TONTO

TONTO is an acronym for Transfers Over 3 No Trump Overcalls. We'll call the player bidding 3N "Tonto".

The bidding goes as follows, starting with a 3-level preempt:

3/// - 3N - Pass

Now Tonto's partner has these options:

• 4N = quantitative
• 4 = Blackwood, even if the preempt was 3.
• 4 = transfer to Diamonds or if 3 was the preempt, to Clubs
• 4 = transfer to Hearts or if 3 was the preempt, to Spades.
• 4 = transfer to the remaining suit (not one of the above transfers)..

If a transfer response was bid, TONTO bids the cheapest suit above the transfer bid to show a fit with the transfer's target suit; otherwise, he accepts the transfer to discourage, or if the target is a minor, 4N can be used to discourage.