Cue Bids in Bridge: Every Type Explained

A cue bid in bridge is an artificial bid that does not offer to play in the suit named. Most cue bids are bids of the opponents' suit, which show a strong hand, a good raise or a two-suiter; the other big family is the control cue bid, a bid of a new suit in a slam auction that shows an ace, king, void or singleton there.

Because you would almost never want to play in the opponents' suit, its bid is free for other jobs. Different auctions give it different jobs, and that is why cue bids confuse so many players. This page sorts them out, using the standard 2/1 Game Force meanings, which SAYC and most Acol players share.

There are two main types:

Bids in brackets are the opponents'. The first five are about the opponents' suit; the last one is about slam.

Partner overcalls and you have support. A simple raise shows about 6-9 points. A jump raise is preemptive in standard methods: four trumps and a weak hand. So how do you show a good raise?

You cue bid the opener's suit. After (1♦) 1♠ (P), a 2♦ bid by you shows three or more spades and 10+ points, a limit raise or better. Partner rebids 2♠ with a minimum overcall, and you pass or bid on. With a sound overcall, partner bids game or makes a game try.

This frees the jump raise for weak hands with four trumps, which helps you compete without misleading partner. It follows the Law of Total Tricks: the more trumps you have, the higher you can compete with fewer points.

With no fit but a good hand, the cue bid can also be a general force: "partner, I have values, tell me more." Most pairs keep it as a raise, and use a new suit or notrump for the other hands.

When partner makes a takeout double, you choose the strain. With a weak hand you bid the cheapest suit, with 9-11 you jump. With 12 or more points, you cue bid the opener's suit.

The cue bid says "we have game values, but I am not sure where." It is forcing, usually until a suit is agreed or game is reached. The doubler bids four-card suits up the line, and you place the contract.

A good hand for the cue bid: ♠KJ75 ♥84 ♦AQ63 ♣K92, 13 HCP. You want to play in spades if partner has four, otherwise perhaps 3NT or a diamond game. The cue bid lets partner show the spades first.

A Western cue bid asks partner for a stopper in the opponents' suit so you can play 3NT. It comes up after your side has found a minor-suit fit, when 3NT is likely the best game but one suit is unguarded.

Partner opens 1♦, East overcalls 1♠ and you bid 2♣. Partner raises to 3♣. You hold ♠75 ♥AQ4 ♦K5 ♣KQ10863: you have hearts and diamonds covered but no spade guard. Bid 3♠: "partner, do you have a spade stopper? If so, bid 3NT."

With a stopper, partner bids 3NT. With a half stopper (Qx or Jxx), partner may bid 3NT only if you are known to have help, or bids 4♣ to show none. Without one, partner returns to clubs and you decide between 5♣ and a partscore.

Some pairs use "directional asking" instead: the cue bid shows a stopper and asks for one in another suit. Agree on one meaning.

A cue bid made directly over the opening bid, (1♥) 2♥, used to show a huge hand. Today most players use it as Michaels: a five-five two-suiter. Over a minor it shows both majors; over a major it shows the other major and a minor.

Some pairs play other two-suited cue bids, such as top and bottom (the highest and lowest unbid suits). Over a 1♣ opening that can be short, a few pairs keep 2♣ as natural. Check the card before you assume.

A control cue bid is a bid of a new suit in a slam auction, after a trump suit has been agreed and game is forced. It says "I have control of this suit": in the most common modern style, first-round control (an ace or a void) or second-round control (a king or a singleton).

The rules most players use:

1. Cue bid the cheapest suit in which you have a control.
2. Skipping a suit denies a control in it.
3. A return to the trump suit at the four level is a sign-off: "I have nothing more to show."

Older style shows first-round controls (aces and voids) first and second-round controls later. Modern 2/1 players mostly use "Italian" cue bids, where first and second-round controls are shown together, cheapest first. Either way, cue bids help find out whether the opponents can take two fast tricks in one suit, which Blackwood cannot tell you.

After a takeout double. (1♦) X (P) 2♦: 12+ points, forcing. Doubler bids 2♥ with four hearts, and you place the contract.

