{"id":11439,"date":"2024-01-19T11:19:59","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T19:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/?p=11439"},"modified":"2024-01-19T11:58:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T19:58:33","slug":"balancing-michaels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/?p=11439","title":{"rendered":"Balancing Michaels"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Balancing Michaels<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Bare\/Savage Version by Mike Savage<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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A standard Michaels cue-bid occurs immediately after your RHO has opened one of a suit. You might have a pre-emptive hand (the norm) or you might have a much better hand. But what about a Michaels cue-bid in the balancing (pass-out) seat? You surely wouldn\u2019t use it with a pre-emptive hand, you\u2019d just pass and let them play one of their suit. What then should a Balancing Michaels bid show?<\/p>

Just as a jump-shift in the pass-out seat shows sound opening values and a good suit, logically a Michaels cue-bid in the balancing seat should also show sound opening values but with a two-suiter<\/u>.<\/p>

There are three unbid suits but the cue-bid only shows two. Which two suits should it show? Our recommendation is that after a minor<\/u> opening, a Balancing Michaels cue-bid should show both majors and after a major<\/u> suit opening, Balancing Michaels should usually show both minors – but it also could be a strong major-minor 2-suiter. In some partnerships there might<\/em> be different choices as to which suits Balancing Michaels should show as well as different responses but here\u2019s how our<\/u> version works:<\/p>

Basic Structure:<\/strong><\/p>

1C or-1D-P-P: 2C <\/strong>or 2D <\/strong>= 5-5+ in the majors with a sound opener or better with two decent suits.<\/p>

Responses<\/u>:\u00a0<\/p>

  • 2 of a major<\/strong> = To play<\/li>
  • 2NT<\/strong> = Natural and invitational<\/li>
  • 2D<\/strong> after 1C p p-2C or 3C<\/strong> after 1D p p-2D = Natural, to play<\/li>
  • Cue bid<\/strong> = Slam interest with an unknown fit; asks for more info.<\/li>
  • Jump to 3 of a major<\/strong> = Invitational with a fit<\/li>
  • 3NT<\/strong> = Natural and to play, denying a major fit<\/li>
  • 4NT<\/strong> = Blackwood (best to use Six<\/u>-key Roman Key-Card)<\/li>
  • 1H or 1S-P-P: 2H or 2S <\/strong>= A 5-5+ two-suiter, almost always the minors<\/u>, with at least opening values. If you use it with a major-minor two-suiter, you need a very strong hand.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/li><\/ul>

    Responses<\/u>:\u00a0 In general, all bids of a new suit are meant as pass or correct.<\/p>

    • 2NT = <\/strong>Artificial, invitational+ values, asks strength\/shape<\/u>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/li>
    • 3C<\/strong> = Minimum opening hand with both minors<\/u><\/li>
    • 3D<\/strong> = Strong opening hand with both minors<\/u><\/li>
    • 3H\/1H<\/strong> = Shows spades and clubs<\/li>
    • 3H\/1S<\/strong> = Shows hearts and a minor (3NT asks)<\/li>
    • 3S\/1H<\/strong> = Shows spades and diamonds<\/li>
    • 4C<\/strong> = Shows clubs and the other major, very<\/u> strong<\/li>
    • 4D<\/strong> = Shows diamonds & the other major, very<\/u> strong<\/li>
    • 3NT <\/strong>= Natural and to play (rarely bid)<\/li><\/ul>

      Corollaries:<\/strong><\/p>

      1. With a 5-5 major-minor two-suiter without strength to force to the 3-level, just overcall the major.<\/li>
      2. 1X(any suit)-P-P-2NT<\/strong> = Shows a balanced hand with around 20 HCP (not<\/u> takeout for the minors).<\/li><\/ol>

        The responses shown above to 2NT after a major suit Michaels cue-bid<\/u> allow the partnership to play in 3C or 3D when the cue-bidder has minimum opening values and the minors and also allows the cue-bidder to show a strong<\/em> minor two-suiter and still be able to play 3NT if his partner wants to. When the cue-bidder has a strong major-minor<\/u> 2-suiter, this structure usually allows him to show which minor he has at the 3-level at<\/u> or below<\/em> his major suit \u2013 allowing the partnership to sign off in three of his major 75% of the time (rarely done) but always<\/em> able to play 3NT. With a really<\/u> big major-minor 2-suiter, over 2NT the cue-bidder just jumps to the four of his minor \u2013 just like Leaping Michaels over a weak 2H\/2S.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Balancing Michaels Bare\/Savage Version by Mike Savage A standard Michaels cue-bid occurs immediately after your RHO has opened one of a suit. You might have a pre-emptive hand (the norm) or you might have a much better hand. But what about a Michaels cue-bid in the balancing (pass-out) seat? You surely wouldn\u2019t use it with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-expertadvice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11439"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11439\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/longbeachbridge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}