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MICHAELS CUEBID
(with Brazilian modification)
LEAPING MICHAELS (with extension)
After opponent opening we must find agreements to be competitive during
the auction, like:
1- doing a takeout double if we can play in the others 3 suits with
4432 - 4441 - 5431 - 4333 (3 cards in all others suits);
Opponent we
(1♣/1♦/1♥/1♠)
double <= takeout x for partner bid
2- making an overcall to show our suit - with undefined strength -
maybe 8-16 hcp after agreement with partner - in principle we show 5+
cards with 2 honors and probable we can't double because there is a
unbid suit that we do not have 3 cards support or principally because
the overcall is an indication to lead and so we show to partner where to
lead:
Opponent we
(1♣/1♦/1♥/1♠)
bidding other suit without jump
3- bidding a takeout double strong where after partner's bid we bid:
a) our own suit in same level (or up the line) showing a middle
strength like 16-17 hcp and 5/6 cards); or
b) bidding our own suit in jump to show 6+ cards and 18-19 hcp asking
partner 3 cards support or honor second and good 6 hcp to bid game; or
c) if we cuebid that means we have a fit with partner and a strong hand
18-19 hcp showing game interest.
4- bidding Michaels Cuebid to show weak 2 suits up to 10 hcp or bidding
Unusual NT also to show weak 2 suits up to 10 hcp or bidding Leaping
Michaels to show 2 strong suits with 6/5 cards and up to 4 losers.
Thus, Michaels Cuebid convention is a competitive way to disturb
opponents auction and to show 2 suits with a weak hand 7-10 hcp in
distribution 5-5 or 6-5 cards. This may allow in favorable vulnerability
to find a good defense against possible opponents game or partial score.
So having less hcp than opponents, but good distributional points, we
can be competitive with this useful convention principally when we are
not Vul against Vul.
standard Michaels Cuebid
opener overcaller
1♥
2♥
<= this means a 5♠+
and (5♦/5♣)+
cards
opener overcaller
1♠
2♠
<= this means a 5♥+
and (5♦/5♣)+
cards
Brazilian modification
opener overcaller
1♣
2♣
<= this means a 5♦+
and (5♥/5♠)+
cards
opener overcaller
1♦
2♦
<= this means a 5♣+
and (5♥/5♠)+
cards
Rule#1: After a minor opening a cuebid
shows 5+ cards in the other minor and also 5+ cards in a major with 7-10
hcp.
Note1: the Brazilian modification done has the advantage that gives
possibility to include Spades with minors to show 5-5+ weak overcall:
5♠-5♦+
or 5♠-5♣+
that is unable in the traditional/standard Michaels Cuebid or Unusual
NT.
Note2: the standard Michaels Cuebid use a minor cuebid (1♣
overcall 2♣
or 1♦
overcall 2♦)
to show both majors with the advantage that the hand can be played at
level 2 and not at level 3 as Brazilian modification implies.
Note3: the Brazilian modification change the Unusual NT convention to
show both major or both minors, not like the standard Unusual NT that
always shows the unbid lower ranking suits (♦-♣
/♥-♣/♥-♦).
So the Unusual NT have the follow modifications:
Opener Overcaller
1♥ 2nt
<= this means both minors (5♦/5♣)+
cards
1♠ 2nt
<= this means both minors (5♦/5♣)+
cards
1♦ 2nt
<= this means both majors (5♠/5♥)+
cards
1♣ 2nt
<= this means both majors (5♠/5♥)+
cards
Rule#2: After a major opening a
overcall in 2nt shows 2 minors suits with 7-10 hcp and after a minor
opening a overcall in 2nt shows 2 majors with 7-10 hcp.
Note4: Michaels Cuebid and Unusual NT are distributional hands with 7-10
hcp not recommended to be used Vul against nVul, but recommended to be
used nVul against Vul.
Note5: Michaels Cuebid and Unusual NT was exceptionally used to bid a
strong 2 suits when Overcaller want to know partner's suit with 3+ cards
to try a game in hands like:
a)
♠x
♥x
♦AK109xx
♣AKQ10x
after opponent opening in a major
b)
♠AKQ10x
♥AKJ98x
♦x
♣x
after opponent opening in a minor
c)
♠x
♥AKQJx
♦AK109xx
♣x
after opponent opening in 1♠
or 1♣
d)
♠AKQ10x
♥-
♦Kx
♣KQJ10xx
after opponent opening in 1♥
or 1♦,
but now we are using Leaping Michaels to cover these types of strong and
distributional hand,
Thus, our Michaels Cuebid and Unusual NT should not be bided with strong
2 suits hand or even with a middle good hand (11-15 hcp). In these
cases, it is necessary an overcall and if possible then bid again the
second suit.
If we bid a Michaels Cuebid or Unusual NT with middle range 11-15 hcp or
with only 5 losers how Advancer (partner of Overcaller) could take a
final decision for sign-off the bidding or to bid game?
LEAPING MICHAELS - concept by Mr. Mark
David Feldman (1951- )
This is a special convention that allow us easily show a strong two
suits with 4 or less losers bidding after an opponent opening in weak 2
and by extension also allow us to show 2 strong suits after normal
opening in any suit at level 1 by opponents.
