Advanced Michaels Cue Bids & Unusual No trump (UNT)

New Bids 2 new bids designed to allow us to compete more 2 new bids designed to allow us to compete more With 2 suited hands With 2 suited hands Shape is as important as HCP Shape is as important as HCP So with a 5/5 shape we must compete So with a 5/5 shape we must compete With 8+ HCP or fewer in extreme cases With 8+ HCP or fewer in extreme cases Opponents must have a fit somewhere Opponents must have a fit somewhere But so may we! But so may we!

Look at this hand RHO opens 1 RHO opens 1  You have 10 HCP LTC 6 You have 10 HCP LTC 6 What do you bid? What do you bid? If you bid 2 and they bid 2 you never get to show the ‘s and the shape If you bid 2 and they bid 2  you never get to show the  ‘s and the shape Because 3 would be too strong a bid Because 3  would be too strong a bid You could * and then re-bid ‘s You could * and then re-bid ‘s But does not tell partner the real story But does not tell partner the real story 55 KK 66 44 JJ A Q 9 99 8 3 55 33

And you miss this Fit! 55 KK 66 44 JJ A Q 9 99 8 3 55 33 QQ AA TT 88 TT 2 66 44 22 TT 66 55 22

UNT RHO opens 1 RHO opens 1  You have 10 HCP LTC 6 You have 10 HCP LTC 6 What do you bid? What do you bid? Again it is really hard to show the nature of the hand and when they bid 2 you never get to show the second suit Again it is really hard to show the nature of the hand and when they bid 2  you never get to show the second suit 55 KK AA QQ JJ 99 8 3 55 33 66 44 33

What can we do? We need bids that show 2 suited hands We need bids that show 2 suited hands If they open 1 of a suit and you have 5 of that suit what will you bid? If they open 1 of a suit and you have 5 of that suit what will you bid? PASS PASS So we would not bid 2 of their suit So we would not bid 2 of their suit That’s a spare bid we can use! That’s a spare bid we can use! And its called a Michael’s Cue Bid And its called a Michael’s Cue Bid

Michaels Cue Bid RHO opens 1 RHO opens 1  You have 9 HCP LTC 6 You have 9 HCP LTC 6 What do you bid? What do you bid? 2! 2  ! Partner Alerts Partner Alerts Your bid says Your bid says I have 5/5 in the majors I have 5/5 in the majors Please select one Please select one If opponents open 1 of a minor and you bid 2 of the same suit If opponents open 1 of a minor and you bid 2 of the same suit It promises both majors It promises both majors KK 66 44 A Q 33 TT 88 77 55

Michaels Cue Bid RHO opens 1 RHO opens 1  You have 10 HCP LTC 6 You have 10 HCP LTC 6 What do you bid? What do you bid? 2! 2  ! Partner Alerts Partner Alerts Your bid says Your bid says I have 5/5 in ‘s and a minor I have 5/5 in ‘s and a minor If opponents open 1 of a major and you bid 2 of the same suit If opponents open 1 of a major and you bid 2 of the same suit Shows 5 in the unbid major Shows 5 in the unbid major And 5 in a minor And 5 in a minor 55 KK 66 44 JJ A Q 9 99 8 3 55 33

Some 5/5 hands are not covered If they open 1 of a suit and you bid 1NT If they open 1 of a suit and you bid 1NT It shows 17+ HCP It shows 17+ HCP And stops in their suit And stops in their suit If you bid 2NT If you bid 2NT It shows 20+HCP and stops It shows 20+HCP and stops This almost never comes up This almost never comes up There is a better use for the 2NT overcall There is a better use for the 2NT overcall Its called the Unusual No trump (UNT) Its called the Unusual No trump (UNT)

UNT RHO opens 1 RHO opens 1  You have 10 HCP LTC 6 You have 10 HCP LTC 6 What do you bid? What do you bid? 2NT! 2NT! Alerted by Partner Alerted by Partner This 2NT bid over the 1 opening is This 2NT bid over the 1  opening is 5/5 in ‘s and ‘s 5/5 in  ‘s and  ‘s The UNT shows the 2 lowest un-bid suits The UNT shows the 2 lowest un-bid suits 55 KK AA QQ JJ 99 8 3 55 33 66 44 33

UNT RHO opens 1 RHO opens 1  You have 10 HCP LTC 6 You have 10 HCP LTC 6 What do you bid? What do you bid? 2NT! 2NT! Alerted by Partner Alerted by Partner This 2NT bid over the 1 opening is This 2NT bid over the 1  opening is 5/5 in ‘s and ‘s 5/5 in  ‘s and ‘s The UNT shows the 2 lowest un-bid suits The UNT shows the 2 lowest un-bid suits 55 KK 66 44 JJ A Q 9 99 8 3 55 33

Michael’s and UNT These 2 bids allow you to show any 2 suited hand These 2 bids allow you to show any 2 suited hand The loss of a natural 2NT The loss of a natural 2NT or 2 of opponents suit or 2 of opponents suit Is not a problem Is not a problem Because you would almost never bid it! Because you would almost never bid it! So: How do we respond when partner makes one of these new bids? So: How do we respond when partner makes one of these new bids?

