Saturday, September 07, 2002 1:06 AM

Q Bids below 3NT

 

PITBULLS:

 

          3NT is an important goal in Bridge . We even define Q bids by whether they are below 3NT or not . Q bids at the 4 level and above are “pure” Q bids which show a control. Q bids below 3NT can be just stoppers and “groping for 3NT”  . They can be asking Q bids or telling Q bids.

 

ex  1♣                 2♣

     2♥                                      Q bid ?  Not necessarily . This could just be

 

showing a stopper or a 4 card heart suit for 3NT purposes . If the bidding subsequently “takes off” then it was a Q bid but assume it was a NT try initially ..

 

      Inverted minors need Q bidding understandings . Try this sequence 1♦-P-2♦-P

                                                                                                                   3♦-P-3♥

 

          3♥ should be a NT grope ( telling) and partner will bid 3NT with a club stopper but not spades. Partner is expected to pull to 4♦ without spades stopped.  A 3♠ grope should show spades ,  denying one or both of the other suits for NT purposes. Partner will only bid 3NT with both stopped and 4♦ with only one or none.

 

If the opponents are in the auction then a Q bid of their suit is a groping for 3NT . This is called the Western Q bid The Western Cuebid is used in a contested auction to ask partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in the opponents' suit, for the purpose of playing that contract. Without a stopper, partner can make a nonforcing, natural suit bid. Western cues are usually used when an opening bidder and his partner are both bidding different suits in a contested auction but cannot locate a playable suit game contract. There is usually an implied minor fit somewhere but it is not a requirement . Examples of Western cue-bids when the opponents have overcalled a suit the PITBULLS are already quite familiar: . However when the opponents have bid 2 suits then this is the understanding :

 

                 1♥ 3♣

 1♦                         1♠   3♥ !

 2♦                 2♣

 

 

Showing a heart stopper and asking partner to bid 3NT with a club stopper. When looking for 3NT after the opponents have bid two suits, a cue-bid of either one shows, rather than asks for, a stopper in that suit.

 

  There are also delicate bidding auctions where partner is in effect making an asking  Q  bid with no opponents in the auction !. The inference is that partner would have bid 3NT herself with a stopper in that suit

 

Example

 

    1♦           1♠

    2♣           3♦

    3♥!                                I have limited my hand with 3♦ invitational and partner

has limited his hand by a 2♣ rebid . If partner has heart values he would bid 3NT himself so 3♥               asks partner to bid 3NT with a heart stopper !!

 

      1♣              1♥

      2♣              2♦             It is silly to show a spade stopper as the wrong side

      2♠                                is playing the NT . This is steering the NT to partners

hand if there is a spade  stopper  and  showing a   

healthy 2♣ rebid .  This is a stronger auction than

bidding 3♣ again without a spade stopper .  A 3 club

bid would just say “ get out of my face “ .                       

 

      1♥                1NT

      2♥                3♣           Diamond values heading towards 3NT . Bid 3NT

      3♦                                if you have spades . A rubber player would not bid 

                                          this way instead leaping to 3NT . Opening leader  would have to

 guess between spades & diamonds .                                                            

 

 

                                        

      1♦                1♥

      2♣                3♣      Both sides have limited their hands . 3♠ asks partner to bid 3NT with a spade stopper . 

      3♠               3NT        3 suits bids so 4th asks for a   stopper !!

 

           

Shows a good hand for previous bidding without a stopper in spades .

 

 

There is a generalization that differentiates between an asking & telling Q bid . This is based on the number of suits already bid . The following is from the net :

 

Telling and Asking Cuebids

 

Cuebids below 3NT are usually attempts to reach 3NT. When two suits have been bid, the cuebid of the third suit is a Telling Cuebid, looking for a stopper in the fourth suit. When three suits have been bid, the cuebid of the fourth suit is an Asking Cuebid, asking for a stopper in that suit.

 

Opener  Responder

1 ♠     2 ♦

3 ♦     3 ♥ =3♦ telling cuebid

 

1 ♠     2 ♥

3 ♣     3 ♦ =3♦ asking cuebid

 

 

In Q biding auctions if the opponents double one of your bids , the redouble is a Q bid showing 2ND or 1st  control of the suit . I think this should be true in auctions above 3NT but when we are groping or making a Western Q , the redouble can have a different meaning .  Maurice plays the redouble as a partial stopper Qx or Jxx  or 10xxx . May as well use it for something as a NT bid shows the stopper .