Advance Cue Bids


An Advance Cue Bid is any jump in the auction where a bid of the suit with no jump (or a lesser jump) would be forcing; It agrees the last named suit as trumps and shows at least 4-card support and specifically First Round Control in that suit i.e. the Ace or a Void.
For example, a 4 ♣ response to a 1 opening establishes Hearts as trumps and indicates the Ace or a void in Clubs.
Advance Cue bids set the Trumps and suggest immediately slam potential, better than 7 losers, and often give more than one piece of information in one bid below game level

For example North 1 South 4 ♣ meaning I have a 6 losers or better ( obviously there are some hands that might be only 7 losers but having 17 or 18 points where you would vary the criteria) with at least 4 Hearts and first round control in Clubs but not in Spades ( you would have bid 3 ♠ otherwise)
This leaves direct bids to game to show exactly 7 losers and 12-16 points

With a minimum hand Opener simply bids game. They shouldn’t Cue bid even if it is below Game unless they are interested in a slam.
Responder, if better (e.g. 5 loser 17 count ) can still bid Blackwood if they want to or make further Cue bids suggesting a better than 6 loser hand

As with Splinters, Advance Cues can come anywhere in the auction, the criteria being that the Double jump was unnecessary.

North 1 - South 1 ♠
North 3 /4 ♣/ and even 4 would all be Cue bids agreeing responders Spade suit and showing an Opening hand good enough to go to game opposite a mere 6 count.
Something like ♠ KQxx, KQx, AKxxx ♣ x,

North 1 South 1 ♠
North 2 South 4 ♣
If South had Clubs or wanted to try for 3NT 3 ♣ would be forcing so the only meaning for the 4 ♣ bid would be agreeing Hearts and showing first round control in Clubs and a hand good enough for game. Opposite North’s reverse bid showing 16 + points South might have something like ♠ KQxxx , Qxxx, xx, ♣ Ax , enough for game and if North is any better possibly a slam Many players prefer Splinter bids which are basically the same as the above except the bid shows a singleton or void and there are wider implications.
It is really a matter of deciding which type of hands come up most often, which bids you feel are more helpful and which you can remember best. You Decide!

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