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Hi,

 

maybe the following link helps:

 

http://forums.bridgetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=971

 

I never heard this name, but looking at the description

it seems, that it is Michales precise together with unusal

2 NT. Michales precisie being, similar to Michales, with the

slight exception, that a 2C overcall is always natural (even

if they have opened 1C) and a 2D bid (cue or jump) shows

both mayor.

 

+: You gain a little bit precision

-: The frequency is a little bit lower

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

 

PS: For whats it worth, I play it in my regular partnership as well.

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When you hold a 2-suited overcall, there are three possible suit combinations that you can have. The majority of players use two bids, Michaels and Unusual 2NT, to cover these hands. So they either introduce doubt (other major + unknown minor) or chose not to show one hand using these methods.

 

Wenble, all the Ghestem variants, and similar systems introduce a third bid (typically 3) that enables you to show all hand types precisely.

 

The problem with Ghestem is that you will often forget that 3 is conventional unless you play it in all your partnerships. The Bridge Laws forum is full of threads on the mess created by forgetting a conventional 3. It also means that you lose the natural 3 overcall (be it weak or intermediate).

 

My advice is for beginners and intermediates to become familiar with Michaels and the Unusual NT due to their popularity and frequency. Other methods are really for practised and established partnerships but, even then, the gain is small.

 

p

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I am experimenting currently with specific two suiters in competition.

 

What I can see is the following:

 

1. Pard knows exactly what you have, but so do the opps.

2. Construction of the 2 suiters is critical (currently we're trying out touching ones).

3. Lastly, strengths matter - either minimax or continuous.

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Is it well-defined what Michaels is in the US? Around here it isn't. I've seen following called Michaels:

 

1 2 both majors (French influences)

1 2 both majors (which I find in American books)

1 2 = and a red (Polish style)

 

leaving a minefield for pickup partnerships...

 

BTW I play the 3rd option.

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There is only one Michaels, you shall not have other....

 

Michaels is (1m)-2m = both majors, (1M)-2M = other major + unknown major. I know this is not universal, but I think it is in North America, and is also what 98% of BBO pickup partners' profile entry means.

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There is only one Michaels, you shall not have other....

 

Michaels is (1m)-2m = both majors, (1M)-2M = other major + unknown major. I know this is not universal, but I think it is in North America, and is also what 98% of BBO pickup partners' profile entry means.

That should be

 

(1M)-2M = other major (OM) + unknown minor

 

This is the standard meaning of Michaels in the UK too.

 

The defined meaning of the Unusual NT in the UK is the two lowest unbid suits, so

 

(1M)-2NT = diamonds and clubs

(1m)-2NT = hearts + other minor (om)

 

Some people play that (1m)-2NT shows the other minor + unknown major but this should not be described as the UNT (in the UK).

 

p

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why is michaels and UNT different, why is it not part of the same convention

I expect that they were invented at different times although they combine well.

 

There are situations where people play Michaels without the UNT, for example over a weak 2-bid (where 2NT shows a strong NT), and the Unusual NT is also applied in a greater variety of situations.

 

p

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