[DrDouble]

Many times I have played with a partner that refuses to play major transfers. What r the alternative bidding systems that can be used for responder 2 describe their hand to the 1NT opener.

[awm]

The "standard" way to play without transfers is that 2♣ is stayman and 2♦, 2♥, 2♠ are all to play. If you have an invitational hand with a five-card major, you start with stayman and then bid your suit. Probably most people who don't play transfers just don't know or understand transfers, so trying to play some complex system with them is rather a waste of time...

On the other hand, some quite good weak notrump players do not use transfers, believing that the direct signoff bids put more pressure on the opponents. The typical approach for these players is to use 2♣ stayman (and bid stayman with invites including a five-card major) and 2♦ as game forcing stayman (possibly starting some sort of relays). This is sometimes called "two-way stayman" or "double-barrelled stayman."

[Free]

Is there any reason why they don't want to play transfers? It just sounds ridiculous...

I'd suggest you take a look at Gerben's site, he has an alternative structure that looks ok imo.

[georgeac]

there are quite a few on bbo who dont play transfers. i usually just bid 3nt over 1nt or bid 2c.

[DrDouble]

I think some people avoid transfers cos they don't want 2 get "lost" in the process of bidding the suit under the major you have and then correcting it. When I first heard about them it seemed crazy 2 me. However now I know that not playing them means you have to find a more complicated and less powerfull system for communicating with you partner.

Please supply a link to Gerben's site.

[helene_t]

I prefer not to play transfers with pick-ups because there are so many competitive auctions where I wouldn't know if transfers applied without discussion.

Flint (one of the co-inventers of multi 2♦, I think) played a response of 3♦ to 2NT as a sign-off in a major, and 3M as forcing.

There is also Gladiator.

But indeed, if someone just says he doesn't play transfers, just assume that you bid as you would in contested auctions where transfers are off. 2M is to play, 3M is forcing, usually with five cards, asking opener to raise with 3 and bid 3NT with 2.

Stayman still applies, though, and
1NT-2♣
2♦-2♥
is probably invitational with 5+ hearts.

[barmar]

I remember talking to my mother a few years ago. She's been playing kitchen table bridge since she was a child; the system they played was "bid what you think you can make". She was taking lessons at the senior center for the first time, and she complained that she didn't like those transfer things they were trying to teach her. She just couldn't get the hang of bidding a different suit than you actually have.

I think it's mostly the "can't teach an old dog new tricks" problem.

[kenrexford]

I kind of liked two-way stayman when I played it.

[barmar]

Sounds like the kind of thing you would like

[Gerben42]

My site is dead since Geocities has gone away, I will put it up somewhere else when I have the time (i.e. Xmas holiday) but if you like I can send you the structure, just PM your email to me.

Basically, 2♦ covers game-interested hands with 5 cards in either major, asking partner for a doubleton major. 2♣ is Stayman and 2M is to play.

[Quantumcat]

You can play this:

2 ♥, 2♠ to play
2♣ puppet to 2♦, which is any invite
2♦ GF stayman or balanced with a 5 cd major, GF
2NT unbalanced with a 5 card major

example auctions:
1NT 2♣
2♦ 2♥
2♠ 3♥
4♥ - responder had 5 hearts and was invitational, opener 4 spades and 3 hearts

1NT 2♦
2♠ 3♠
4♠ - responder had 4 or more hearts and 3 spades, opener had 5.

1NT 2NT
3♣ 3♥
3♠ 3NT - responder had 5 hearts and 4 or 5 diamonds, opener showed values in clubs and spades but not 3 hearts, which allowed responder to bid 3NT.