[SimonFa]

This just came up in and IMPs game with a pickup partner in the MBC:

Partners' profile says "no transfers" and the 2h was bid after a long pause, but that could mean anything.

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I got the obligatory "south pass???", but what could I do? Is 2H forcing if not playing transfers?

If not forcing is 16 HCP and ♥AK5 strong enough for 3H at this vulnerability with the 2C bid which should be assumed to be natural?

This is why I normally move on if partners' card says "no transfers".

With transfers we could have had a very nice sequence 1NT, (2C) 2D (P) 2H (P) 3NT (P) with me selecting game.

As always, thanks in advance for your thoughts,

Simon

PS As it happens 3NT is a good game but 4H is always off at least 1 but that's not the point.

PPS Another thought, do people play no transfers so they can hog declarer play?

[Antrax]

When I played without transfers it was because I didn't know how to play transfers. Other people might not know whether they apply in competition (playing them over natural 2♣ isn't 100% standard to the best of my knowledge).
Playing a pickup in the MBC with no agreements, I would have bid 3♥ with the North hand, but as others will tell you, all bets are off in that environment. It's possible "MBC standard" is that 2♥ is forcing, though from my experience I would expect it to be a sign-off bid, similar to without interference with transfers off.

[helene_t]

You need to know how to bid without transfers because even if
1NT-(2♣)-2♦*
is a transfer (which you can't be sure, as Antrax says),
1NT-(2♦)-2♥*
is not.

So you need to know that a freebid at the 2-level opposite a 1NT opening is non-forcing. This is the first thing you should learn, before learning about transfers. Because while you can bid without transfers, you can't bid without knowing this.

[Zelandakh]

2♥ is not forcing if not playing transfers. I think North's best action after 2♣ is to treat the hearts as a 4 card suit and bid 3♣. I do not see how not playing transfers can be a hand-hogging thing, surely hand hogs like to open 1NT too, no?

Also, to helene_t, my understanding is that it is quite common in American clubs to play that 1NT - (2♦) - 2♥ is a transfer, with X being the ubiquitous "stolen bid double" and showing hearts. Similarly for 1NT - (2♥) - X = spades. It is not a method I would personally recommend.

[bd71]

 SimonFa, on 2013-January-02, 03:37, said:

PPS Another thought, do people play no transfers so they can hog declarer play?

Unless they magically start playing transfers when they have the opening 1N hand, probably not.