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- MISCELLANEOUS CUE BIDS
-
-
- Cue Bids in Partner's Suit
-
- South West North East
- 1S 2C Dbl * 3C
-
- * Business double
-
- When partner's suit has been doubled for business at a low level,
- his suit has really become the opponents' suit. A bid in this suit
- is therefore a cue bid, asking partner to take a choice between the
- unbid suits. In the auction above, East has a monstrous two-suiter
- in hearts and diamonds, perhaps 6-6. He also has a fair hand, since
- he would have to pass (or perhaps run to one of the red suits) with
- a bad hand. West can make a jump preference with the right cards:
- S-9432 H-AQ3 D-K C-QJ1097. Of course the 3C bid is a normal weak
- raise if the double is of the negative variety.
-
- At higher levels it is entirely possible to make a natural bid in
- partner's suit, even when it has been doubled:
-
- South West North East
- 1C 4D Dbl 5D
-
- Even if the double is for business, East may have a logical 5D bid.
- He figures that South is going to bid a major and wants to preempt
- with 5D. He might have: S-542 H-873 D-Q1084 C-A65. There is no way
- that partner will buy the hand for 4D doubled, and 5D must be a
- good save.
-
-
- Telling Cue Bids
-
- When the opponents have shown two suits naturally, and both
- partners have previously bid or made a business (not a takeout)
- double, a cue bid in one of the opposing suits shows a stopper in
- that suit. It suggests that partner bid notrump if she has the
- other suit stopped:
-
- South West North East
- 1C 1S 2D 2H
- 2S
-
- South has spades stopped and values for 2NT, but lacks enough in
- diamonds for a 2NT bid. North can now bid 2NT with diamonds
- stopped, regardless of his spade holding. With a good hand, he
- should bid 3NT, because South will pass 2NT with a minimum hand.
-
- South West North East
- 1C 1D 2C 2H - transfer to spades
- 2S/3D - telling cue bid, showing a stopper
-
- This principle is applied differently in takeout double situations.
- See chapter CUE BIDS IN TAKEOUT DOUBLE SITUATIONS. It does not
- apply when the cue bidder has not previously acted:
-
- South West North East
- 1C 1D 1H 2H - strong diamond raise
- 2C - natural
- 3D - weak diamond raise
-
-
- Non-Forcing Cue Bids
-
- When an opponent has made an artificial bid, a bid in that suit is
- natural, not forcing, in the absence of some conventional under-
- standing.
-
- A delayed cue bid, i.e., a bid in an enemy suit after that suit has
- been passed, is in general a non-forcing natural bid:
-
- South West North East
- 1H Pass 1NT Pass
- Pass 2H - natural, not forcing
-
- South West North East
- 1D Pass 1H Pass
- 2H 3D - natural, not forcing
-
- In a minor suit, however, after a 1NT response:
-
- South West North East
- 1C Pass 1NT Pass
- Pass 2C - takeout for the majors
-
- South West North East
- 1D Pass 1NT 2D - takeout for majors
-
- The opponents will usually have at least six cards in the minor
- between them, so the cue bid is more useful as a major suit takeout
- than as a natural bid. In the first auction, West has a hand that
- is not suitable for a (business) double of 1NT: S-Q1043 H-K10875
- D-A C-873. As always, East will prefer the lower ranking suit
- (hearts) with equal length. See REOPENING CUE BID OVERCALLS.
-
- A bid in opener's suit is not forcing when RHO has made a new suit
- response:
-
- South West North East
- 1C Pass 1H 2C - natural
- 2H - spades/diamonds
- Dbl - spades/diamonds
- 2NT - natural
-
- The 2H bid shows at least 5-5 in spades/diamonds, while the takeout
- double implies only four spades. The 2NT bid is no doubt based on
- a solid diamond suit plus stoppers.
-
- When partner has overcalled and RHO bids a new suit or notrump, a
- bid of opener's suit is natural:
-
- South West North East
- 1H 1S 1NT/2C 2H - natural
-
- The following is a forcing cue bid, not a natural bid:
-
- South West North East
- 1S Pass Pass 2C
- Pass 2S - cue bid, forcing
-
- The partnership has not been "previously silent," so this is a cue
- bid. See chapter COMPETITIVE CUE BIDS.
-