Archives of all back
issues of all daily
columns are available
with Bridgetoday.com
membership (which
also includes 12
issues of Bridge
Today Magazine,
100 archive issues
of Bridge Today
Digest Online, and
one Bridge Today
University course).

Click here for
further details

East should cuebid 4 over 3, even though
he holds two small hearts. This cuebid says
nothing about hearts! It simply says, Partner,
I have a good raise to game in spades. If East
has a slightly weaker hand, for example, with
one less queen, he would jump to 4 over 3.
The difference is that 4 shows more values,
and it also sets up a FORCE.

This FORCE means that if the next hand
(South) bids 5, opener may pass with a
strong hand, knowing that the auction can't
die in 5 undoubled. For example, if East
jumps to 4 over 3, and South bids 5,
West cannot afford to pass - it's not forcing.
He probably should double with his three quick
tricks on defense. But if East bids 4 over 3,
West can pass a 5 bid to invite partner to
5 or (in some people's methods) suggest a
slam.

More About Forcing Auctions

Some play that over 5, West passes and pulls
his partner's double to suggest a slam. Others
play that West bids 5 over 5 to suggest a
slam. Still others play that West's pass forces
a double from East, and that double by West
asks partner to bid! (See more about this in
a future conventions column. You're probably
still rereading that last line!)