This cuebid was devised by Mr. Edwin Bruce Kantar (aka Eddie Kantar). The designation can also be written as Kantar's Cuebid or Kantar Cue Bid. The cuebid can be employed in several bidding sequences, but the cuebid always shows one of two possible shapes and is limited in its employment.

Note: The photograph below of Mr. Edwin Bruce Kantar is from the year 1991. The photographer is unknown as in the location of the event.

The Kantar Cuebid

This particular cuebid has limited application, but has proven effective in describing a certain distribution following an immediate competitive suit overcall by opponent.

The cuebid shows a distributional shape of either 5-4-4-0 with a void in the suit of the opponent and a minimum of 4-card support for the suit of partner, or a distributional shape of 4-4-4-1 with a singleton in the suit of the opponent and a minimum of 4-card support for the suit of partner.

Additional communicated information is that the responder also holds a minimum of 8-9 high card points, which is the minimum requirement for the employment of Kantar Cuebids. For players evaluating a holding by counting, in addition, the number of losing tricks, then the number of Losing Tricks may not exceed the number of eight, which is considered the maximum number.

The following examples illustrate the application of the Kantar Cuebid.

Example 1

	North A943 K10874 QJ A5
West 832 J53 A643 632		East KQJ75 A 1075 K1098
	South (D) 10 Q962 K982 QJ74

South (D)		West		North		East		Meaning
Pass		Pass		1		1		Third Seat opening by North.
2								This is the Kantar Cuebid showing, in this example, the minimum amount of values needed to make the cuebid.
		Pass

Following the Kantar Cuebid by South partner knows that the distributional shape is either 5-4-4-0 or 4-4-4-1 and therefore at least a 4-card support for Hearts. The guideline for the Kantar Cuebid is a minimum of 8-9 high card points.

Note: The partnership can reevaluate by applying the Losing Trick Count method.

All continuances are according to partnership agreement. For example, North can correct with 7 losing tricks by bidding 3 Hearts, which generally ends the bidding following a third seat opening. However, if North wishes to invite to game by bidding 2 No Trump.

Example 2

	North   KJ107 AJ76 KQ1062
West 10862 532 5432 74		East KQJ75 A Q98 J983
	South (D) A943 Q9864 K10 A5

South (D)		West		North		East		Meaning
1		1						An opening by South, without being a passed hand.
				2		Pass		This is the Kantar Cuebid showing the minimum amount of values needed to make the cuebid, which is about 8-9 points minimum.
3								South corrects to Hearts at the lowest level to show non-invitational values.
		Pass		4				North, after showing one of two possible shapes, raises to game with additional values.

Note: A possible slam, as with the above example, is not beyond the limits of a possibility following an immediate overcall since the partnership knows through the Kantar Cuebid that the responder has either a singleton or void in the suit of the immediate overcaller. In the above example, it is clear that the partnership has a good chance at a slam in Hearts.

Note: With the full knowledge that an evaluation of the holding North can initiate a slam-try and easily discover that a small slam in Hearts is possible, especially with the full knowledge that North is the only player aware of the void in the suit of the opponent.

Third Level Kantar Cuebids

Some partnership agreements have the additional understanding that a Kantar Cuebid at the three level can show a singleton or void in the suit of the overcaller, but only three cards for support of partner's suit. This included understanding with its flexibility allows the partnership to remain competitive more frequently.

 

 

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.