October was great here in New York. The weather has finally turned to fall, which I love. I saw a lot of great shows in October, including a great concert last night at Carnegie Hall. I’ve got lots of culture lined up for the first three weeks of November; then I’m off to San Francisco for the Nationals. I fly out on Thanksgiving day and am playing the whole tournament with Greg. A group of friends is going to Napa afterwards for a few days. I’m really looking forward to it!
I’m doing a supervised play game on Shark Bridge Wednesday, November 12, at 3:00pm ET. The topic is playing notrump contracts. (Which I know a little something about—I wrote the book on it!) It will be run as a duplicate game that awards ACBL masterpoints. We’ll stop after each round and go over the boards. Should be lots of fun!
If you’re looking for something fun to do between Christmas and New Year’s, New York is holding a regional at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square! I convinced them to pre-duplicate all the boards in the team games, so we’ll have hand records. At least my crusade is working in my own district (where I happen to be the president).
My Monday "Expert Thought Process" and Thursday "Thinking Through Declarer Play" classes are on their regular schedule for October. You can get information about both classes here: https://learnbridgeonline.com/adam-parrish/
Upcoming topics in my Monday Class:
November 3 Transfer Lebensohl November 10 Declarer Play November 17 Defense November 24 Preempts
This month’s questions are all about a confusing subject: Cuebids!
What is the meaning of a cuebid when the opponents have bid two suits?
Hi, Adam,
A friend gave me a bidding question from a recent club game. The opponents were playing Standard American and the bidding started:
(1♣) - P - (1♦) - 2♦
The question is the nature of the 2♦ bid. Is 2♦ a natural bid showing a diamond suit? Is it a Michaels cue bid showing hearts + spades? If it is a Michaels Cuebid, how does it differ from a double?
Thanks for your advice.
2♦ is natural. With the majors, you can double or bid 2NT. Double would be more strength and less shape (often 4-4 with an opening hand), and 2NT would be weaker and shapelier (at least 5-5). If you were a passed hand, you’d also have 1NT available, which would be somewhere in between (often 5-4).
The general rule is that Michaels only applies when they have bid only 1 suit.
(1♠) - P - (1NT) - 2♠
(1♠) - P - (2♠) - 3♠.
When they have bid two suits, everything is natural.
This is not 100% standard; some play one or the other of the cuebids as Michaels (usually opener’s suit). But the most common (and best, IMO!) treatment is natural.
Adam
Here’s another question about cuebids.
Dear Adam,
My partner and I seem not to be on the same page regarding cuebids of the opponent’s suits. Here’s an example:
(P) - P - (P) - 1♠;
(2♣) - 3♣
I thought that East’s 3♣ bid showed a limit raise in support of spades. East thought his 3♣ bid was asking to see if I had a club stopper. East did not have spade support and our spade contract was doomed.
Is this something that is “partnership agreement” or is there a standard meaning to this cuebid?
Generally, if it’s your first bid of the auction and partner has shown a suit (as in the example auction you gave), it’s a support cuebid—a fit and invitational+ strength. Again, very important, it has to be your first bid of the auction (other than pass).
The times the cuebid means something else—often “bid NT with a stopper in their suit”—are generally later in the auction. An example would be 1♠ - (2♣) - 2♥ (P); 2♠ - (P) - 3♣.
In your example, it’s hard to imagine a passed hand wanting to force to game opposite a 4th seat opener. But if their aim is 3NT, they need to make a forcing bid at this point—2♦, 2♥, or double.
Adam
A similar question; this one was inspired by one of my books.
Dear Adam,
Below is from your Preempts and Overcalls book about a cuebid rebid made by the overcaller.
Here is the auction.
(1♣) - 1♥ - (P) - 1♠ ;
(P) - ?
Your hand is:
♠ Q5 ♥ AKJ63 ♦ AJ3 ♣ 832
What do you bid?
Cuebid 2♣, showing a good hand with no other reasonable bid.
Source: Adam Parrish Preempts and Overcalls, page 200. Note: Adam plays advancing an overcall as a forcing bid and not non-forcing constructive.
I think myself and some of my partners are getting this bid confused with a cuebid by responder (or by advancer) that shows 3-card support and is 10+ points.
If the overcaller rebids and makes a cuebid (at the 2-level as in the above auction—assume 3-level is a Western Cuebid), it shows a good hand and is a forcing bid. It does not show 3-card support for partner’s suit.
If the opener rebids and makes a cuebid as in this auction:
1♣ - (1♥) - 1♠ - (P);
2♥
it also shows a good hand (16+ total points) and is forcing, but does not show 3-card support for partner’s suit (but opener could possibly have 3-card support and not want to make a jump raise).
The support-showing cuebid can only be made as your first bid (other than pass). Once you have already shown values—via an opening bid, overcall, or takeout double—you don’t need to cuebid to show a good hand with support—you just support, jumping as necessary to show your extras.
A 3♣ jump cuebid in the first auction would be a splinter in support of spades.
In your second auction, you are correct, the cuebid doesn’t show spade support—in fact it denies spade support! It just shows a good hand, usually with no heart stopper. (This will usually be the balanced 18-19 hand.) With 3 spades, you would raise spades, either 2♠, 3♠, or 4♠ (or splinter) depending on your strength.
Adam
That's all for now. I encourage you to send me questions about my column or anything else at adam@adamparrishbridge.com. Maybe they'll end up in the next newsletter!