The Valentines Bidding System

There are a number of points made in this cuebidding sequence. Notice that Opener is cuebidding somewhat reluctantly in response to a series of relays by Responder. The conversation is one-sided.

Note also that the Passive Partner is showing controls--Aces and Kings--indiscriminately. The 6C call shows how the cuebid of a Queen can be distinguished from those of Aces and Kings. This is not always possible. Suppose, instead of 6C, Opener had rebid 5H, having already cuebid Hearts once. Would this have promised AK? Hardly. The 5H re-cue could show KQ or AQ as easily as the AK.

Notice how no trump calls are used. A 3NT call directly over 3C would've shown slam interest with a control in the "denial" step (i.e. Diamonds, in this example). But 4NT showed a card in the "asking" step, since denial is no longer pertinent. One final point: the 3NT call by Responder was a relay. 3NT can only be a relay after a cuebid has been made. Compare this to:

	Opener AQxx KJx xxxx QJ	Opener Responder 1NT 2C 2D 2H 3D 3H 3S 3NT	Responder Kxx Axx AKJx Kxxx

Despite the 18 HCPs and known 4-4 Diamond fit, Responder gives up on slam when Opener bids 3S.

Another question arises: what if Passive Partner's last distribution-showing call is 3S or 3NT? How does the Forcing Partner proceed? The answer: 4-of-a-minor. But this raises another question: if 4C were to be used to invite a slam and Passive Partner is uninterested, rebidding 4D, how could Forcing Partner stop in 4H? After all, wouldn't 4H be a relay, compelling the Passive Partner to cuebid despite hir disinterest? All of these are good questions. And all of them have a simple answer: over 3S or 3NT a rebid of 4D invites a slam in Hearts while 4C invites a slam in any suit other than Hearts!

	Opener AQxx xxx KQxx AJ	Opener Responder 1NT 2C 3C 3D 3NT 4C 4S 4NT 5H 6D	Responder xx AQJx Axxx Kxx

Upon discovering that Opener has 16 HCPs and 4-3-4-2 distribution, Responder invites slam with 4C. Opener accepts with 4S, which pinpoints the missing Heart King. Undaunted, Responder continues with 4NT, which is always Blackwood immediately after a 4C slam try (and always Key Card Blackwood immediately after a 4D slam try).

	Opener AQxx xxx KQxx AJ	Opener Responder 1NT 2C 3C 3D 3NT 4D 4H 5C! 5D 6H	Responder xx AQJ10x Axx KQx

Responder's cuebid of 5C alerted Opener to the need for a Spade control. Holding a control in both pointed suits, Opener cues 5D. This is all Responder wanted to know.

The reader will notice that after the 4D slam try in Hearts the cuebidding is two-way. This is because both partners know which suit is trump.

There are a few more subtleties about the 4C slam try. We have seen how, over a positive response of 4S to 4C, Forcing Partner has little choice other than 4NT, Blackwood. Five-of-a- minor, for example, would be a sign-off, implying that Forcing Partner was not entirely happy with the 4S response to 4C. Forcing Partner does have one option to Blackwood: a Heart rebid asks partner to cuebid a minor suit control. Over this 5H force a rebid of 5S would deny a minor suit control, revealing strength concentrated in Spades; 5NT would show a Diamond control only; 6C would promise a Club control only. A 6D response to 5H brings the good news of controls in both minors.

	Opener KJ10x xxx AKJx Ax	Opener Responder 1NT 2C 3C 3D 3NT 4C 4S 5H 6D 7D	Responder Ax AK Qxxx KQxxx

Passive Partner is not bound to accept any sign-off before Blackwood. Passive Partner's view of his/her own hand changes once he/she learns which suit is trump. Extra trump strength or length and/or Ace-rich texture outside trumps and may change minds.

	Opener KQJx Ax Axx 109xx	Opener Responder 1NT 2C 2NT 3C 3D 3H 3S 4C 4D 4S 5D 6S	Responder Axxx x KJxxx AKx

Opener hears the 4S signoff, looks at S-KQJx and understands what Responder's problem might be. Opener decides to make one try with 5D, denying a control in Clubs while showing one if Diamonds.

There are very rare instances where Passive Partner's last distributional response is 4C. This generally happens when Responder to a strong 1C opening has 16+ HCPs too.

	Opener KQJx Axx Ax Qxxx	Opener Responder 1C 1H 1S 1NT 2C 2S 2NT 4C 4D 4H 4S Pass	Responder Axxx Kxx Kxx AJx

In the above example, if Responder were slightly stronger (say, with C-AKJ) he/she would have insisted on a slam with a 4NT (Blackwood) call instead of the meek 4H bid.

From all of this we can formulate some slam-bidding rules:

1. When trump is known to both partners:

• both partners will cuebid.
• the 1st round of cuebidding shows controls indiscriminately.
  • skipping a suit denies 1st or 2nd round control there.
• once all suits are controlled passing trumps implies 2 top trump honours.
• subsequent round cuebids distinguish Aces from controls.
• 4NT will be Roman Key Card Blackwood.

2. A 4D rebid over Passive Pard's 3S or 3NT distributional bid:

• invites Passive Partner to slam in Hearts.
• may see a negative (4H) reply or a more encouraging cuebid.
• allows Rule #1 (above) to apply.

3. A 4C rebid over Passive Pard's 3S or 3NT distributional bid:

• invites Passive Partner to slam anywhere but Hearts.
• may see a negative (4D) reply or more encouraging cuebid.
• permits Forcer to rebid in Hearts to force cuebidding.
• gives Forcer the option of Blackwood or cuebids (relay).

4. A 4D rebid over Passive Pard's 4C distributional bid:

• occurs when Passive Pard is unusually strong or unbalanced.
• is an anti-relay, wanting to stop in game
• may see a negative (4H) reply or a more encouraging rebid.

5. Forcing Partner's 3NT rebid is a relay only when:

• Passive Partner's last call was a cuebid of 3S.

6. Forcing Partner's 4NT rebid in a relay sequence is NOT Blackwood only if:

• 4NT is a sequential rebid in a cuebidding series; AND
• Passive Partner's last call was a cuebid of 4S; AND
• 4S was NOT Passive Partner's first cuebid.

7. A Short Suit Asking Bid ("SSAB") is used to determine the Passive Partner distribution. Passive Partner's responses reflect what short suit he/she may or may not have:

• If 1-suited:
  
  
  • No Trump rebids show no short suit
  • Suits bids show high- to low-ranked shortnesses.
    
    
• If 2-suited:
  
  
  • If no short suit is promised (i.e. 5-4 or better two-suiters) respond as above.
  • If shortness is promised (i.e. 4-4 two-suiters) use No Trump and suit bids, high-to-low.
    
    
• If 3-suited:
  
  
  • Rebid the 5-carder with 5-4-4-0 types.
  • Bid NT or the short suit with 4-4-4-1 types.
    
    

Introduction	One Diamond Opening Bid
One No Trump Opening Bid	Two Club Opening Bid
Slam Bidding	Two Diamond Opening Bid
One Club Opening Bid	Two Heart Opening Bid
One Spade Opening Bid	Two Spade Opening Bid
One Heart Opening Bid	Two No Trump Opening Bid

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