[hammberry]

IMPs, unfavorable vulnerability
The bidding went:

Me   LHO   Partner   RHO
Pass   1♦ (5+)  2♣   Pass
2♥     Pass       3♦     Pass
??

I held: T8xx, AKTxx, Q9, xx

What's partner doing? What should I do now?
(Partner is a youngish Silver Life Master. He's studied bidding theory carefully but resists ad hoc innovations)

[vuroth]

Around here, I think I would guess Western Cue Bid - asking for a stopper for 3NT.

Whatever it is, it seems like a strong bid, I'd be tempted to try 3♠, though if you're not clear on what's going on, maybe 3♥ is safer?

[han]

It's forcing, you are supposed to describe your hand further. 3S seems right, though 3NT is tempting.

[Fluffy]

What han said, cuebid doesn't ask for specific questions, it wants you to describe better.

Normally a cuebid implies fit, but here partner might be stuck with a strong hand in clubs, 3♠ seems easy, then partner will bid 4♣ or 4♥ and let us know.

If he bids 3NT over 3♠ he is showing a big hand in clubs with doubts about 3NT being the best contract (he probably has a weak stopper), that is where our ♦Qx comes into play, we can gladly pass, althou probably playing from the wrong side now, but our quick tricks in hearts might do it.

[ASkolnick]

I think 3D is looking for a Diamond stopper, but I think 3S passes the buck back. Doubt anyone would want to play in spades in this auction without a 4 card fit and it is probably unlikely he has one.

[Codo]

Yes, 3 ♦ asks, primaly for a diamond stopper, secondary for an overall describtion.

I bid 3 Heart, my extras are not so great and I have no values in spade. My pd won't understand 3 Spade as showing nothing in spades, but a little extra somewhere outside diamond. Actually my second choice had been 3 NT, not 3 Spade. Q9 works often.

[dicklont]

Probably looking for 3NT. Tempting to bid it.

Maybe a German player would bid 3NT and should hope that the cuebid was in tempo

[655321]

dicklont, on Dec 9 2008, 04:02 AM, said:

Probably looking for 3NT. Tempting to bid it.

Maybe a German player would bid 3NT and should hope that the cuebid was in tempo 

I agree with 3NT on the hand in the current thread.

(3NT also has some votes in one of the other places OP posted the same hand.)

But I don't agree that this hand (where a 5 card diamond suit is on our left, and partner has not made a takeout double of diamonds) is in any way similar to your other thread (where a 7 card spade suit is on our right, and partner has made a takeout double of spades.)

[P_Marlowe]

3D asks for further description, mainly a stopper.

I would go with 3S, ugly, but what are your options,
maybe partner can bid 3NT.

With kind regards
Marlowe