When to bid a Texas transfer ?

The Texas convention is a very popular bidding strategy in bridge, often used by experienced players to improve communication with their partner. It helps optimize contract management with long major suits and is particularly effective at avoiding misunderstandings. In this article, we’ll explore when and how to use Texas, and why this convention can give you a strategic advantage.

1. What is the Texas convention?

The Texas convention is an artificial bid that allows a player to show a long major suit (hearts or spades) after a 1 No-Trump (1NT) opening from their partner. Its primary objective is to transfer the bid to the weak hand’s major suit so that the opener, the one who opened 1NT, becomes the declarer.

Key points to remember:

• The Texas is a transfer bid.
• It is used to indicate to your partner that you have at least 5 cards in a major.
• It helps protect your partner’s strong hand and avoid giving too much information to the opponents.

2. When to use the Texas convention?

The Texas is used after a 1NT opening by your partner when you have a long suit in hearts or spades. It’s particularly useful for hands that are not very strong in points but are long in a suit.

Here are some typical situations where you would use Texas:

• You have 5 or more cards in a major (hearts or spades).
• Your hand is weak (generally between 0 and 10 HCP).
• You want your partner to take the contract, allowing their stronger hand to play the visible cards.
• You want to play in a major suit rather than in No-Trumps.

Example of use:

• Your partner opens 1NT (15-17 HCP).
• You have a hand with 6 hearts but few points (for example, 7 HCP).
• You bid 2♦ (Texas hearts), asking your partner to bid 2♥, thus transferring the contract to them.

3. Texas bids in practice

When you have a long suit in hearts or spades after a 1NT opening, you use the Texas bid to ask your partner to transfer the bid into that suit. Here’s a summary of the bids associated with Texas:

These bids don’t show point strength but simply a long suit. Your partner is thus obligated to follow the transfer and bid the requested suit.

4. Why use the Texas convention?

The Texas convention has several strategic advantages:

• Protect the strong hand: By making the transfer, you allow the opener to remain the declarer. This way, their strong hand stays hidden, and the opponents don’t get a look at their cards.
• Better trump management: If you have a long suit, playing a trump contract (in a major) is often more effective than a No-Trump contract.
• Avoid revealing your cards: Thanks to the transfer, you don’t directly show your long suit to the opponents, making your strategy less predictable.

5. When to avoid using the Texas convention?

While Texas is a powerful convention, it’s not always appropriate. Here are some cases where you might avoid using it:

• If you have a balanced hand with little length in a major: In this case, playing in No-Trumps might be a better option.
• If your hand is very strong: If you have a hand strong enough to consider a slam or a high-level contract, you may need to use conventions like Blackwood to evaluate the combined strength of both hands.

Common mistakes:

• Using Texas with too short a suit: Only use this convention if you have at least 5 cards in the major you want to transfer.
• Poor communication with your partner: It is crucial that your partner understands the convention and is ready to complete the transfer without hesitation.

Texas is a key convention that can help you better manage your contracts, especially if you have a long suit in hearts or spades. By using it correctly, you protect your partner’s strong hand and increase your chances of success when playing with trumps. Remember that communication with your partner is essential for using this convention effectively.