November 2014 - 46

Newer Players

Ask	Jerry
BY JERRY HELMS

Dear Jerry,
The other day as East I held:
♠A J 10 3 ♥Q 10 7 ♦K 9 6 5 4 ♣8.
The auction:
West

North

1♠

2♥

East
Pass
?

South
1♥

I wasn't sure what to do. If I jump
to 3♠, does that invite game and
show my values? Or is it a weak,
blocking bid? If I bid 3♥, is that a
Western Cue Bid, inviting notrump,
or does it show this type of hand?
What would I do with a near-opening bid with strength in both minors,
looking for notrump? Help!
A.F.
Hi,	A.F.,
Technically,	this	depends	on	your	
partnership	agreements,	but	let's	
consider the alternatives that a partnership	may	choose	to	define	their	
actions.	I	prefer	that	all	jump	raises	
in	competition	be	defined	as	weak/
preemptive.	The	requirements	for	this	
type	action	would	be	at	least	four-card	
support	and	less	than	the	values	for	
a	simple	raise.	This	somewhat	follows	the	idea	behind	The	Law	of	Total	
Tricks,	where	in	a	competitive	auction	
you	typically	want	to	compete	to	the	
level	equal	to	the	number	of	trumps	
held.
With	this	as	a	start,	there	is	a	need	to	
have	some	bid	that	shows	support	for	

46 Bridge Bulletin November 2014

 www.jerryhelms.com

partner's	suit	and	issues	a	game	invitation.	Having	passed	previously,	cuebidding	an	opponent's	suit	can	and	should	
be	used	to	show	exactly	this	type	hand.	
A	cuebid,	by	the	way,	is	a	bid	made	in	a	
suit	where	your	intent	cannot	possibly	
be	to	make	that	suit	trump.	In	this	scenario,	with	the	opponents	suggesting	
eight	or	more	hearts,	3♥	by	you	must	
be	(by	agreement)	fit	showing	and	
game	invitational.	
Revisiting	the	auction:

What	if	you	held	the	following:
♠9	3			♥10 7 ♦K	Q	6	5	4			♣A	J	8	2?

Clearly	you	have	the	values	to	compete,	but	in	a	standard	setting,	what	
should	you	bid?	Supporting	with	a	low	
doubleton	seems	wrong.	3♦ could
work	out	poorly	on	a	number	of	constructions.	Many	modern	players	play	
a	double	in	this	sequence	as	"responsive,"	showing	values	to	compete,	with	
at	least	four	cards	in	both	unbid	suits.	
With	this	agreement,	you	truly	have	
the	ability	to	make	a	call	that	actually	
West North
East
South
resembles	the	cards	held.
	 	
	
Pass	
1♥
What	are	the	requirements	to	make	a	
1♠
2♥	
Dbl?
responsive	double?	Any	time	the	opponents	bid	and	raise	the	same	suit,	sandWhen	choosing	among	the	variwiching	either	an	overcall	or	a	double	
ous	meanings	that	are	possible	for	
by	partner,	your	double	guarantees	two	
any	given	action,	there	are	two	major	
places	to	play	with	appropriate	values	
considerations:	frequency	of	occurrence	and	the	probability	of	gain	or	loss	 (and	usually	tolerance	for	overcaller's	
suit). This is a very good partnership
attributable	to	your	decision.	
option.
Without	any	prior	agreement,	this	
You	mentioned	something	called	the	
double	could	easily	be	construed	as	
Western	Cue	Bid,	I	do	not	play	any	geopenalty.	But	how	often,	when	the	opgraphical	cuebids:	western,	northern,	
ponents	bid	and	raise	a	suit	and	your	
partner	makes	a	simple	overcall	(which	 southern or eastern. Depending on the
auction,	a	cuebid	of	the	opponents'	suit	
could	be	on	as	few	as	9	or	10	points),	
by	agreement	can	mean	a	lot	of	differwill	you	hold	the	appropriate	hand	to	
ent	things.	Most	of	them	can	be	lumped	
suggest	penalizing	the	opponents	in	
into	one	broad	category	called	DSI	-	Do	
an	eight-trick	contract?	It	is	true,	you	
Something	Intelligent!	
◾
might	hold	that	perfect	hand	once	in	
every	eight	or	nine	years.	Granted,	on	
that	one	time,	you	might	lose	a	lucraSend your questions to
tive	penalty,	but	there	may	be	a	hand	
askjerry@jerryhelms.com
type	that	gains	-	and	does	so	more	
frequently	-	with	a	different	definition.
http://www.jerryhelms.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2014
