MICHAEL'S CUE BID

[nondas]

Michael's cue bid convention allows you to show your 2 5+ card suits except if the opening is a Minor suit and we hold the other Minor and one Major. Is there a way to show my suit in such a case?

 

Thank you

Nondas

[Stephen Tu]

Unusual 2nt will show hearts and the other minor over a minor opening. There's no way to show spades and the other minor in a single bid (one can always of course bid 1S then try to show the second suit later), with the usual combination of Michaels + Unusual 2nt.

There are other less common conventions that do show these combinations, e.g. "Ghestem" which you can search for discussion on this forum, that each have their own particular advantages and disadvantages (being able to show all 2 suit combinations, not leaving a suit ambiguous, but giving up more natural bids/sometimes pushing auction higher with certain combos).

 

[Vampyr]

Also, some people play a modified Michaels which shows spades and another.

[brislboy]

Useful!----better than dbl for 2 Suit holding,,,

[kladenak]

Have a look at this link, I hope you will choose something...

 

https://www.blakjak.org/two_suit.htm

[msjennifer]

Unusual 2nt will show hearts and the other minor over a minor opening. There's no way to show spades and the other minor in a single bid (one can always of course bid 1S then try to show the second suit later), with the usual combination of Michaels + Unusual 2nt.

There are other less common conventions that do show these combinations, e.g. "Ghestem" which you can search for discussion on this forum, that each have their own particular advantages and disadvantages (being able to show all 2 suit combinations, not leaving a suit ambiguous, but giving up more natural bids/sometimes pushing auction higher with certain combos).

 

Sir,We do use this combination of showing two suiters.We also use ROMAN two suited jump overcalls if our partner opts for that method.However ,I feel it is easy for those who are interested to locate articles on either methods online and it is beyond the scope of this column to go into the details here.Thanks.

[PhilG007]

Michael's cue bid convention allows you to show your 2 5+ card suits except if the opening is a Minor suit and we hold the other Minor and one Major. Is there a way to show my suit in such a case?

 

Thank you

Nondas

 

The problem with this convention is that it gives away your distribution.. If your side doesn't buy the contract,you've given valuable info

to the enemy declarer. In the same way if you do gain the contract you've tipped off the defenders. This is why I don't like gadgets like these,

They are a double edged sword. They do more harm than good.

[pescetom]

The problem with this convention is that it gives away your distribution.. If your side doesn't buy the contract,you've given valuable info

to the enemy declarer. In the same way if you do gain the contract you've tipped off the defenders. This is why I don't like gadgets like these,

They are a double edged sword. They do more harm than good.

 

To put it another (and I think more reasonable) way, you only draw a sword if you think you can impale your enemy with it. To some extent this depends upon the skill of your enemy and your capacity to evaluate that.

[3338231]

In my regular partnership, we overcall 2-suited hands this way:

Michaels -- implies majors

-- over a minor, shows both majors

-- over a major, shows other major and unspecified minor

partner bid of 2 NT asks for the minor

Unusual NT -- implies minors

-- over a major, shows both minors

-- over a minor, shows other minor and unspecified major

partner bid of opp suit asks for the major

So in all cases, we can show both of our suits no

later than the 3 level (unless opps bid more)

[smerriman]

-- over a minor, shows other minor and unspecified major

partner bid of opp suit asks for the major

So in all cases, we can show both of our suits no

later than the 3 level (unless opps bid more)

This doesn't make sense to me. If you bid 2N and I have support for one major, what do I bid? If I bid the major (or cue-bid their suit), we're forced to the 4 level every time you don't have it. So instead I probably have to give up on ever finding the major fit, which makes the original overcall pointless.

[3338231]

This doesn't make sense to me. If you bid 2N and I have support for one major, what do I bid? If I bid the major (or cue-bid their suit), we're forced to the 4 level every time you don't have it. So instead I probably have to give up on ever finding the major fit, which makes the original overcall pointless.

 

"partner bid of opp suit"

(1D) 2NT -- 3D (what is your major?)

-- 3H/3S

 

not at the 4 level

 

Of course, I assume that when you make that cue bid, you have no desire to defend it (3- in their suit), no desire to play my minor (3- in that), so you've got 7+ cards in the majors. If you don't have 3 in my suit either, then you either have a balanced hand or a longish major suit of your own.

[smerriman]

You missed the words "every time you don't have it" in my post.

 

With more than 3 cards in their suit, 'no desire to defend'? What are you going to do, pass 2NT? :)

 

With 3 cards in your minor (or length in their minor), and 3+ cards in your major, you'll be playing in the minor while everyone else who overcalled the major will be in the better major fit.

[Zelandakh]

Here is a method that adds complexity but does allow you to show your suits clearly in a way that sometimes adds additional pressure to the opps over most other 2-suited methods:-

 

(1♣)

==

2♣ = WJO in a major; or ♠ + ♦, strong

2♦ = WJO

2♥ = ♥ + ♠, weak

2♠ = ♠ + ♦, weak

2NT = ♦ + ♥, any

3♣ = ♥ + ♠, strong

--

 

(1♦)

==

2♦ = WJO in a major; or ♠ + ♣, strong

2♥ = ♥ + ♠, weak

2♠ = ♠ + ♣, weak

2NT = ♣ + ♥, any

3♣ = WJO

3♦ = ♥ + ♠, strong

--

[nige1]

Also, some people play a modified Michaels which shows spades and another.

With acquiescent partners, I play

(1M) 2M = ART 5+ OM and 5+ m.

(1m) 2m = ART 5+ ♠s and 5+ other unbid

Together with UNT, this covers the 3 possible 2-suiters.

 

Advancer replies consistently e.g. after (1♣) 2♣ (P) ??

- 2♦/♥ = P/C

- 2♠/3♠/4♠ = PRE

- 2N = ASK

- 3♣ = ART 3+ ♠s.

 

After the 2N asking bid i.e. 1(♣) 2♣ (P) 2N (P) ??

- 3♣ = MIN ♦ (and ♠).

- 3♦ = MIN ♥ (and ♠)

- 3♥ = MAX ♦ (and ♠)

- 3♠ = MAX ♥ (and ♠) to right-side ♥ game.