[Califdude]

When partner opens 1NT (15-17) and you have a weak hand, the question arises whether or not to try to improve on the 1NT by transfer to your suit.

Assume pard opens 1NT and you have a very weak hand.

Is it automatic that if you have a 6-card suit in H or S you bid transfer? Would you ever bid transfer 2S to 3C with topless 6-card clubs?

What about a 5-card suit? What would be the kind of suit shape and quality you would want in order to bid a transfer? Suppose partner has bid 1NT over 1S by opponent, does that make you more inclined to trf to your 5-card suit on theory partner is more likely to have cards in your suit?

Here is an example:
Opponent bid 1S, partner bid 1NT. You hold xxx 98xxx Qxx Jx. Should you bid 2D for transfer to hearts?

As always, thanks for replies.

[Cascade]

The weaker you are the less important is suit quality.

You will do much better in the long run to just get out of 1NT.

[P_Marlowe]

Transfer to a major are independ of suit quality.

Transfer to a minor at the 3 level, ... you need a 6 carder,
and a honor helps.
You need a fair chance, that the 3 level contract is better than
the 3 level contract, i,e, the 3 level contract needs to play 3 tricks
better than the 1 level contract, so to make a transfer to the
3 level certain constraints should be full filled.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[cherdano]

Always transfer with a 5-card major.

[maggieb]

For a beginner, I would suggest always transferring to a major with 5 cards. In general, I would suggest transferring on maybe 99% of these hands. I can construct hands I clearly would not transfer on, like ♠xxxxx ♥QJx ♦QJx ♣JT.

I would always transfer to a 6-card major or minor.