership agreements and, speaking from experience, isn’t a great solution because, as with every system design choice, you lose the meaning that your gadget would have shown if you weren’t playing the gadget.

I don’t worry about it. Aiming for a minor suit partial after partner opens 2N will be ‘right ‘ on a very, very few hands and almost every other pair in the room will have the same problem that you do…’you can’t get there from here’.

Fwiw our methods were to flip the meanings of 4C and 4D after 2N 3S 3N, where 3S forced 3N and now, in standard variants of this common treatment, 4m is natural and forcing. But this disrupted our optional keycard method where, over 4m, opener gets to show ‘I don’t like your suit’ or ‘I like your suit but have a poor hand for slam’ or to show keycards, saying ‘I like your suit, I have a good hand for slam…here are my keycards, if you’re interested’.

Optional keycard, in our view, was too useful (though rare) to give up for the dubious benefit of ‘right-siding’ a minor.

[DavidKok]

One rare option you have is to bid 3♣ Puppet Stayman, intending to pass partner's rebid. However, only do this at your own peril!

More generally, as mikeh said, the option simply doesn't fit in the system. This is also why I'm not a fan of increasing the frequency of 2NT openings (e.g. by frequently upgrading 19-counts): the self-preemptive effect is considerable.

[pescetom]

mikeh, on 2025-September-29, 12:07, said:

Fwiw our methods were to flip the meanings of 4C and 4D after 2N 3S 3N, where 3S forced 3N and now, in standard variants of this common treatment, 4m is natural and forcing. But this disrupted our optional keycard method where, over 4m, opener gets to show ‘I don’t like your suit’ or ‘I like your suit but have a poor hand for slam’ or to show keycards, saying ‘I like your suit, I have a good hand for slam…here are my keycards, if you’re interested’.

Optional keycard, in our view, was too useful (though rare) to give up for the dubious benefit of ‘right-siding’ a minor.

We play that over 3S, 3N denies a 5 card minor which would be shown naturally 4m. Over 3N we flip flop the minors. This gains rightsiding the slam (which if I remember my simulations rightly, has non-dubious benefits opposite 2NT) and we retain the inline attitude showing bid if the suit is diamonds, if clubs we still have the less nuanced option of natural NT responses to dislike minor.

[DavidKok]

I prefer for 2NT-3♠ to always show both minors, but this might be beyond the scope of the question.

At any rate signing off in 3♦ is normally not possible and signing off in 4♦ is a poor bet.

[mw64ahw]

If you're looking for a weak ♦ option rather than a slamming one then:
3♣ forces 3♦ now
Pass to play
3♥ denies 4♥ may have 4♠
3♠ shows 4♥ denies 4♠
3N 44xx
4♣ 44(4x)SI balanced slam hands take a different route
4♦ 4450 SI "
This obviously rules out any 5cM ask.

[Zelandakh]

2 conventions that I have played. As a junior:-
3♠ = puppet to 3NT, then
...4♣ = 6+ clubs
...4♦ = 6+ diamonds
...4♥ = 5-5 minors, ♥ void
...4♠ = 5-5 minors, ♠ void
...4NT = 5-5 minors, no void

For my system:-
3♠ = 5+ clubs, then if 3NT (no fit) then
...4♣ = 6+ clubs
...4♦ = 5-5 minors, no void
...4♥ = 5-5 minors, ♥ void
...4♠ = 5-5 minors, ♠ void
4♣ = 6+ diamonds

[jillybean]

I don't have a transfer to 3♦/2nt

6 diamonds, no values for game, pass
6 diamonds, values for game, bid 3nt.
Long diamonds, slammish you need a method such as Paul suggests.

[alibodin]

mw64ahw, on 2025-September-29, 15:42, said:

If you're looking for a weak ♦ option rather than a slamming one then:
3♣ forces 3♦ now
Pass to play
3♥ denies 4♥ may have 4♠
3♠ shows 4♥ denies 4♠
3N 44xx
4♣ 44(4x)SI balanced slam hands take a different route
4♦ 4450 SI "
This obviously rules out any 5cM ask.

I played something similar with a previous partner. We had the following.

3♥ shows 4♠ denies 4♥
3♠ shows 4♥ denies 4♠
3N 44xx

We decided not to worry about the 5-3 major fit and play them in 3NT. Seemed to work ok for us the rare time it came up.

[mw64ahw]

alibodin, on 2025-September-30, 06:10, said:

I played something similar with a previous partner. We had the following.

3♥ shows 4♠ denies 4♥
3♠ shows 4♥ denies 4♠
3N 44xx

We decided not to worry about the 5-3 major fit and play them in 3NT. Seemed to work ok for us the rare time it came up.

This is a simple approach I play with one Acol partner over a weak NT so we can exit in 2♦, but we play a 5-cM ask over 2N.

[Zelandakh]

alibodin, on 2025-September-30, 06:10, said:

I played something similar with a previous partner. We had the following.

3♥ shows 4♠ denies 4♥
3♠ shows 4♥ denies 4♠
3N 44xx

We decided not to worry about the 5-3 major fit and play them in 3NT. Seemed to work ok for us the rare time it came up.

This is almost a popular, standard Puppet Stayman structure:-

3♣ asks
... - 3♦ = 4 hearts and/or 3-4 spades
... - ... - 3♥ = denies interest in hearts, asks about spades
... - ... - ... - 3♠ = 4 spades
... - ... - ... - ... - 3NT = to play
... - ... - ... - ... - 4m = nat, slammy
... - ... - ... - 3NT = <4 spades
... - ... - ... - ... - 4m = nat, slammy
... - ... - 3♠ = shows 4+ hearts, denies interest in spades
... - ... - 3NT = 4+ hearts, 4+ spades, cog
... - ... - 4♣ = 4+ hearts, 4+ spades, slammy
... - ... - 4♦ = 5+ spades, 4 hearts
... - 3♥ = 5 hearts
... - 3♠ = 5 spades
... - 3NT = <4 hearts, <3 spades

The key point is that if you play 3NT as 4-4 majors in this structure, you need to play 3♥ as spades or no major to compensate. The rest is just a little optimisation.

[alibodin]

mw64ahw, on 2025-September-30, 07:55, said:

This is a simple approach I play with one Acol partner over a weak NT so we can exit in 2♦, but we play a 5-cM ask over 2N.

I play Acol occasionally with club members my main artner and I play 5 card / Strong NT and I wonder how this simple structure might work over strong NT. Downside is loss of crawling/garbage Stayman, upside is transfer to 2♦ and keeping openers majors hidden more often than Stayman.

[mw64ahw]

alibodin, on 2025-September-30, 11:43, said:

I play Acol occasionally with club members my main artner and I play 5 card / Strong NT and I wonder how this simple structure might work over strong NT. Downside is loss of crawling/garbage Stayman, upside is transfer to 2♦ and keeping openers majors hidden more often than Stayman.

There is less of a need to play it over a strong NT and I play a non-promissory 2♣ 5cM ask over both 1N & 2N with a couple of strong NTers The version I use avoids playing in a Moysian at the 4-level when opener is 22(54) opposite 55xx.

There are a couple of more involved approaches available over a weak 1N that I am aware of that stop in 2♦ (Lakebeach & Gladiator)

[mike777]

The last month or so my partner has been teaching me a puppet version over 2NT. They love it.

I have my doubts that any puppet is worth playing over 2NT

Do many top players play puppet over 2nt?