[dickiegera]

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2♦ usually shows both majors and ask partner to pick

Can W now pass

or

does he needed to continue by bidding ?

If continue then I assume that to cue bid [2♦] here
one needs to have opening bid or very close.
Therefore doubler should have opener or close

Comments please

[P_Marlowe]

dickiegera, on 2022-February-16, 13:41, said:

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2♦ usually shows both majors and ask partner to pick

Can W now pass

or

does he needed to continue by bidding ?

If continue then I assume that to cue bid [2♦] here
one needs to have opening bid or very close.
Therefore doubler should have opener or close

Comments please

The cue showes something from 8/9 upwards, 2H showes min. values for the
T/O, i.e. with min values for the Cue, West can pass.
The T/O showes opening values, 8/9 means the points are 20/20, and you are
happy to play at the 2 level in a 4-4.

[mycroft]

In North America, the cuebid by default is strong - 10+ support points for the suit you intend to play in (if you're intending to try NT, usual rules apply). Jeff Goldsmith says "forcing to game or suit agreement". Unless you want to play it strictly as "both majors, you pick", you're probably playing it this way, and in that case, you must bid over 2♥; but if you bid 3♥, partner can pass with a minimum.

[apollo1201]

Where I live, we tend to jump to 2M holding 8-10 and 4 cards in the M over 1m X. Clearly with those values, 1M that can be bid on 0 is too low. And you should be in a 43 fit at least.

With 11+, you are almost committing to game, but you need to assess first if opener has a 4cM and which one. So the cue bid serves this purpose, and you can still stop at 3M after, eg:

2m (cue) 2H (I have H and maybe S)
2S (I have S « only » so am 11+ otherwise I’d have bid 2S directly over the X) 3S (I also have S but no extra strength)
pass (good 10/11/bad 12) or 4S (12+) or slam going move

The cue can also serve to look for a stopper and play NT if followed by a second cue, eg:

2m (cue) 2H (H maybe S)
3m (I have no H and no S so presumably looking for 3NT, unless I’m very strong of course)

Or 2m (cue) 2S (S, no H)
3m (let’s try NT then, maybe I had H but you don’t have them anyway)

That being said, the only hole in this is what to do with both M by 4-cd and 8-10. You can’t jump to 2M as you cannot be sure to pick the right one, but you need to convey your positive and constructive values.

So you have to cue, as well. Now, given all the hand types you can have, partner can’t jump with extras as the strain is not found yet and little space would remain below 3NT to find out where to play and how high.

So 2H should be forcing to at least 3, partner will pass with a min. As either you have both M and 8-10, or 11+ (with or without M) and are almost committing to game.

With 5-cd suits, you are sure of a fit so can bid directly your M (3 level at 8-10, 4 level with 11+).

You might object 12+8 in a 8-cd fit should not be sitting at 3M, but if partner has only 12, it is not a flat crappy 12 but some shape or Nice honor combinations, so it shouldn’t be a too shaky contract.

And it puts so much less stress in the auctions where game is to be bid that the price to pay for rarely going down in 3M is much less IMP on the long range.

At MPs you might be a bit more conservative but the principles should remain.