Bidding the opponent's suit
     
 
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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.

 
     
   
 

The Western Cue Bid

 
 
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
     
 
   
 

The Directional Asking Bid (DAB)

 
 
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
     
 
     
 

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.

 
     
 

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: -

 
     
   
 

Sound raise after partner’s opening has been overcalled

 
 
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
     
 
   
 

Alternative use of cue bidding RHO’s suit

 
 
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
     
 
   
 

The Unassuming Cue bid (USB)

 
 
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).

   
 
     
   
 

The Jump Unassuming Cue bid

 
 
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
     
 
 

The Unassuming Cue Bid and the Jump Unassuming Cue Bid are described further in a separate page.

 
     
     
   
 

A splinter

 
 
KJ95

Partner opens 1 and RHO overcalls 2.

5 Clearly a 4 bid is a splinter.
KQ73

 

A973
     
 
     
   
 

Michaels cue bid / Ghestem / Questem

 
 
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  
     
 
   
 

The Jump Cue bid Overcall

 
 
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  
AKQJ10876
     
 
   
 

Natural?

 
 
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  
     
 
   
 

Stayman after partner’s 1NT opening or overcall is overcalled

 
 
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
     
 
     
   
 

More Advanced Stuff

 
 

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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