Test your knowledge
Cue bidding for controls
- Question 1
(of 7 on this page)
You are West. You have this 25-HCP 1-loser hand
A K Q J 9 4
K Q J
A K Q 10
Here's how the bidding goes. What should West's next bid be?W N E S 2 pass 2 pass 2 pass 3 pass ? 1. 3NT
2. 4 clubs
3. 4 diamonds
4. 4 Hearts
5. 4 Spades
6. 4NT
7. 6 Spades
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- Answer 1
(of 7 on this page)
You are West. You have this 25-HCP 1-loser hand
A K Q J 9 4
K Q J
A K Q 10
Here's how the bidding goes. What should West's next bid be?W N E S 2 pass 2 pass 2 pass 3 pass ?
You plan to play in no less than a small slam, & want to know if Grand Slam is possible, for which partner must have the Ace. If you were to bid 4NT, asking "How many key cards?" and partner replies "one", you will have no idea if it's the necessary Ace, or the useless Ace. By cue-bidding 4 you show slam interest and that you have the A.
To go for the Grand Slam, the only reply you want from partner is 4. All other bids are either offering the wrong Ace or no Ace at all.
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- Question 2
(of 7 on this page)
You are West. You have this 11-HCP 6-loser hand
A K 8 7 6 5 3
K J 10
8 4
3
Here's how the bidding goes. What should West's next bid be?W N E S 1 pass 1 pass 3 pass ? 1. 3NT
2. 4 clubs
3. 4 diamonds
4. 4 Hearts
5. 4 Spades
6. 4NT
7. 6 Spades
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- Answer 2
(of 7 on this page)
You are West. You have this 11-HCP 6-loser hand
A K 8 7 6 5 3
K J 10
8 4
3
Here's how the bidding goes. What should West's next bid be?W N E S 1 pass 1 pass 3 pass ?
If you bid 4NT and partner reveals two Aces, which is quite likely, you won't know if the opponents have two top diamonds to cash, since your partner's Aces could be A and A.
Before bidding 4NT, it's better to bid 4 clubs, giving your partner a chance to bid 4 diamonds if he has the Ace, or even the King....
The rule that some advanced people use about showing first AND second round controls equally applies only below 4NT. At first, 4 diamonds from your partner will not reveal whether the control is a King or an Ace. But since these bids were below the 4NT level, you can still bid 4NT to ask for the number of Aces.
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- Question 3
(of 7 on this page)
What conditions must apply for cue-bidding to start?
1. you and partner: 25 combined HCP
2. you and partner: 30 combined HCP
3. No Trump contract agreed
4. Trump suit agreed
5. Game has been reached or forced
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- Answer 3
(of 7 on this page)
What conditions must apply for cue-bidding to start?
( 4 ). Trump suit agreed
Oh, and game has been reached or forced.
By the way, you cannot use cue-bidding if you are going to play in No Trumps.
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- Question 4
(of 7 on this page)
What does it mean during cue-bidding if your partner bids Trumps at the next available level?
1. partner has 1st level control in Trumps (the Ace)
2. partner has 2nd level control in Trumps (the King)
3. partner has 1st or 2nd level control in Trumps (the Ace or the King)
4. please stop bidding
5. please stop bidding unless you have something important not yet revealed
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- Answer 4
(of 7 on this page)
What does it mean during cue-bidding if your partner bids Trumps at the next available level?
( 5 ). please stop bidding unless you have something important not yet revealed
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- Question 5
(of 7 on this page)
What does it mean during cue-bidding if your partner bids No Trumps at the 4 level?
1. partner has 1st level control in Trumps (the Ace)
2. How many key cards do you have?
3. Please tell me about your 2nd level controls
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- Answer 5
(of 7 on this page)
What does it mean during cue-bidding if your partner bids No Trumps at the 4 level?
( 2 ). How many key cards do you have?
Either of you can go back to Blackwood during cue-bidding.
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- Question 6
(of 7 on this page)
Do you show your Ace or King in a cue bid?
1. Yes
2. No
3. One of them
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- Answer 6
(of 7 on this page)
Do you show your Ace or King in a cue bid?
( 2 ). No
A 1st round control is not just an Ace, it is EITHER an Ace OR a void.
The same logic applies to 2nd round controls (i.e Kings are not revealed: it could also be a singleton).
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- Question 7
(of 7 on this page)
You open 2 Clubs to show a very strong hand. (Some partnerships use 2 diamonds for this purpose, but not yours). You have this 21-HCP 2-loser hand
A K
A K Q J 10 6 2
A 5 3 2
Your partner responds with 2, which is a negative bid. What shoud your next bid be?1. pass
2. 2 Hearts
3. 3 Diamonds
4. 3 Hearts
5. 4 Hearts
6. 4 NT
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- Answer 7
(of 7 on this page)
You open 2 Clubs to show a very strong hand. (Some partnerships use 2 diamonds for this purpose, but not yours). You have this 21-HCP 2-loser hand
( 4 ). 3 Hearts
A K
A K Q J 10 6 2
A 5 3 2
Your partner responds with 2, which is a negative bid. What shoud your next bid be?
Your opening 2 bid is forcing to game, so you could preserve bidding space by re-bidding your longest suit at the 2 level, 2. In this case, a bid of 3 would be regarded as unusual, telling your partner that you are SURE that the right suit is hearts (even if he has a void), and asking him to show you where his high-card strength is located. If he bids 4, then (and only then) you know you can bid a 6 slam. Your partner would have replied with 4 if he had had no strength at all. Bids of any other suits from your partner would have been useless to you, and you would have selected 4 to end the bidding.
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