Leaping Michaels do that using a jump overcall to level 4 in 4♣
or 4♦
to show these rare hands 6-5 with 4 or less losers;
Examples:
a) Opener Overcaller
2♥
4♣
<= this means a 5♠+
and 5♣+
b) Opener Overcaller
2♠
4♣
<= this means a 5♥+
and 5♣+
c) Opener Overcaller
2♥
4♦
<= this means a 5♠+
and 5♦+
d) Opener Overcaller
2♠
4♦
<= this means a 5♥+
and 5♦+
Note4: some partnership after a weak 2 open use to cuebid in level 3 to
ask advancer for a stopper in Opener suit bidding 3nt with a strong hand
and no stopper, but we prefer use this cuebid as a 2 weak suits Michaels
:
e) Opener Overcaller
2♥
3♥
<= Michaels Cuebid showing 5♠-5minor
f) Opener Overcaller
2♠
3♠
<= Michaels Cuebid showing 5♥-5mino
Thus, partnership must establish what agreement to use.
MICHAELS CUEBID AGAINST WEAK 2 OPENING
We can include here this approach to 2♦
weak open where a simple cuebid is a weak 2 major’s suits and a jump
cuebid is strong 2 major’s suits.
g) Opener Overcaller
2♦
3♦
<= this means weak 5♠+
and 5♥+
up to 10 hcp
h) Opener Overcaller
2♦
4♦
<= this means strong 5♠+
and 5♥+
up to 4 losers
When opponents open weak 2 in a major suit we can also use Michaels
Cuebid at level 3 to show 2 suits 5/6 cards - the other major and a
minor - with 7-10 hcp and good honors in the suits:
i) Opener Overcaller
2♥
3♥
<= this means weak 5♠+
and a minor (5♣+/5♦+)
j) Opener Overcaller
2♠
3♠
<= this means weak 5♥+
and a minor (5♣+/5♦+)
LEAPING MICHAELS AFTER PREEMPTIVE AT LEVEL 3
When opponents open weak 3♣/3♦/3♥/3♠
we in some cases can use Leaping Michaels bidding in jump to show our 2
strong suits despites Leaping Michaels isn't a GF bid, our structured
bidding can result in a GF sequence:
l) Opener Overcaller
3♣
3♦/3♥/3♠
<= that's normal overcall 6+ cards
m) Opener Overcaller
3♣
4♣
<= this means strong 5♥+
and 5♠+
n) Opener Overcaller
3♣
4♦
<= strong 2 suits 5♦+
and a major (5♥/5♠)
o) Opener Overcaller
3♣/3♦
4♥/4♠/5♦
<= to play
p) Opener Overcaller
3♦
3♥/3♠/4♣
<= that's normal overcall 6+ cards
q) Opener Overcaller
3♦
4♦
<= this means strong 5♥+
and 5♠+
r) Opener Overcaller
3♥
3♠/4♣/4♦
<= that's normal overcall 6+ cards
s) Opener Overcaller
3♥
4♥
<= this means strong 5♠
and 5♣+/5♦+
t) Opener Overcaller
3♥
4nt <= this means strong 5♣+
and 5♦+
u) Opener Overcaller
3♠
4♣/4♦/4♥
<= that's normal overcall 6+ cards
v) Opener Overcaller
3♠
double <= in principle we play in all suits, but with 2 strong suits 5/6
if partner bids:
4♣
=> we bid 5♣
when Clubs is also our suit
4♣
=> we bid 4♦
with 5♥/5♦+
denying Clubs
4♦
=> we bid 5♦
when Diamonds is also our suit
4♦
=> we bid 4♥
with 5♥/5♣+
denying Diamonds
4♥
=> we pass with 5♥/6♣
w) Opener Overcaller
3♠
4♠
<= this means strong 5♣+
and 5♦+
LEAPING MICHAELS EXTENSIONS
These rare hands with 2 strong suits having 5/6 cards with 4 or less
losers could be used in many others situations:
1- after a major open
Opener Overcaller
1♥
4♣
=> 5♣+/5♠
1♥
4♦
=> 5♦+/5♠
1♥
4♥
=> 5♣+/5♦+
1♠
4♣
=> 5♣+/5♥
1♠
4♦
=> 5♦+/5♥
1♠
4♠
=> 5♣+/5♦+
2- after a minor open
1♣
4♣
=> 5♥+/5♠+
1♣
4♦
=> 5♦+/5major
1♦
4♦
=> 5♥+/5♠+
1♦
4♣
=> 5♣+/5major
Example:
Opponent open 1♣
or 1♠
and you have:
♠-
♥AKJ8x
♦AQJ98x
♣Ax
What you bid?
if the opening was 1♣
you bid 4♦
<= 5major-5♦+
up to 4 losers
if the opening was 1♠
you bid 4♦
<= 5♥-5♦+
up to 4 losers
So, if you agree with this example you are now playing Leap Michaels,
Partnerships can also make agreements to use Leaping Michaels Extension
after any special conventions like Multi or some weak 2 suits in Polish
system, thus preemptive bids in a minor with 8+ cards 4♣/4♦
should now be bided at level 5, because level 4 is now reserved Leaping
Michaels overcall with strong 2 suits or to play!
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