The importance of knowing Michael's

[pilowsky]

I'm playing in a 15 second instant tournament right now so I don't have much time.

When this hand arrives and RHO bids 1♦

 

What should I do. 10 seconds to go....

[hv=pc=n&s=st8762hakjt62dtcq&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1d]133|200[/hv]

 

Oddly, it didn't end as well as it should have:

here is what happened for -200 and 27.3%

Strangely, they have 3NT.

Most unfair

 

 

Seconds later I was rewarded with this hand.

[hv=pc=n&w=sa9652h98dkj9652c&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=pp1h2hp3c3dppp]133|200[/hv]

This time my faith was rewarded. 63.6%

[smerriman]

Can't imagine bidding anything other than 1♥. If I bid Michaels (no apostrophe btw), I won't have a clue whether to pass, raise, or correct on my next bid.

[pilowsky]

Interesting point, we've been through this before quite recently. It's Michael Michaels eponymous bid. So I feel that I'm entitled to add the apostrophe anywhere I like. For a full and really invigorating discussion of 's' and possessive apostrophes see Fowler. Personally, I think the whole thing is a bit overblown but it's entirely up to you.

I hope the spacing is up to snuff

[smerriman]

You can certainly misuse English as much as you like, though you'd look just as silly as if you told someone you played Blackwood's and Stayman's (or as you likely know them as, Easley's and Sam's).

[pilowsky]

OK OK You got me.

[pilowsky]

What if I borrow Blackwood's book to learn his convention? Is that OK?

[Tramticket]

What if I borrow Blackwood's book to learn his convention? Is that OK?

 

He's dead, so probably not in any position to object.

[pilowsky]

Even better. No need to return it then. I'll keep it with Root's Introduction to bidding that was due back at State Library of South Australia 22 Jan 1975. 5c/day fine. Please don't tell anyone.

He says "On occasion, the opponents will interfere with your bidding." There was a 3 page Chapter on defensive bidding. There are three types of defensive bids:

The overcall

The takeout double

The Pass - e.g. AJ984, 7 AQ96 KQT

Then I had to go and study for my exams.

 

 

[aawk]

Holding a 5611 pattern which is not strong enough to bid twice revers it is better to open the 5 card so you can show both suits. In this case you open 1♠ and west will pass or give a overcall in his minor. In both cases you can show ♥. True in this case you could end in a 2(3)-5 fit with a bad ♠ distribution but it is more likely that showing both majors gets you in the best fit more often.

[pigpenz]

hey 6-5 doesn't bother me if you cue bid, partner still has options if they pass the cue. I think bidding 1♥ is ok for defense potential but we may still have the boss suit so I am favor of describing my hand as majors

 

just 1000 hand sim with east having 4-6♦3-5♣12-17 hcp

the odds are still 80% making 8 tricks in♥s and 55% of 8 tricks in ♠s.....let partner decide what to do in competition

[msjennifer]

Sir,

If one wishes to play Michaels ,one has to define the requirements strictly.Remember ,that if partner has an independent strong club suit ,one is discouraging him from bidding it.(If he is aggressive he will still bid it ).

The spade suit is nothing to be proud of at all.It is not a rebiddable suit .For us it is a simple 1♥.ONE can even overcall 1 HEART and make a TOD later showing spades ,if one wishes, even at the 4-level depending on how the bidding progresses.

At this vulnerability,we require AT LEAST two of the four tops in either suit plus a regulation HCP count in our system.Make the spade suit at least QJ986 heart suit remaining as it is and WE will bid 2♦.

In my personal opinion,Michaels cue bid has a constructive as well as destructive and defensive aspect in it.We do not think CONTINUOUSLY of destruction as a number of times it ends in self destruction.The requirements are different when partner is a PASSED hand and where vulnerability is in our favour, equal or adverse.

THANKS.

[apollo1201]

Put a small S with the CQ!

 

More seriously, even if partner will « prefer » H over S with equal length, the suit disparity is such (100 honor in H plus a 6th card, and yes partner may have S honors but they will be useful in a H contract too) that you have to bid H now and advise later what to do depending on opps and partner’s next bids.

 

Whether you bid 1, 2, 3 or 4 is a matter of style and partner’s tolerance.

[dsLawsd]

For fun I like bidding 2♠ and let the opponents decide in their 15 seconds.

[Joe_Old]

Michaels is another of those very useful, but routinely abused conventions (see: Blackwood). As noted by the other posters, knowing when not to cue bid is murky, at best, since everyone seems to have their own take on what is "standard".

 

How many partnerships can answer the following questions about when to bid Michaels:

A - any HCP range, or less than 10/more than 13 (you're free to tweak the range);

B - what does 1♥ followed by the cheapest ♠ rebid mean;

C - what does 1♠ followed by the cheapest ♥ rebid mean;

D - what does 1♥ followed by a ♠ jump shift mean;

E - what does 1♠ followed by a ♥ jump shift mean;

F - what does a cue bid followed a the cheapest major suit rebid mean;

G - what does a cue bid followed by a jump shift into a major suit mean;

H - what does a cue bid followed by a second cue bid mean?

 

I understand that an individual is just a crapshoot, and who knows how anyone (or, if robots, anything) else will interpret any bid at the table. That's why it's impossible to take anything that happens in an individual seriously. It's so much more comfortable to know that partner has some idea what I'm bidding.

[pigpenz]

question is if you overcall 1♥ how will you ever get it across to partner that you have 5♠s.....if you rebid ♠s partner will assume you just have four

[Vampyr]

Even better. No need to return it then. I'll keep it with Root's Introduction to bidding that was due back at State Library of South Australia 22 Jan 1975. 5c/day fine. Please don't tell anyone.

 

LOL is this true? In lieu of paying the fine, buy them a new copy and donate it.it will be much cheaper and assuage your guilt nicely!

[haka9]

Can't imagine bidding anything other than 1♥. If I bid Michaels (no apostrophe btw), I won't have a clue whether to pass, raise, or correct on my next bid.

 

With limited time I would bid 1 ♥. And when I have more time, I have always believed it is "Michael's cue" in short Michael's btw in my system card.

 

But that reminds me of a good bridge book by Keith McNeil and Terence Reese. The book "Bid against the masters" is about Australian bidding competition in "Australian Bridge". The best part of the book is McNeil's comments.

 

This is a cut from the book. Paul Lawings commented a deal: "Yes, Virginia, You can double 1 ♥ with a singelton spade." McNeil: "I knew a Virginia in my schooldays. We called her Virgin for short, but not for long."

 

In the book there was also a better comment, but I don't dare to release it here.