Michaels


A cue bid of a minor suit shows 5-5 or more in the majors.

A cue bid of a major suit shows 5+ of the other major plus 5+ of one of the minors.

If each opponent has bid a major and partner has passed in between (e.g.: 1-P-1), the ACBL's SAYC system says that a a cue bid of either suit is Michaels. However, some experts treat a cue bid of opener's suit as Michaels while a cue bid of responder's suit as natural, showing an extremely good suit [at least 6 cards] and a decent hand [around 15 HCP] (www.BridgeBum.com)

Some people play that Michaels is bid only with a weak hand or a very strong hand, while others play it with no strength specifications.

If you play Weak-Strong, then with an in-between hand, you can overcall with the higher suit and bid the lower suit later.

When playing Weak-Strong, if the Michaels bidder's LHO shows some strength by bidding, then the Michaels bidder is probably weak. In that case, the level to which Michaels' partner bids is based strictly on number of trumps he holds. (Known as a Total Tricks bid).

If Michaels' LHO passes, then it's more likely that the Michaels bidder is strong and while responder's bids on the 2 level are still based on Total Tricks, jumps are based on strength.

For example, after 1-2-Dbl-?? where 2 shows 5-5 majors or more, Michaels partner adds the length of his longer major to the 5 promised by the Michaels bidder and then bids that number of tricks. With 3 Hearts, for example, 3+5=8, so bid for 8 tricks (2). With 4 of a major, bid 3. With 5+, bid 4.

With unfavorable vulnerability, you may not want to make a Total Tricks bids with a bad hand.

When partner has bid Michaels over a major, showing the other major and one minor, responder, with equal length in the minors, can bid notrump to ask partner to bid his minor. Example: (1)-2-(P)-2N, (P)-3.

Don't Balance With Michaels:

In practice, Michaels is bid with a weak hand far more often than with a strong one. Consequently, most people use Michaels in the direct (not in the balancing) position. (See Balancing.)

Leaping Michaels

After a weak 2 by RHO,

  • 4 shows a good hand with 5-5 or better in the suit bid and the unbid major.
  • 3 cue bid shows a strong balanced hand and asks partner to bid 3N with a stopper in RHO's suit.

After a weak 2, 4 shows 5+ Clubs and a major.
After a weak 3, 4 shows 5+ Diamonds and a major.

Extreme Michaels

August 2022 Bulletin, p. 40, has the auction 2-4 and because 3 would normally be Michaels, and because 4 forces to game opposite what may be a complete bust, then 4 bid has to show 5=5=2-1 with very strong majors.

The most popular bid by Michaels' partner was a 5 cue bid with T762 T2 AT7 AT42