[pescetom]

One of the more interesting hands from yesterday.

Let's start with these two possibilities:

a)

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b)

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[mw64ahw]

a) 1♣ 3+?
b) 3♥ stopper ask
c) slam potential in ♣

[pescetom]

mw64ahw, on 2026-August-20, 15:26, said:

a) 1♣ 3+?

It says 2+
Only in 4=4=3=2, 1♦ would always be 4+.
1NT 15-17, in this case no 5cM.

mw64ahw, on 2026-August-20, 15:26, said:

b) 3♥ stopper ask

I would take it as a GF raise in clubs, but that is one of the many reasons of post.

[paulg]

On the first auction this looks like a simple 2♣, an inverted minor raise and we'll go from here. Of course there will often be doubt about how forcing this is, but I expect you'll be rebidding 3♦ so that will not matter.

For the second auction, I think the most common continuations (in the UK) after a two-suited overcall when both suits are known is "cheapest cue is a good raise, higher cue is FG other major". This might not be optimal but at least it is simple, so 3♦ would show good clubs here.

With my wife, who is int/adv and plays few conventions, I would respond 3♦ to show a good hand, probably with club support, and a stop in diamonds (when there are two suits to cue, bid the suit you hold), which rates to work better on this hand.

An option is to double as you have a good diamond holding. But your heart length means that you will probably find it difficult to catch them so making a more descriptive call feels better to me.

When playing a short club I always expect partner to hold a weak no trump so, initially, I am not thinking about a club slam; perhaps later.

[pescetom]

paulg, on 2026-August-20, 15:46, said:

On the first auction this looks like a simple 2♣, an inverted minor raise and we'll go from here. Of course there will often be doubt about how forcing this is, but I expect you'll be rebidding 3♦ so that will not matter.

In Italy nobody plays inverted minors as such (1♦-2♦ is good old natural) but 1♣-2♣ is a "2/1" GF (analogous to 1♦-2♣) which seems automatic here.

paulg, on 2026-August-20, 15:46, said:

For the second auction, I think the most common continuations (in the UK) after a two-suited overcall when both suits are known is "cheapest cue is a good raise, higher cue is FG other major". This might not be optimal but at least it is simple, so 3♦ would show good clubs here.

Interesting, thanks. My understanding of traditional Unusual over Unusual is that the cheaper cue is an invitational raise and the higher cue is a GF raise.

[mike777]

1) It seems too easy 3H splinter. Hopefully splinters are allowed in Italy, smile
2) I bid whatever our game forcing bid is over unusual NT, for me that is a cuebid in the higher ranking suit the opponent is showing, in this case 3H. Double is an option, however, will probably lead to a more confused auction for nonexpert level players...but could be very profitable if handled well.

[akwoo]

I have been convinced that the right way to play UvU is that the cheaper cue is a gf showing the 4th suit and the higher cue is limit+ raise.

[mikeh]

When both opp suits are known, my preference is that a cuebid of the lower known suit is for the lower of the other suits. So over 1C (2N) for te reds, 3D is a (really good) limit raise or better…it has to be really good because we may end up in 4C opposite a minimum opener without real clubs…and 3H is limit or better in spades. 3C is competitive and 3S is sort of like a weak two in spades with good spades. KQ109xx and a side king would be roughly what opener should assume.

To me it makes no sense not to maximize our options and using the two cuebids to show raises of opener’s suit seems strange to me. What do people do to show spades?

Note that this is the worst situation, because partner opened 1C. After, say, 1D (2N) showing clubs and hearts, 3C as a limit+ in diamonds is easy.

I play the same when they make a Michaels cue over 1m since both suits are known. After 1M (2M), we only know one suit..the other major. Now a cue of the known suit is limit+ in partner’s suit and we play transfers to show a minor…2N shows long clubs and at least competitive values, 3C shows diamonds. One can use 3D for whatever one chooses

[jillybean]

I've just started playing with partner who likes over (2nt) the lower known suit is a limit+ raise in partner's suit, the higher is gf in the 'other suit'.

I have no strong opinion, the frequency is rare. The most important thing is that we have, and remember our agreements.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 inv. minor raise or 3H splinter
#2 either 3D as good club raise or 4H splinter.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pescetom]

 mike777, on 2026-August-20, 16:30, said:

1) It seems too easy 3H splinter. Hopefully splinters are allowed in Italy, smile

Splinters over a minor opening are not widespread here, most play 3M as a weak jump (and some play 4om as Kickback). But if you have the splinter then fine.

 mike777, on 2026-August-20, 16:30, said:

2) I bid whatever our game forcing bid is over unusual NT, for me that is a cuebid in the higher ranking suit the opponent is showing, in this case 3H.

Looking around the Internet (and indeed this thread) I see there is a babel of different agreements about how to play the two cues offered by opponents (which is which, both Inv+ or one GF, one explicitly about 4th suit or both implicitly, etc.). As Jillybean says, the important thing is that you are both singing off the same sheet.