Satelink Transfers

If you are willing to play Texas Transfers over 1N, you may prefer to use 4♣ and 4♢ Satelink Transfers to 4♡ and 4♠. The satelink transfer shows a 6c suit with slam interest, probing as to whether opener has a suitable hand. After a 15–17 1N opening, it should deny a splinter. Opener rebids as follows, with the loser counts reflecting control-based losers.

  • Step 1 (4M–1) with the worst hand (7 c-losers).
  • Step 2 (4M) with a medium hand (6 c-losers).
  • Steps 3–5 with an excellent hand (5 c-losers), showing 2, 3, or 4 keycards respectively.

The presence of a 6c suit increases the chance that opener upgrades to 5 c-losers with a known 9–10c fit. If you do not use c‑losers, step 1 is discouraging (poor trumps or quacky cards), step 2 is intermediate, and higher steps are maximum with a fit, showing keycards.

If you play satelink transfers, then a Jacoby transfer followed by a raise to 4M is sign off, while Jacoby followed by a jump shift shows a slam try with a splinter.

  • ♠AKxxxx ♡Kx ♢QJx ♣xx should bid 4♢, happy to sign off over 4♡ and make a move towards slam over 4♠.
  • ♠AKxxxx ♡xx ♢QJx ♣xx should bid 2♡ and raise 2♠ to 4♠, showing no interest beyond game.
  • ♠AKxxxx ♡Kxx ♢QJx ♣x should bid 2♡ and jump to 4♣ over 2♠, showing about 6 c‑losers with a splinter in clubs.

You can play Satelink Transfers over a 2N opening too, making allowance for opener to have a significantly stronger hand.

If the opposition double a satelink transfer for lead, they do you a big favour because you have two extra bids. Using SUTLI principles, show holdings in steps up-the-line. Since the satelink transfer is a slam try, you are interested in strength and control of the danger suit.

  • Pass: no control. Partner can redouble to ask you to make your normal response.
  • Redouble: minimum with a control.
  • 4M–1: medium with a control.
  • 4M: maximum with a control.
  • Higher bids: maximum, keycards in steps.