Your Call 04
The Michaels Cue bid and Unusual No Trump can be useful weapons for competing. But only useful when opponents end up taking the wrong, instead of right, options. This bit of enterprise by a rather adventurous South could have turned to custard but...read on.
Board 26 form Tuesday 9/07/24
Dlr East All Vul
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KJT74
83
JT7643East opened 1S and South made a Michaels cue bid of 2S. What should West do? West could have bid 3NT but decided to make a ‘free bid’ of 3D. East thought West’s diamonds were better and hearts shorter, and raised to 4D by which stage they had missed the bus. Have a think about what would have happened to 3H doubled! But the moral of the story is: Work out an agreement about how you treat an opposing Michaels, and also how you treat an Unusual No Trump, both as overcalls and opening bids (some pairs do play a 2NT opening as both minors and weak).
My suggestion is this:
1S-2S Double says you would have raised to 2S
PASS says you have nothing to say or will double hearts or either minor for penalties
2NT 11-12 with holds in all suits but spades
3NT to play but not wanting to double opponents at the three level, e.g a good minor suit with partial hold in hearts and other minor
3H asking for heart stop for NT
1H-2H Same approach as for 1S-2S
Against the Unusual NT overcall (1S or 1H - 2NT) This scenario is different in that you won’t be looking for 3NT if partner has opened 1H or 1S, so there are many possible variations of how to show an interest in penalising opponents or showing support for partner, or bidding your own suit. For a start, I suggest that DOUBLE should say that you can penalise either or both of opponent’s suits. A PASS followed by action once partner of the Unusual NT bidder bids can have as many meanings as you can be bothered with.
Same with an Unusual 2NT opening should you strike it. Too much to discuss now, but keep in mind.
