Smolen Transfers allow the NT Opener to place the auction in a major suit contract while only holding a 3-card major. As the “transfer” name implies, Smolen helps the team establish the weaker hand as the dummy and hide the stronger hand as the declarer.
The team must go through Stayman to access Smolen. Before the Responder can invoke Smolen, the Opener must bid 2-diamonds in response to the Responder’s 2-club (Staymen) bid.
Responder must have game-going values and 5/4 in the major suits to invoke Smolen. If so, the Responder invokes Smolen with a jump-bid in the shorter major suit. In the following example, Responder invokes Smolen with a 3-heart jump-bid and promises a 5-card spade suit.
Smolen Example
| Bid # | Opener | Responder | ||
| North | East | South | West | |
| 1 | 1-NT | Pass | 2-Clubs | Pass |
| 2 | 2-Diamonds | Pass | 3-Hearts |
With 3-card support for the Responder’s unbid major, Opener bids 4 of the unbid major. Without 3-card support for the Responder’s unbid major, Opener bids 3-NT.
