New suit superaccept over transfer

[paulhar]

1NT P 2H P

?

 

2H is a transfer to spades. What would you show if you now bid 3D instead of 2S?

[hanp]

Something or does not exist.

 

It depends on your agreement.

[jdonn]

Some people play things like it shows a doubleton diamond. I think this sort of information is (far) more likely to be helpful to the opponents rather than partner so I prefer 3♥ to be my only super accept.

[ArtK78]

EDIT: 4 spades, maximum, useful doubleton diamond (xx, Ax or Kx).

 

The poll choices all seem to assume that hearts is trump. That threw me off.

[manudude03]

Something's not right in this topic, either the poll is wrong and it's meant to be all spades or the OP is wrong.

 

Anyway, I prefer to play it as 4 card support, max and diamond concentration.

[ONEferBRID]

1NT P 2H P

?

 

2H is a transfer to spades.  What would you show if you now bid 3D instead of 2S?

3D! = 4 cards Sp, max NT, and worthless doubleton Diam.

[paulhar]

You are right - all the answers are supposed to be SPADES. I'm not sure how to edit the poll answers.

[EricK]

Some people play things like it shows a doubleton diamond. I think this sort of information is (far) more likely to be helpful to the opponents rather than partner so I prefer 3♥ to be my only super accept.

I agree with you that the information is more likely to help the opps. But do you really mean that 3♥ is your only super accept?

 

After 1NT 2♥, it makes more sense for 2NT to be the only super accept - to give partner maximum room just in case he wants more info, and to allow him room to re-transfer if he has nothing.

 

Similarly after 1NT 2♦, 2♠ seems the most useful bid to use as a superaccept if you are only going to use a single bid.

[jjbrr]

That poll is tl;dr.

 

3m should be 4 trumps, max, and whatever else you want. worthless doubleton, useful doubleton, values, something else, whatever. Don't split hairs over this imo.

[hanp]

If you don't want to give information, then just bid 2S I would think. This leaves plenty of room for partner to make all kinds of slam tries. Jumping to 3H seems like a waste of space. Sure, they can't double 2S but that doesn't seem enough reason.

[kfay]

A partner of mine actually had a pretty good writeup where the only superaccept was 2M+1

 

Now responder can relay to show shortness (maybe something else too? I can't remember), which seemed like an alright idea to me.

[gnasher]

I agree with Josh about the inadvisedness of voluntarily disclosing information about a side suit. Showing a doubleton seems especially foolish.

 

I also agree with EricK about keeping the bidding low, except that because I break most of the time that I have 4-card support I prefer to split the range.

 

The only distributional feature that I think worth showing is a singleton, because that can mean the difference between game and slam. If it's a game hand, though, I don't see any reason to say where the singleton is. So:

 

1NT-2♥; 2NT = minimum with 4-card support

1NT-2♥; 3♣ = maximum with 4-card support

1NT-2♥; 3♦ = 4-card support, singleton somewhere

[jjbrr]

Is it legal to play a convention that allows you to uncover a singleton in the NT opener's hand (at least in the US)?

[kfay]

Is it legal to play a convention that allows you to uncover a singleton in the NT opener's hand (at least in the US)?

I mean responder shows shortness. Although now I can't remember how it worked....

 

I think like:

 

1NT-2♥

2NT asks - bananas

[kenrexford]

Well, you missed the one option that I actually play. (And, it's somewhat strange that few even seem to consider this possibility.)

 

I play 3♦ as a 5-card super-accept.

 

I mean, you are allowed to have a five-card majpr, and partner is allowed to transfer into that suit. It does happen, albeit rarely.

[gnasher]

Is it legal to play a convention that allows you to uncover a singleton in the NT opener's hand (at least in the US)?

Never mind uncovering the singleton, are you even allowed to agree to open 1NT with a singleton? And if not, how come I've seen so many posts from ACBL members recommending exactly that?

 

In the EBU, where I play most of my bridge, both having a singleton and showing it are permitted.

[gnasher]

Well, you missed the one option that I actually play. (And, it's somewhat strange that few even seem to consider this possibility.)

I'd have thought that you'd be used to that by now.

 

I play 3♦ as a 5-card super-accept.

 

I mean, you are allowed to have a five-card majpr, and partner is allowed to transfer into that suit.  It does happen, albeit rarely.

Do you find it particularly helpful to know fo a 10-card fit rather than a 9-card fit?

[Siegmund]

My preference is to either not play superaccepts or have the cheapest-bid-past-completion as the only superaccept, leaving room for responder to continue sensibly onward. Playing a leap all the way to 3M as your only super is awfully wasteful.

 

With a strong pickup partner without discussion, I would expect 3D to be max, 4-card support, doubleton diamond (that's how I answered the poll), but I have seen people take very liberal interpretations of "max" and do it with just about every hand with 4-card support and a doubleton.

[dake50]

How about a particular control structure?

Have 2M+1 as catchall,

3C as one control case (say C-1st +oM-2nd+);

3D as second control case (D-1st +oM-2nd+);

3H as third case (say minors 1st +2nd+)

[aguahombre]

Obviously Anyone who would bid other than 2S does not play Walsh relays, where the responder might not even have a heart suit.

 

Even if that isn't possible, still get out of partner's way and just bid 2S --showing slightly better than 17 in support of hearts.....or don't super accept at all with other hands. 3S is just plain silly, since responder could be broke.

[Mbodell]

It depends on agreement, but another agreement is that this shows 4 spades to the A or K or Q and 2.5 to 3 QT outside spades, the cheapest of which is in diamonds (I.e., not in clubs). This lets partner bid 3nt on KQxxxx xx xxx Ax.

 

With another partner it shows 4+, max and diamond concentration.

 

With another partner it shows 4+, max, and small doubleton in diamonds.

[gwnn]

strongly prefer values+length to worthless doubleton but I am neutral as to the necessity of all this. the only time this came up and it really mattered we missed a slam holding 33 hcp because of a misunderstanding.

[nigel_k]

Agree with using the second step for all superaccepts, i.e. 1N-2♦-2♠ or 1N-2♥-2NT. Over that you need a re-transfer bid and can do what you like with the others, maybe show singleton or doubleton. There are three available steps if you use three of responders suit as one of them. or two otherwise.

 

I would also use an immediate jump to three of the suit, i.e. 1N-2♦-3♥ or 1N-2♥-3♠ as a shutout with a minimum and offensively oriented cards, e.g. xx KQJx Axx KQxx. I wouldn't superaccept with a minimum and scattered values though.

[bluecalm]

In Poland it's popular to play:

1NT - 2H

2NT = maximum 1NT with 3card support with exactly two out of A,K,Q

 

It sometimes lead to very good 23pc 3nt. It sometimes winds you up to high. I am not convinced either way, just mentioning it's popular here.

[Vampyr]

Some people play things like it shows a doubleton diamond. I think this sort of information is (far) more likely to be helpful to the opponents rather than partner so I prefer 3♥ to be my only super accept.

I use 3♣ as my (almost) only super-accept, to leave room for responder to express interest and also to have 2NT available for HHx in spades and a very suitable maximum.