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One thoughtful bid can transform an auction, as demonstrated by our featured player today. Would your partnership have reached the optimum contract?
Bidding
Dealer: East
N/S Game
When West overcalled 2H — on a pretty thin hand — North’s only option in their system was to bid 3H. This indicated a raise to at least 3S, with 4-card spade support, and no upper limit on values. Where this auction was replicated to this point, most South players bid 4S and North, with no controls in hearts, passed.
At this table, South opted instead to cue-bid 4H, indicating a raise to at least 4S, with A♥. Now, North found it irresistible to try Roman Key-Card Blackwood, and finding that they were missing either K♠ or A♣, felt it reasonable to hope that West, as the 2-level overcaller, was more likely to hold the key card than East. With A♣ correctly placed, the contract made easily, and scored N/S a top.
Notice that South’s cue-bid remained below game level. If North had held an undistinguished 10-12pts, he could easily have returned to 4S. Cue-bids made below game level — when partner has an as yet unlimited hand — indicate some extra values but, more importantly say: if you were considering bidding on, I am showing you control in this suit — do not worry about it.
Read the full article here