[WesleyC]

Gnasher: I agree with your example, playing transfers does gives you more chance to catch the opponents for penalties (when they pre-balance in your unlimited auction) but natural 2M bids are a little safer for your side, and hinder the opponents constructive bidding silghtly more.

TMorris: I don't think the fact that 90% of club players use transfers isn't really an argument for (or against) them. Transfers are simple, popular and constructive auctions starting with a transfer are well understood. At club level lots of pairs don't even use double of [Weak NT - Transfer] to show values in which case transfers probably ARE better than natural bids.

The serious pairs I've talked to that use 2M-Weak have relatively complex relay continuations after 1NT - 2C/2D to handle their constructive hands. For most people the extra memory work isn't justified.

[Jlall]

I do not use transfers after wk NT, but think its very close. Certainly in constructive auctions transfers are better than 2 way stayman, but as others have said 1N p 2M is much better since RHO's double has a wider range than if you transferred and he doubled twice, or passed then doubled, or doubled then passed.