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- CUE BID RESPONSES TO OVERCALLS
-
-
- Most cue bid responses to overcalls are discussed in chapter
- COMPETITIVE CUE BIDS. Also see chapters RESPONDING TO SIMPLE
- OVERCALLS and NOTRUMP OVERCALLS in the book "Defensive Bidding."
-
-
- Jump Cue Bid Response to a Major Suit Overcall
-
- South West North East
- 1C 1S Pass 3C
-
- 1S 2H Pass 3S
-
- These single jumps in opener's suit are "mixed raises," showing
- good trump support for partner's suit and some defensive strength.
- East is too strong to simply raise directly to the three or four
- level, actions that tend to be based more on distribution than on
- high cards. The trump support should be at least four long; with
- fewer trumps a simple cue bid is preferable. The overcaller can
- count on some defense when deciding whether to double the op-
- ponents.
-
- In the first auction, West should assume that East has good values
- for a raise to 3S, with four-card support. If that is enough for
- game, he should bid it. If West just bids 3S, East may well pass.
-
- In the second auction, East definitely has enough for game, but
- wants to show good trumps and some outside high cards. West may
- even be able to bid a slam on the basis of this information. At
- least he will have a better idea of what to do if opener bids
- again.
-
-
- Jump Cue Bid in Response to a Minor Suit Overcall
-
- South West North East
- 1C 1D Pass 3C
-
- 1S 2C Pass 3S
-
- This cue bid response strongly urges the overcaller to bid 3NT if
- he has the opposing suit stopped. The cue bidder has a super fit
- in the minor suit plus quick tricks outside. The hand is so good
- that a simple cue bid, which may not have both fit and outside
- tricks, is not sufficient.
-
-
- When Both Opponents Bid
-
- If RHO comes in with a raise over an overcall, a cue bid serves to
- distinguish a strong jump raise from a weaker jump raise:
-
- South West North East
- 1H 1S 2H 3H
-
- This simple cue bid of a raised suit shows a strong raise of the
- overcall, as opposed to a more preemptive sort of raise. If West
- has extra values for the overcall, she can bid game. If South now
- bids 4H, West should not be too quick to bid 4S unless she thinks
- she can make it, because the cue bid shows good defensive potential
- in addition to trump support.
-
- If RHO comes in with a new suit, the strong raise is shown by a
- cue bid of responder's suit, while a bid of opener's suit is
- natural, showing the suit:
-
- South West North East
- 1C 1D 1H 2H - strong diamond raise
- 3D - weak diamond raise
- 2C - good club suit
-
- Remember that the "strong raise" cue bid applies only over a new
- suit bid or a raise, not over a pass or negative double. See
- chapter COMPETITIVE CUE BIDS.
-
- If RHO responds 1NT, advancer would double with a strong raise. A
- bid of opener's suit is natural:
-
- South West North East
- 1H 1S 1NT 2H - natural, long hearts
-
- East has long solid hearts and not much in high cards: S-42
- H-QJ108762 D-A54 C-6