Response to Partner's Michaels Cue

[barsikb]

[hv=pc=n&w=skhqt76daj65ckj63]133|100[/hv]

 

Dealer: North

 

1♥(N)-2♥(E)-Pass(S)-?

 

What about 3NT? Or better 2NT to see which minor?

[helene_t]

2NT should be a positive sound, with a bad hand I would have bid 3♣. If partner just bids 3m then I bid 3NT. In the unlikely event that he bids something else we might be able to find slam.

[Hanoi5]

3NT if we play good Michael's. If partner can have QJxxx x Kxxxx xx, then I'd better try 2NT and later maybe an invite.

[barsikb]

"2NT should be a positive sound, with a bad hand I would have bid 3♣. If partner just bids 3m then I bid 3NT. In the unlikely event that he bids something else we might be able to find slam." helene_t

 

Isn't cuebidder's only option after partner's 2NT to show which minor he has?

[barsikb]

"3NT if we play good Michael's. If partner can have QJxxx x Kxxxx xx, then I'd better try 2NT and later maybe an invite."

Hanoi5, how would you invite?

[wank]

i presume helen plays 3c as a weak pass/correct and 2nt as being interested. perforce if the cuebidder has above minimum he's expected to do more than bid 3m - maybe something like 3S = 6 spades, 3NT = diamonds, 3H = clubs.

 

it all rather depends how strong you play the cuebid. in my experience beginners tend to bid it on very bad hands, whereas stronger players tend to have something resembling an opening bid with most suit combinations and vulnerabilities.

[barsikb]

Thank you, wank,

 

I learned to play it with "mini-maxi" less than 10 or 16+. Not a popular method?

[Vampyr]

Thank you, wank,

 

I learned to play it with "mini-maxi" less than 10 or 16+. Not a popular method?

 

This is still popular. Probably "all strengths" is close to overtaking it. The method w**k mentions may be best, but it is not as common as the others.

[barsikb]

Thank you, Vampyr

 

The reason for "all strengths" is to make opps' bidding difficult?

[Zelandakh]

Most people are taught that 2NT asks for the minor when learning Michaels but it is probably better to play 3♣ as pass/correct and 2NT as an enquiry both about strength and shape. For split-range Michaels, I use responses of

3♣ = clubs and min

3♦ = diamonds and min

3♥ = clubs and top of lower range

3♠ = diamonds and top of lower range

others = high range (rare)

 

This effectively allows you to invite and thereby increase the lower range. Less than 10 is really too restrictive for this, when vulnerable you will hardly bid it! Instead, I would suggest up to 11/12 not vulnerable and somewhat more vulnerable. If partner is a passed hand then your top end should be even higher, to the point where the split range might effectively disappear. Indeed, many do not play split range at all. I personally still like split-range, at least when not vulnerable (and am therefore in a minority on BBF) but there are some very good arguments against it, especially vulnerable.

 

You might also consider whether 16+ is the right level for the high range. It is generally quite difficult to give specific point counts for these bids since they are much more about the playing strength than the high card count. For me, the high range of split range Michaels should be pretty close to game. You are planning to bid again so committing to the 3 level opposite whatever partner can bring. Something along the lines of a shaded 2-suited Acol 2 (8 tricks) is in order. So yes to 16+ but not just any 16+.

 

Note that the level of your opponents is absolutely critical to deciding what the "best" method is. Against weaker opponents, the disruption from getting involved in their auction will outweigh the losses from your hand being known, since weaker players tend to practically ignore the bidding anyway. Therefore bidding on some weaker hands tends to score quite well in this class. When playing against better players, not only will their auction not be particularly disrupted by the overcall, they will also have tools to penalise you when it is right and will make very strong use of the extra information in the play. Now, bidding on those hands becomes a serious liability. So when wak writes "beginners tend to bid it on very bad hands" he is absolutely right, but that does mean that they are wrong for the level of their opponents! In general though, you want to have a reasonable floor for a 2-suited overcall. The weaker the hand, the "purer" it should be. And the lower limit vulnerable should be considerably higher than not vulnerable. As you get better, you may well want to revisit your agreements and raise that floor again.

[Vampyr]

Thank you, Vampyr

 

The reason for "all strengths" is to make opps' bidding difficult?

 

Not really; most people can handle an opposing Michaels Cue Bid. It's more to increase the frequency of finding a suit you can compete in.

 

So the 2NT enquiry is used only when the hand is good enough for an invite against an opening-strength hand.

 

Still there is some ambiguity, which the split-range method avoids.

[barsikb]

Thank you, Vampyr and Zelandakh. Will study your suggestions B-)