[xbabarx]

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Playing TM on bbo i come up with this hand. i would like to have experts comments about what is 3♥ by p? asking for stopper or game force or what else? and what should be N next bid? thx

[manudude03]

Ostensibly asking for a stop, but if partner bids 3NT and it gets pulled, then it was a cue. Here, you should bid 4C.

[P_Marlowe]

It asks you to describe your hand further, a stopper
is certainly relevant for partner.
It should also promise some kind of fit in the given
seq.

Bid 4C, if partner bids 4D, pass.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[lycier]

Hello
Welcome to BBO forum.

Obviously 3♥ shows limited raise, ask you to describe your hand in further, it never be a western cuebid to ask a stopper, never force to game.

[apollo1201]

What do you do with

Axx
xxx
QJx
AQxx

You just need some kind of H stopper from partner to make 3NT (eg AK 6th D and HK, or AK 5th, HK and a side goodie or a successful finesse in C, presumably the 2nd suit of opener).

Although here you make 5D thanks to opener being maxmaxmax for his balance, not sure I'd manage to be in it after 3H-4C.

But in all cases it is not a limit raise, it is a try to the best D game ever: 3NT. Balancer can show a 4-cd suit in S or find some other descriptive bid if his H holding is not adequate.

[nige1]

xbabarx, on 2016-April-17, 06:21, said:

Playing TM on bbo i come up with this hand. i would like to have experts comments about what is 3♥ by p? asking for stopper or game force or what else? and what should be N next bid? thx

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A non-expert view: 3♥ = UCB, F1, asking for ♥ stop, often with ♦ fit.

Over 3♥, I rank

• 5♣ = NAT. You might protect with a king less.
• 4♣ = NAT.

[WesleyC]

My understanding of expert consensus is:

In a competitive situation where your side has bid a minor at the 3 level, a cue-bid in the opponents' suit is the only way to force without going past 3NT.

As a result the cuebid becomes just an artificial catch-all showing any constructive hand that wants to explore game, but can't make another (more descriptive) bid.

Advancer will usually have about (9)10+ HCP, although if they are on the minimum end of that range they should have sharp values and help in diamonds.

It is typically only forcing for 1 round.

On the example hand, I would respond 4C.

[xbabarx]

thx all for reply. now second part of hand and i would like to have comments on p hand and bid. thx

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[aguahombre]

xbabarx, on 2016-April-17, 23:23, said:

thx all for reply. now second part of hand and i would like to have comments on p hand and bid. thx

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I think, since opener didn't bid 4c it would be time to just place it in 6d. It seems that I should be glad he didn't bid 4c. Wasn't sure about the allure of just showing kjxx under Opener's second suit anyway, and agree with his 4d rebid showing pretty much the worst possible hand that he would balance with 3d.

If my partner had rebid 4c, she would be in a grand after showing the Spade king. With her actual 4d rebid I would just assume the spade king -- not asking too much that she had a working 10 count.

[Caitlynne]

3H is a general forcing bid. Partner has a good hand for the auction (invitational to minimum opening values) and no convenient bid. Therefore, tolerance if not genuine support for diamonds is implied. Since partner may be fishing for 3NT, you are generally expected to bid 3NT with a heart stopper. Otherwise, you make a natural bid.

4C. What else? You usually need a good 3 card holding, if not 4, to bid 3S. You might bid 3S with a 3 card suit just in case partner is sitting with something like AJxxx, xxx, Qxx, Ax. The fact that you did not balance with a double is mildly suggestive that you lack a 4 card spade holding, especially if you play equal level conversions in this situation.

By the way, you happen to have a good hand for the 3D balance. You easily could have had a King less.

[aguahombre]

I would not expect partner to have AJxxx xx Qxx Axx. But that is because, if we are going to make a forcing bid, we will bid an "approach-forcing" 3♠. Maybe it wouldn't be forcing for some of you after a mere balance; but a 3-level balance should be pretty good IMHO. The OP hand, with those clubs under the hand which has shown H & minor, is minimum and certainly should not cuebid the clubs.