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A Limit Raise or Better when Partner Overcalls |
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Let's start with the situation where partner opens the bidding (no intervention). You are West and partner opens 1♠. You clearly have a sound raise to 3♠ and so that's what you bid
(either directly or via a forcing NoTrump or whatever treatment you use to show a sound raise to the three level with 3 trumps)
opposite an opening hand. |
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| West |
East |
West |
North |
East |
South |
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pass |
1♠ |
pass |
| ♠ |
KJ3 |
♠ |
AQ642 |
3♠ |
pass |
4♠ |
all pass |
| ♥ |
KJ3 |
♥ |
AQ |
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| ♦ |
64 |
♦ |
752 |
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| ♣ |
QJ852 |
♣ |
AK6 |
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East has a good opener and 4 ♠ is an excellemt contract. West can afford to invite at the three level because he knows that partner has opening values, so 12+ point (or equivalent with distribution). |
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But it's different when partner has overcalled. You have this same West hand and the bidding goes: |
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| West |
East |
West |
North |
East |
South |
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- |
1♦ |
1♠ |
pass |
| ♠ |
KJ3 |
♠ |
AQ642 |
? |
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| ♥ |
KJ3 |
♥ |
Q8 |
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| ♦ |
64 |
♦ |
752 |
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| ♣ |
QJ852 |
♣ |
J106 |
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This time West has simply overcalled and does not promise an opening hand. In fact he could have anything from 7 to 16 points. With this actual East holding (a decent 1-level overcall) a 3♠ contract would be too high. |
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So if West cannot bid 3♠ then how does he show the values for a 3♠ raise should partner have a good overcall? The answer is The Unassuming Cue Bid. Playing this convention West cue bids the opener's suit to show a sound raise to 3♠ (or better). With this actual East hand East would simply bid 2♠ , and if he had the 15 pointer above he would bid 4♠. |
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So playing the Unassuming Cue Bid we can stop at the two level if partner has a minimal overcall. And playing this treatment has additional advantages in that direct raises of partner's overcall are pre-emptive. |
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Let's have a few examples, LHO has opened 1♦ and partner overcalls 1♠ : - |
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| Hand 1 |
Hand2 |
Hand3 |
Hand4 |
Hand5 |
Hand6 |
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| ♠ |
KJ7 |
♠ |
KJ7 |
♠ |
KJ73 |
♠ |
KJ763 |
♠ |
KQ76 |
♠ |
AK762 |
| ♥ |
KJ32 |
♥ |
643 |
♥ |
853 |
♥ |
3 |
♥ |
Q32 |
♥ |
2 |
| ♦ |
64 |
♦ |
64 |
♦ |
3 |
♦ |
532 |
♦ |
85 |
♦ |
82 |
| ♣ |
QJ52 |
♣ |
Q8532 |
♣ |
85432 |
♣ |
Q854 |
♣ |
AKQ7 |
♣ |
AQ732 |
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| Hand 1: |
Bid 2♦ showing a limit raise and pass if partner retreats into 2♠. |
| Hand 2: |
Bid 2♠ of course. |
| Hand 3 |
Bid 3♠. This is pre-emptive with normally 4 card support. |
| Hand 4: |
Bid 4♠. This is pre-emptive with normally 5 card support. |
| Hand 5: |
Bid 2♦, but see This is a sound raise to 4♠ even opposite a minimal overcall and we show the sound raise by cue bidding and then by bidding 4♠ if partner attempts to sign off. |
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| Hand 6: |
Here you have options. You can do the same as hand 5; or you can splinter with 3♥ if you play that as a splinter; or you can bid 3♣ if you play that as a fit-showing jump, or you can use the Jump Unassuming Cue Bid to show 4 trumps. |
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Note that the Unassuming Cue Bid still applies if RHO bids over partner's overcall. So after - |
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
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1♦ |
1♠ |
2♥ |
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a 2♠ bid by West would simply be competitive, 3♠ or 4♠ would be pre-emptive and 3♦ would show the limit raise or better. You would have to agree what 3♥ means, it's probably best to use it to show 4 card trump support. |
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The Jump Unassuming Cue Bid |
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| Hand 7 |
This hand is very similar to hand 1 and many would bid 2♦, an Unassuming Cue Bid, showing a sound raise to 3♠. |
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| ♠ |
KJ73 |
The 4 th trump, however, is very important – especially in a competitive situation (partner needs to know how many trumps you have). |
| ♥ |
KJ3 |
| ♦ |
64 |
So most experienced players now bid 3♦ – a jump unassuming cue bid – to show a sound raise to the three level or better with 4 trumps. But you need to agree this as otherwise partner may take it as a splinter. |
| ♣ |
Q985 |
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Note that the Jump Unassuming Cue Bid forces the partnership to the three level, but that is a sound prospect even if partner has a minimum as there is a total of nine trumps and the Law of Total tricks applies. |
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Pattaya Bridge Club - |
www.pattayabridge.com |
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