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I was asked by a reader to explain the Western Cue Bid, I replied by first pointing out the rather terse explanation in the Abbreviations and terminology section. I expanded on this in the reply by saying that it's usually the opening side etc… but then I realised that there are many, many exceptions when a cue bid of the opponent's suit is not asking for a stop. Hence this article. |
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The Western Cue Bid |
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| ♠ |
KJ98 |
You hold this hand and partner opens 1♦.
You are all set to respond 1♠ but RHO overcalls 1♥ . No problem, you simply negative double instead to show 4 ♠'s. Partner bids 2♣, what now? Slam is remote but game is likely. If partner has a ♥ stop the best bet is probably 3NT. If partner has no ♥ stop then 5♣ may well be making. So you ask partner if he has a ♥ stop by bidding 2♥. |
| ♥ |
65 |
| ♦ |
K76 |
| ♣ |
AQJ7 |
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The Directional Asking Bid (DAB) |
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| ♠ |
KJ98 |
This is virtually the same and the bidding is the same as above. But here you have a ½ stop in ♥'s and as little as a ♥Jxx, or singleton ♥K will be enough. If you play DAB's then you bid 2♥ - asking for a ½ stop or better. |
| ♥ |
Q5 |
| ♦ |
K76 |
| ♣ |
AQ73 |
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Obviously you can't have it both ways – you either play Western Cues or DABs. Western cues are more popular in America whereas DABs are quite popular in Europe . I don't really mind which I play. I slightly prefer DABs as 1 stop is often not enough and if partner has 1½ - 2 stops he may well bid NoTrumps himself – so show him that you have a little something by playing DABs, but it's up to you. |
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Now Western cue Bids or DABs usually occur when you are the opening side, but there are ½ a dozen or so popular uses of the cue bid of the opponents suit in different scenarios: - |
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Sound raise after partner’s opening has been overcalled |
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| ♠ |
K1052 |
Partner opens 1♠ and you would normally raise to 3♠ . But RHO overcalls 2♥, what now? Now this is up to partnership agreement, but many experienced players play that a direct raise now to 3♠ is pre-emptive and that a sound raise to three of partner's major suit opening is shown by a cue bid of 3♥. |
| ♥ |
65 |
| ♦ |
K73 |
| ♣ |
A973 |
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Alternative use of cue bidding RHO’s suit |
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| ♠ |
KQ3 |
Partner opens 1♦ and you would probably bid 3NT with no interference. But suppose RHO overcalls 1♥. 3NT is likely to go down unless partner can help in ♥'s, so it may be a good treatment to use the cue bid when partner has opened a minor as a DAB. Note that this would need to be agreed as otherwise the cue bid shows a sound raise to 3♦ as above. |
| ♥ |
A52 |
| ♦ |
K93 |
| ♣ |
Q973 |
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The Unassuming Cue bid (USB) |
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| ♠ |
KJ5 |
LHO opens 1♥ and partner overcalls 1♠, what do you bid? |
| ♥ |
65 |
Had partner opened you have the values for a raise to 3♠, but partner's one-level overcall may be as few as 7-8 points and 3♠ will then be too high. |
| ♦ |
K73 |
| ♣ |
A9753 |
The answer is to bid 2♥ , this cue bid of opener's suit shows a sound raise to the three level or better with three card trump support (see below for four card support). |
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The Jump Unassuming Cue bid |
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| ♠ |
KJ95 |
LHO opens 1♥ and partner overcalls 1♠, what do you bid? |
| ♥ |
65 |
This is virtually the same as the previous hand but now you have a 4th trump. |
| ♦ |
K73 |
You could bid a simple 2♥ (USB), but many players agree that a jump cue bid in this situation promises a sound raise to the three level or better with 4 trumps. |
| ♣ |
A973 |
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The Unassuming Cue Bid and the Jump Unassuming Cue Bid are described further in a separate page. |
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A splinter |
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| ♠ |
KJ95 |
Partner opens 1♠ and RHO overcalls 2♥. |
| ♥ |
5 |
Clearly a 4♥ bid is a splinter. |
| ♦ |
KQ73 |
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| ♣ |
A973 |
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Michaels cue bid / Ghestem / Questem |
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| ♠ |
KJ952 |
RHO opens 1♣ /♦. Playing Michaels cue bids or Questem, a cue bid of 2♣/♦ shows both majors. Playing Ghestem the cue bid shows ♠ 's and the other minor. |
| ♥ |
QJ542 |
| ♦ |
73 |
| ♣ |
3 |
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The Jump Cue bid Overcall |
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| ♠ |
KJ9 |
RHO opens 1♥, a 3♥ bid here promises a long solid minor with the two other suits stopped and asks partner to bid 3NT if he has a ♥ stop. |
| ♥ |
86 |
| ♦ |
A |
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| ♣ |
AKQJ10876 |
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Natural? |
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| ♠ |
KJ9 |
RHO opens 1♣. I guess that you could play 2♣ as natural, especially if the opponents are playing a short ♣. But you would have to agree this as the cue bid would generally be Michaels cue bid / Ghestem / Questem. |
| ♥ |
86 |
| ♦ |
A6 |
| ♣ |
AKJ876 |
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Stayman after partner’s 1NT opening or overcall is overcalled |
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| ♠ |
KJ9 |
Partner opens 1NT (15-17) and RHO overcalls 2♥. You no longer have 2♣ as Stayman and so the cue bid (3♥ here) is used as Stayman. |
| ♥ |
86 |
| ♦ |
A6 |
This treatment is expanded upon if you play the Lebensohl convention, where you can also show/deny a stop in the suit overcalled. |
| ♣ |
AKJ876 |
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More Advanced Stuff |
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This really is the tip of the iceberg! Examples: suppose partner opens 1♥ and RHO overcalls an Unusual 2NT showing both minors. What would a 3♣ or 3♦ bid by you mean? Or suppose partner opens 1NT and RHO bids 2♦ (Cappelletti, showing both majors), what would 2♥ or 2♠ mean? I'll write something on this and similar areas sometime soon. |
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Pattaya Bridge Club - |
www.pattayabridge.com |
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