Responses Partner may be fairly weak Partner may be fairly weak But sometimes quite strong But sometimes quite strong Assume partner has a LTC of 7 Assume partner has a LTC of 7 Make a cautious bid at first Make a cautious bid at first Then with a fit compete Then with a fit compete To the number of cards your pair have in the suit To the number of cards your pair have in the suit With a 2 suit fit compete 1 more With a 2 suit fit compete 1 more

Responses The bidding goes The bidding goes 1 2 P ? 1 2 P ? You have 8 HCP LTC 9 You have 8 HCP LTC 9 And a known fit And a known  fit Bid 2 Bid 2  Partner needs good honours for game to be on Partner needs good honours for game to be on Allows partner to bid on with a strong hand Allows partner to bid on with a strong hand Or just compete with fewer Or just compete with fewer If opponents bid 3 you can compete with 3 with a 2 suit fit If opponents bid 3 you can compete with 3  with a 2 suit fit JJ AA 66 44 KK 9 2 99 55 33 99 88 33

Responses The bidding goes The bidding goes 1 2 P ? 1 2 P ? You have 10 HCP LTC 8 You have 10 HCP LTC 8 And a known 9 card fit And a known 9 card  fit Bid 3 Bid 3  Invitational to game Invitational to game With a good 2 suit fit partner does not need that much for a game try With a good 2 suit fit partner does not need that much for a game try JJ AA 66 44 KK 9 2 99 55 99 88 33 QQ

Responses The bidding goes The bidding goes 1 2 P ? 1 2 P ? You have 4 HCP LTC 9½ You have 4 HCP LTC 9½ No good fit No good fit Partner looks sure to have ‘s and ‘s Partner looks sure to have  ‘s and  ‘s Bid 2 Bid 2  Try to get out as cheaply as possible Try to get out as cheaply as possible 5/2 fit at the 2 level is OK 5/2 fit at the 2 level is OK 33 QQ 66 44 TT 9 7 99 55 QQ 4 2 55

Responses The bidding goes The bidding goes 1 2NT P ? 1 2NT P ? You have 8 HCP LTC 9 You have 8 HCP LTC 9 And a good fit in both minors And a good fit in both minors Bid 3 Bid 3  Game is probably not on Game is probably not on But you must compete if opponents bid But you must compete if opponents bid They probably have game in either major They probably have game in either major So a 5 level bid would be a good sacrifice if necessary So a 5 level bid would be a good sacrifice if necessary JJ AA 66 44 KK 9 2 99 55 33 99 88 33

Responses The bidding goes The bidding goes 1 P 2 2NT 1  P 2 2NT 2 ? 2  ? You have 10 HCP LTC 8 You have 10 HCP LTC 8 And a known 9 card fit And a known 9 card  fit Bid 3 Bid 3  If they bid 3 * for penalties If they bid 3  * for penalties Do not compete beyond the 3 level as they are having trouble finding a fit Do not compete beyond the 3 level as they are having trouble finding a fit Your hand looks good in defence Your hand looks good in defence JJ AA 66 44 KK 9 2 99 55 99 88 33 QQ

Responses The bidding goes The bidding goes 1 2NT P ? 1 2NT P ? You have 4 HCP LTC 9½ You have 4 HCP LTC 9½ No good fit No good fit Bid 3 Bid 3  Partner cannot have many ‘s Partner cannot have many  ‘s Try to get out cheaply Try to get out cheaply 77 QQ 66 44 TT 9 7 QQ 4 2 44 66 22

Auctions using Michael’s Natural opening bid Natural opening bid Natural response 6+HCP Natural response 6+HCP Michael’s showing ‘s and ‘s Michael’s showing  ‘s and  ‘s Competitive raise showing 3+ ‘s and minimum Competitive raise showing 3+ ‘s and minimum Showing 4+ ‘s or 3 ‘s and goodish hand Showing 4+  ‘s or 3  ‘s and goodish hand 1111 3 3 P 3333

Auctions using Michael’s Natural opening bid Natural opening bid Michael’s showing ‘s and a minor Michael’s showing  ‘s and a minor No fit in ‘s No fit in  ‘s Is your minor ‘s? Is your minor  ‘s? No its ‘s No its  ‘s Good luck partner! Good luck partner! I have more ‘s than ‘s I have more  ‘s than  ‘s 1 1 P 33PP 3333P

Auctions using Michael’s Natural opening bid Natural opening bid Michael’s showing the majors Michael’s showing the majors You pick the suit You pick the suit Ok Ok My ‘s are better than my ‘s My  ‘s are better than my ‘s My hand is not good enough to go on My hand is not good enough to go on 8+ LTC 8+ LTC 1111PPP2NTPPP 2222 3333

Auctions using UNT Natural opening bid Natural opening bid UNT showing ‘s and ‘s UNT showing ‘s and  ‘s No fit in ‘s No fit in ‘s My interference was not strong My interference was not strong This will do fine This will do fine 1111P2NTPPP 3333

Auctions using UNT Natural opening bid Natural opening bid Natural raise showing 6-9 HCP and < 4 ‘s Natural raise showing 6-9 HCP and < 4  ‘s UNT showing the minors UNT showing the minors This is my better minor This is my better minor My interference was not strong My interference was not strong This will do fine This will do fine 1111PPP 33331NTP2NTP

Auctions using UNT Natural opening bid Natural opening bid Minimum raise Minimum raise UNT showing ‘s and ‘s UNT showing ‘s and  ‘s Purely to compete Purely to compete Likely rather weak <8 HCP Likely rather weak <8 HCP No fit in ‘s No fit in ‘s I have more ‘s than ‘s I have more  ‘s than ‘s Good luck partner ! Good luck partner ! 1111PP2NT 2222PP 3333

Summary Michael’s and UNT fit together well to compete with 2 suited hands Michael’s and UNT fit together well to compete with 2 suited hands If you have a good fit so do they If you have a good fit so do they So compete strongly So compete strongly Be prepared to sacrifice Be prepared to sacrifice With a good fit you won’t go many off! With a good fit you won’t go many off! Do NOT use if your side has bid a suit Do NOT use if your side has bid a suit By partnership agreement you can use UNT at any level By partnership agreement you can use UNT at any level not just 2NT but 3, 4 or more! not just 2NT but 3, 4 or more!