After an overcall. (1♣) 1♥ (P) 2♣: limit raise or better in hearts. Overcaller with a minimum bids 2♥, and you pass with 10-11. With 13+, you bid 4♥ anyway.

Western cue. 1♣ (1♥) 2♦ (P) 3♦ (P) 3♥: asks for a heart stopper. Partner bids 3NT with one.

Control cue bids. 1♠ - 2NT (Jacoby, a game-forcing spade raise) - 3♠ - 4♣ - 4♦ - 4♥ - 4NT: after the spade fit is set, both partners show controls, and then opener uses Roman Key Card Blackwood.

When partner opens and the next player overcalls, a cue bid by responder is the cue raise: three or more card support and 10+ points, a limit raise or better.

After 1♥ (1♠), you hold ♠842 ♥KJ5 ♦AQ73 ♣1065. You have 10 HCP and three hearts: bid 2♠. A direct 3♥ would be a weak, preemptive raise in most modern methods, and 2♥ shows about 6-9.

Opener rebids 3♥ with a minimum and you decide. With extra values, opener bids game. When the overcall is in a lower suit, 1♥ (2♣), the cue raise is 3♣.

The cue raise frees the jump raise for weak hands with four trumps, the same idea as after an overcall. Many pairs also play the Jordan 2NT after a takeout double for the same purpose: 1♥ (X) 2NT is a limit raise with support. To check the cue raise in other methods, see what 2♠ means in every system after 1♥ (1♠).

The same idea, "the opponents' suit is free, so use it to force," turns up in many other places:

• Opener's cue bid. 1♣ (1♥) 1♠ (P) 2♥: opener has a strong hand, often with a spade fit or a good hand that needs to know more. It is forcing to game in most partnerships.
• After a negative double. 1♦ (1♠) X (P) 2♠: opener has a strong hand, usually 18+, and no clear bid. Responder describes the hand further.
• The overcaller's cue bid. (1♦) 1♥ (P) 1NT (P) 2♦: the overcaller has a very strong hand and asks advancer for more information.
• A cue bid at the four level after a preempt. (3♥) 4♥: a strong two-suiter, usually spades and a minor, like a Michaels bid one level higher.

When you meet a cue bid you have not discussed, ask yourself two questions: is partner showing a fit, and has partner promised extra strength? The answer to both is usually yes.

Control cue bids are most useful when they stop you from bidding a slam that has two quick losers. Here is a 2/1 auction where both partners have extras but nobody controls diamonds.

Partner's 3♥ agrees hearts and shows slam interest; in 2/1, a jump to 4♥ would be weaker. You cue bid 3♠ with the ♠A. Partner cue bids 4♣ with the ♣A. Now you need a diamond control to go on. You have none, so you sign off in 4♥. Partner has none either and passes.

Double dummy, 4♥ makes exactly ten tricks. In 6♥ the defense cashes two diamonds at once. If you had used Blackwood instead, you would have learned that only one ace was missing and bid a slam that has two fast diamond losers.

• Passing partner's cue bid. Cue bids of the opponents' suit are forcing for at least one round.
• Mixing up the meanings. The same 2♥ means different things in (1♥) 2♥, (1♥) X (P) 2♥ and (1♥) 1♠ (P) 2♥. Look at what partner has done before.
• Using a cue raise with four trumps and a weak hand. That is a jump raise.
• Cue bidding a suit you skipped. If you skip a suit, partner assumes you have no control there.
• Using Blackwood with two fast losers. Cue bid first when a side suit worries you.
• Treating a Western cue bid as natural. You do not want to play in the opponents' suit.

Cue bids show their worth in competitive and slam auctions, and they are easy to forget at the table. BridgeDummy's bidding puzzles include competitive auctions where a cue raise, a jump raise and a simple raise are all options, each checked double dummy over many deals that fit the auction.

To practice control cue bids in full slam auctions, play deals in the Bidding Room with EPBot robots in 2/1 Game Force, or ask a friend to join you as partner.

Related pages: slam bidding, Roman Key Card Blackwood, Michaels cue bid and overcalls.