MICHAELS CUEBID (with brazilian modification)
and LEAPING MICHAELS (with extension)
After opponent opens 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 principly because the overcal is a 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 a fit with partner and a strong hand 18-19 hcp showing game interesting
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 4 or less losers.
Thus Michaels Cuebid convention is a competitive way to
disturb
opponents auction showing 2 suits with a weak
hand 7-10 hcp
having a
good distribution 5-5 or 6-5
cards we
try 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 since we are no Vul against nVul.
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
Note1: the brazilian modification done has the advantage
that give possibility to include Spades with minors:
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 imply.
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
suits less hierarchical (-
/ -
/ -).
So the Unusual NT have the follow changes:
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
Rule4: 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.
Note4: Michaels Cuebid and Unusual NT can exceptionally be
bidded with a
strong hands with 3 losers and 15+ hcp where
overcaller want to know partner's
suit with 3+ cards to try a
game in hands like:
a)
x x AK109xx AKQ10x
after
opponent opens in a major
b)
AKQ10x
AKJ98x x x
after opponent opens in a minor
c)
x AKQJx AK109xx x
after opponent opens with 1
or
1
d)
AKQ10x - Kx KQJ10xx
after opponent opens 1 or 1,
but we are using Leaping Michaels Cuebid to cover these types of strong and distributional hand, as we will explain in this text.
Thus our Michaels Cuebid and Unusual NT could not be a strong (4 or less losers)
or middle strong (11-15 hcp). In these cases it is necessary an overcall and if
possible then bid again the second suit.
By the way, 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 bid game?
LEAPING MICHAELS - concept by Mr. Mark Feldman
This is a special convention that allow us easily show a strong
two
suits with 4 or less losers bidding after an opponent open in
weak 2 and by extension also allow us to show 2 strong suits
after normal open in suit at level 1 by opponents.
Leaping Michaels use 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 asking advancer for a stopper
in Opener suit bidding 3nt with a strong hand and
no stopper:
e) Opener Overcaller
2
3 <= partner bid 3nt with
stopper
otherwise bid your suit
f) Opener Overcaller
2
3 <= partner bid 3nt with
stopper
otherwise bid your suit
but here we prefer to consider this type of cuebid
as a simple weak michaels cuebid normaly with a
6/5 distributional hand if nVul. Thus partership
must stablish what agreement will follow.
MICHAELS CUEBID AGAINST WEAK 2 OPEN
We can include here this aproach to 2
weak open
where a simple cuebid is a weak 2 majors suits and
a jump cuebid is strong 2 majors 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 middle cards:
i) Opener Overcaller
2
3 <= this
means weak 5+ and 5+/5+
j) Opener Overcaller
2
3 <= this
means weak 5+ and 5+/5+
LEAPING MICHAELS
AFTER PREEMPTIVE AT LEVEL 3
When opponents open weak 3/3/3/3 we also 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
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+/5
major
1
4 => 5+/5+
1
4 => 5+/5
major
Example:
Opponent open 1 or 1
and you have:
- AKJ8x AQJ98x Ax
What you bid?
if the opening was 1 you 4
<= 5-5+
up to 4 losers
if the opening was 1 you 4
<= 5-5+
up to 4 losers
Partnershipd 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 should
now be bidded at level 5, because level 4 is now reserved for overcall with
strong 2 suits!
/ / /