Michaels Cuebid is an interesting competitive bidding convention played by experienced players that has many follow-ups and treatments. Let’s look at some of the most common. Source: www.bridgeinchicago.com

Michaels Cuebid

Remember the bidding that starts (1/ Diamond Suit) – 2/Diamond Suit shows 5-5 in the majors with at least 7+ HCP (10+ if vulnerable). Bidding that starts (1©) – 2© shows a five- card spade suit and a five-card minor suit, and lastly (1ª) – 2ª shows a five- card heart suit and a five-card minor suit. In the last two sequences, 2NT is bid by responder as a cuebid to learn which minor is held. 1) In the first three sequences, the responder to the cue bid can jump in any known major to invite game, usually done with 9-11 HCP and good fitting cards. But in the last sequence, where the bidding starts (1ª) – 2ª, responder cannot jump. There isn’t room. Experienced players use the 2NT bid to ask about the minor suit, and then go back to 3© with the invitational hand. For example: North Spade Suit5 Heart Suit AK754 Diamond Suit 97  AQ843 South Spade SuitK65 Heart Suit Q932 Diamond Suit KQ  JT54
West North East South
1Spade Suit 2Spade Suit Pass 2NT
Pass 3 Pass 3Heart Suit
South’s three hearts is showing an invitational hand with heart support, so North would bid four hearts. 2) If the opening bid is a weak two, then the overcaller may still want to use Michaels if he is holding a good hand, in order to reach the proper suit. Experts have determined it is best to leave the three -level open to try to reach 3NT and use various forms of Michaels cuebids at the four-level to reach a major or rarely a minor suit game.

Western Cuebid

Cuebids at the three-level are a form of the Western Cuebid which asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in opener’s suit. For example, if East starts the bidding with 2Spade Suit, South who is holding Spade Suit65 Heart SuitAT Diamond SuitAJ AKQJT54 doesn’t have the room to show such a good hand in time to keep 3NT in the picture by using a double and then bidding clubs to show a strong hand. So bidding that starts (2Spade Suit) – 3Spade Suit shows a hand like this with lots of tricks if only West can stop spades. If West can stop spades, he bids 3NT. If West does not have a stopper, he bids the cheapest suit, in this case four clubs. Leaping Michaels The form of Michaels used is called Leaping Michaels and starts a game forcing auction. It is used over opponents’ preemptive bid when holding a two-suited hand. The overcaller leaps (also called “jumps” or “skip bids”) to four of the minor, implying at least five in the unbid major suit. For example, with bidding starting with two spades by East, South holding: Spade Suit5 Heart SuitAKJT6 Diamond SuitA2 AQJ94 would jump to four clubs, which shows at least five hearts and at least five clubs and a strong hand. Partner can bid 4© with three or more hearts or raise to 5 with a club fit, or – which is rare – pass with a misfitting weak hand. Over a weak 2Diamond Suit opening, the overcaller can bid 3Diamond Suit to ask for a diamond stopper to try to reach 3NT, or can bid 4Diamond Suit to show a good hand with 5+/5+ in the majors, so partner can pick the right major suit as trump. After 2Diamond Suit by East, South bids 3Diamond Suit with Spade SuitA5 Heart SuitAT Diamond Suit87 AKQJT54 to ask for a diamond stopper, or bids 4Diamond Suit with something like Spade SuitAK754 Heart SuitAQJ97 Diamond Suit7 KT showing majors. With weaker two suiters, just overcall the higher suit, and hope to get a chance to bid the other suit, unless partner supports the overcall.