THE CUE BID

By Larry Matheny

 

History of the Cue Bid

In the early days of bridge the direct cue bid of an opponent’s opening bid was used as a strong takeout device.  This showed the equivalent of a Strong Two-Bid and was forcing to game.  Another early application was for a cue-bid in the middle of an auction to promise first round control.  However, since such opportunities occur so infrequently, these interpretations have been expanded considerably.  Here are the most common uses of cue bids in today’s bridge world. 

 

Shape and Strength Showing Cue-Bids

 

Michael’s Cue Bid

This popular direct cue bid of an enemy’s opening bid of one of a suit promises both major suits when cue bidding 2C or 2D, and the other major along with an unspecified minor when cue bidding 2H or 2S.  In the latter case a 2NT response asks the cue bidder to name the minor suit.  You can see this is a cousin to the Unusual NT bid.  Example:

 

            SAQJ105  HKJ1094   D53   C3

 

         OPP    YOU

                   1C         2C

 

 

Western Cue Bid

This is the use of a low-level cue bid in the enemy suit, after partner has bid, to ask for a stopper. 

 

SK5   HJ8   DA83   AK10943

 

                   PARD   OPP   YOU   OPP

                   1S        2H      3C        P

                   3D         P       3H

 

This requests partner to bid notrump if he can stop the enemy suit.  This is an extremely valuable tool that you need to have available.  This seems simple enough but at the risk of complicating it, if the opponents have bid two suits, the cue bid SHOWS a stopper.  Here is that example:

 

SAK1095   HKQ10   DJ3   CQJ9

 

                   PARD   OPP   YOU   OPP

                   1C        1H      1S      2D

                   3C         P        3H

 

 

Cue Bid Limit Raise

This is a way of indicating support for opener’s suit after an enemy suit overcall.  A cue bid of the enemy suit shows the equivalent of a Limit Raise (or better) in opener’s suit.  This allows Weak Jump Raises to be used.

 

    SQ95   HKQ62   DJ3   CA1093

 

     PARD   OPP    YOU   OPP

                1H         2D      3D    

                

This cue bid shows a limit+ raise of hearts.  Your partner will assume you have only a limit raise and if he shows a minimum hand by bidding only 3H, you will pass.  If opener has the values to bid game after an invitational raise, he will do so now.  

 

 

Natural Bid

This use of an overcall in the enemy suit is natural. 

 

   SQ95   HAKJ1092   D83   CA10

 

     OPP    PARD   OPP    YOU

               1D         P        1H       2H    

 

Your bid shows a good heart suit.  Doubling instead would be for takeout for the other two suits.  Make sure you discuss this one with your partner.         

 

 

Cue Bid Stayman

This is a way to use the Stayman convention after partner has made a 1NT overcall. A cue bid in the enemy suit asks partner to bid a four-card major suit.  It may also be used when partner's 1NT opening has been overcalled.

 

   SQ985   HA92   D83   CAQ108

 

     OPP    PARD   OPP    YOU

                1H      1NT        P        2H    

 

As is often the case, there are several methods that may be used here.  Some people play “system on” and use 2C for Stayman.  Obviously this is another one to review with your partner. 

 

 

 

 

 

Jump Cue Bid Mixed Raise

This is a method of responding to partner’s overcall that utilizes a jump cue bid in the enemy suit to show a Mixed Raise of partner’s suit.  A mixed raise shows around 7-9 support points along with four-card support and contains both constructive and pre-emptive values.  The fourth card in the trump suit is what makes this different from the simple raise.

 

 

   SA85   HAJ93   D83   C8754

 

     OPP    PARD   OPP    YOU

               1D       1H         P        3D

    

 

There are several other cue bidding conventions that are used but the ones I’ve described are the most common.  Now I want to take you to the world of cue bidding when investigating slams.

 

 

 

Cue Bidding Controls for Slams

 

Sometimes the auction to reach slam is as simple as 1NT-6NT.  However, other times when the bidding indicates you and your partner have the combined strength to reach a slam, you need to check on controls.  Your goal is to have at least second round control of each suit and not be off two cashing tricks.  The Blackwood convention is great for discovering how many aces your partner holds but it doesn’t tell you which aces.  Take a look at this hand:

 

South:   SAK10862  H83    DK10    CAKQ

 

          SOUTH         NORTH

              1S               2NT (forcing spade raise)

             4NT              5D

               ??

 

What should South bid?  You have discovered you’re not off two aces but which of these hands does North hold:

 

 A. SQJ75    HAK2   DQJ98   CJ10

 B. SQJ75    HQJ2   DAQJ     CJ102

 

With hand A, declarer is cold for slam but with hand B, the opponents can cash two heart tricks.  It’s clear that Blackwood wasn’t the solution to the problem.

 

 

 

 

First a definition:  The standard method of bidding slam controls is for a player to always show a first-round control (ace or void) first.  Only after one lap of the suits has been completed can a second-round control (king or singleton) be shown.

 

Over partner’s forcing raise, South should bid 4C.  This shows first round control and an interest in slam.  With hand A North will bid 4H showing the ace of hearts and denying the ace of diamonds.  South can then bid the small heart slam.  Holding hand B, North will bid 4D.  South can then jump to 5S asking North to bid the slam when holding a first or second round control in the unbid suit.  For this hand, this will result in a quick pass from North.

 

Here’s another example:

 

      SAJ1093    HKQ76    DK3    CQ9

 

      SK7       HAJ985   DQ109   CAKJ

 

                    NORTH        SOUTH

1S                   2H  (game forcing)

3H                4C

 4S                  5C

 5D                   6H

 

South responds 2H forcing to game in the 2/1 system and North sets the trump suit with his 3H raise.  Holding 18 high card points including the valuable king in opener’s first suit, South is anxious to reach slam.  But he knows it is possible to be off the top two diamond honors so he starts on a cue-bidding mission.  He cue bids his ace of clubs and is disappointed his partner does not show the ace of diamonds.  However, North does show slam interest by cue bidding past game so South next shows the king of clubs.  This gets a diamond cue bid showing the king (he already denied the ace) and South bids the slam. 

 

This method of cue bidding first round controls followed by second round has been used for many years.  However, it is only fair to also discuss the popular Italian style of cue bidding.  Another definition:  Italian Cue Bids are an approach to the bidding of slam controls that treats first and second round controls equally.  If a player fails to show a control (by bypassing a suit) that means that he has neither a first-round nor a second-round control in that suit. 

 

 

The advantage of Italian Cue Bids is that an uncontrolled suit is found very quickly and the bidding can stop at the four-level.  Just as importantly, if there is no suit uncontrolled, this is discovered prior to 4NT being passed.  Now Roman Keycard Blackwood can be used to check that there is not more than one key card missing.

 

Let’s take a look at this method:

 

SKJ9    HKQ7    D103    CAK987

 

SA108  HAJ985   D2   CQJ62

 

                    SOUTH         NORTH

1H                2C  (game forcing)

3C                3H  (sets trump suit)

3S                4C

4D                4NT

5H                6H

 

After North sets the trump suit with his 3H the cue bidding begins.  Notice that without the diamond cue bid, the auction would probably stop at game.  Also notice that with two small diamonds, North could not use Blackwood due to the fear of two losing cards in that suit.

 

 

I realize cue bidding can be difficult but the important thing is to understand what a powerful weapon it is.