A “super-acceptance” bid is one that is a level higher than is required in response to partner’s transfer request.
If responder is transferring to two spades, the notrump opener super-accepts by jumping to three spades.
In an earlier column, North opened 1NT and could have super-accepted partner’s major. However, North chose not to super-accept because the opponents competed, and it was likely partner was bust.
As mentioned in that column, the notrump opener can super-accept only with a hand having 17 points, a doubleton (not a 4-3-3-3 hand) and four-card support.
The bidding:
North, with a balanced 17 points, opens 1 NT. South transfers North to spades with a bid of two hearts. North super-accepts by jumping to three spades.
There is a risk because South could have nothing, but as we will see in next week’s column, North has a very good chance of making three spades even opposite nothing.
Instead of just alerting South to the strong possibility of game, super-acceptance tells South that slam is likely. There are very likely no spade losers, and it is likely that North’s doubleton is not clubs.
Over three spades, 4NT is Roman Keycard Blackwood. South has two keycards and the queen of trump. South now knows there are no trump losers and places the contract in six spades.
Opening Lead: Eight of diamonds. Leading from the queen of hearts is an unnecessary risk that is unlikely to reap dividends. If partner has the king of hearts, a heart is the setting lead, but this is very unlikely.
The play: North wins the opening lead, draws trump, and seeing nowhere to park a club loser, gives up a club and claims.
The result: Six spades making for +1430.
Warren Watson is an American Contract Bridge League silver life master and accredited teacher.
The Warfield resident created the Kootenay Jewel Bridge Club with duplicate games on Mondays at noon.