Lesson by Mike Savage

 

       NORTH                                                                                               

                                           S: Q J 7 6 2                                     

                                            H: K 7 5

                                           D:  7 4                                                      

                                           C:  Q 8 7                                                  

 

                     WEST                                 EAST                          

                    S:  K 10 9 8                          S: 4                                 

                    H:  J 4                                   H: A Q 10 9 8 6              

                    D:  J 8                                   D: 6 3      

                    C:  J 10 4 2                           C: K 9 5 3           

 

                                                SOUTH                                            

                                                 S: A 5                                                 

                                                H: 3 2                         

                                                D: A K Q 10 9 8 6

                                                C: A 6

 

Dealer: EAST  Vulnerability: BOTH

 

The Bidding:  N      E      S      W

 

                             2H     ?  

                               

     In today’s hand, East will open a weak two-heart bid and South has a difficult decision on what to bid. He has 17 HCP, an excellent seven-card diamond suit and two aces, adding up to nine probable winners in winners in his own hand. His apparent choices are: a straightforward bid of 3D, a huge underbid; a jump to 4D, a seemingly more accurate description of his hand; or a take-out double – he surely has the values for this bid but partner will presume he has at least three, if not four spades (the other major).

     Well there is an answer, my friends. Most experienced players use a convention called Western cue-bids. This convention is normally used in competitive auctions when the opponents have bid and you would like to play 3NT if partner has a stopper in that suit. A couple of examples follow: #1. 1D (you) 1S (overcall) and partner makes an invitational raise in diamonds (your suit). Over this sequence, 3S by opener is a Western cue-bid, asking responder (your partner) to bid 3NT with a stopper in the opponent’s suit. #2. 1H (by the opponents) 2C (by you) pass  3C (by your partner). Again, over this sequence, a 3H cue-bid by you is a Western cue-bid, asking your partner to bid 3NT with a heart stopper. In these two examples, if you don’t have a stopper, you can just return to partner’s suit at the four-level or even jump to game with a very good hand, as your partner has shown extra values.

     Many experienced partnerships use this convention over Weak 2-bids also. If the opponents have opened a Weak 2-bid and you have a long, solid minor, usually with both unbid suits stopped and eight or nine tricks in your hand, then cue bid the opponent’s suit asking, as before, for partner to bid 3NT with that suit stopped, even without any other points!

     So on this hand, the auction would be short and very sweet: 2H 3H p 3NT. Nine tricks are assured but if East gets clever and leads a spade, take the ace, along with your good result!