This conventional method is employed by Precision Club partnerships and was developed by Mr. Kenneth T. Morris Ph.D. in the year 1983. At the time he was serving as a Professor at Central Michigan University. Following the approval by the American Contract Bridge League for its employment at tournaments on a national level the ACBL included this conventional method into its publication The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, Newly Revised Fourth Edition of 1984, page 287.
He authored, together with Mr. Kenneth M. Cinnamon Ph.D., the publication A Handbook of Non-Verbal Group Exercises, published in 1975.
Employment of the Concept
These are transfer bids by the responder after the partner has opened a Precision 1 Club. Partnerships assign certain continuances to certain specific bidding sequences when employing the Precision bidding system, however it may be structured. In general, an opening bid of 1 Club (not an overcall) in practically all agreements based on the Precision bidding system assign multiple meanings to an opening bid of 1 Club. In the original version as credited to Mr. Charles Chung Wei a 1 Club opening bid in Precision is forcing for one round, artificial, and promises a holding with a minimum of 16 points.
Following a Precision 1 Club opening bid the responder employs conditional transfer bids when playing Morris Transfer Bids. The requirements for employing such conditional transfer bids is that the responder meet the parameters stating that a response can only be made if the responder holds 8 plus points and a 5-card plus suit.
Note: It is only with the understanding that such conditional transfer bids will not be accepted if the opener does not meet the requirements for the transfer, and therefore the designation conditional.
The transfer bid requests that the opener accept the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in the suit, to which the responder transfers. If the opener does not meet these requirements, then the opener must bid his own suit or No Trump, as the holding suggests.
Outline of Morris Transfer Bids
Opener |
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Responder |
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Meaning |
1 |
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1 |
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Morris transfer bid showing 8 plus points and transfers to Spades. This response is artificial. |
1 |
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The opener accepts the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in Spades. Otherwise the opener finds another informative bid. |
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1 |
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1 |
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Morris transfer bid showing 8 plus points and transfers to No Trump. This response is artificial. |
1 NT |
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The opener generally accepts the transfer bid since the first response is not a transfer bid to a suit. This is more a waiting bid (position) in order that the responder communicate additional information. |
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1 |
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1 NT |
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Morris transfer bid showing 8 plus points and transfers to Clubs. This response is artificial. |
2 |
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The opener accepts the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in Clubs. Otherwise the opener finds another informative bid. |
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1 |
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2 |
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Morris transfer bid showing 8 plus points and transfers to Diamonds. This response is artificial. |
2 |
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The opener accepts the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in Diamonds. Otherwise the opener finds another informative bid. |
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1 |
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2 |
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Morris transfer bid showing 8 plus points and transfers to Hearts. This response is artificial. |
2 |
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The opener accepts the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in Diamonds. Otherwise the opener finds another informative bid. |
All continuations are per partnership agreement since all continuations are based on individual agreements. Some agreements include bids to ascertain the exact distribution of the holding. If the transfer bid, for example, is not accepted since it is conditional, then the partnership agreement must include continuations based upon additional Precision-style conventions and conventional methods.
Morris Asking No Trump Sequence
In the bidding sequence, in which the responder transfers partner to 1 No Trump, then the responder can initiate the Morris Asking No Trump
Opener |
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Responder |
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Meaning |
1 |
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Precision Club |
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1 |
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This first response transfers the opener to 1 No Trump |
1 NT |
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The opener accepts the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in Spades. |
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2 |
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The responder then employs a Stayman-style bid to ask for the number of held Aces. |
2 |
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Shows 0 or 4 Aces. |
2 |
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Shows 1 Ace. |
2 |
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Shows 2 Aces. |
2 NT |
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Shows 3 Aces. |
In order to ask for Kings, and subsequently for Queens, the opener rebids the cheapest possible suit, and the information is communicated by steps. An illustrative example follows, but only the bidding sequence is shown.
Opener |
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Responder |
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Meaning |
1 |
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Precision Club |
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1 |
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This first response transfers the opener to 1 No Trump |
1 NT |
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The opener accepts the transfer bid when holding three to an honor (normally Jack or higher) or any four cards in Spades. |
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2 |
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The responder then employs a Stayman-style bid to ask for the number of held Aces. |
2 |
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Shows 1 Ace. |
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2 |
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By bidding the next cheapest possible suit the responder inquires about the number of held Kings. |
3 |
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The opener shows 2 Kings. The opener has jumped 3 Steps (2NT, 3, 3) showing 3 Kings. |
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3 |
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By bidding the next cheapest possible suit the responder inquires about the number of held Queens. |
4 |
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The opener shows 3 Queens.The opener has jumped 4 Steps (3, 3NT, 4, 4) showing 3 Queens. |
The possible holding of the opener is illustrated below. No competition:
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Note: Employing the Morris Transfer bids the partnership will reach a secure contract of 7 No Trump. |
South |
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North |
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Meaning |
1 |
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Precision 1 Club opening showing 16 plus points. |
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1 |
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A Morris transfer bid to No Trump by the responder. |
1 NT |
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The opener accepts the transfer and bids 1 No Trump. |
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2 |
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A Stayman-style bid asking for the number of held Aces. |
2 |
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Shows 1 Ace. The suit is unspecified. |
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2 |
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Inquiry about the number of held Kings. |
The Steps Showing Held Kings |
2NT |
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Note: this is not possible. The response must be a suit. |
3 |
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Promises zero Kings. |
3 |
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Promises one King. |
3 |
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Promises two Kings. |
3 |
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Promises three Kings. Rare, but theoretical. |
Note: The King Inquiry is dependent upon the response to the Ace-Inquiry. As soon as the bid is made communicating the number of held Aces, then the next possible and cheapest bid is the King Inquiry. However, the parameters of the original concept dictate that this next cheapest bid may not be No Trump.
Queen Inquiry
The Queen-Inquiry is dependent on the response to the number of held Kings, also by step responses. The step responses are identical in definition as the response to the Ace-Inquiry.
South |
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North |
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Meaning |
1 |
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Precision 1 Club opening showing 16 plus points. |
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1 |
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A Morris transfer bid to No Trump by the responder. |
1 NT |
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The opener accepts the transfer and bids 1 No Trump. |
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2 |
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A Stayman-style bid asking for the number of held Aces. |
2 |
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Shows 1 Ace. The suit is unspecified. |
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2 |
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Inquiry about the number of held Kings. |
3 |
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The opener shows 2 Kings via steps. |
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3 |
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Queen-Inquiry. Response is via step responses. |
3 NT |
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Note: this is not possible. The response must be a suit. |
4 |
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Promises zero Queens. |
4 |
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Promises one Queen. |
4 |
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Promises two Queens. |
4 |
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Promises three Queens. Rare, but theoretical. |
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.