Bidding and conventions
Michaels and the unusual notrump
Michaels cue bids and the unusual notrump are two overcalls that show a two-suited hand in one call after an opponent opens. This article covers which suits each one shows, the strength they promise, and how partner answers.
The problem
An opponent opens 1♥ and you hold five spades, five clubs and 10 points.
Overcall 1♠ and partner never hears about the clubs. Overcall 2♣ and they never hear about the spades. Pass, and you have given up on a hand that will make something.
A single bid that shows both suits solves this. It also lets partner judge straight away how high to compete, because they know both of your suits.
Michaels cue bids
Over 1♣ or 1♦: both majors
2♣ over 1♣, or 2♦ over 1♦, shows at least five hearts and five spades.
This is the most useful of the four, because partner just picks their longer major and the partnership lands in an eight-card fit or better.
10 points, 5-5 in the majors. 2♦ shows both suits in one bid.
Over 1♥ or 1♠: the other major and a minor
2♥ over 1♥ shows five spades and five of an unspecified minor. 2♠ over 1♠ shows five hearts and five of a minor.
The minor is unspecified because there is no room to name it. Partner with support for the major just bids it; partner without can bid 2NT to ask which minor it is.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1♥ | |||
| 2♥ | Pass | 2NT | Pass |
| 3♣ | Pass | Pass | Pass |
The unusual notrump
A jump to 2NT over an opponent's opening isn't natural. It shows the two lowest unbid suits.
Over 1♥ or 1♠ that means both minors; over 1♣ it means diamonds and hearts.
11 points, 5-5 in the minors. 2NT shows both at once; either minor alone shows half the hand.
Between them, Michaels and the unusual notrump cover most 5-5 two-suiters, and partnerships usually agree both together.
Weak or strong, and nothing in between
Both conventions are played with a deliberate hole in the middle of the range: about 6–11 points, or 16+, and not the values between.
Partner has to act at once, and can't act sensibly when your hand could be any of three things.
With a known weak two-suiter they compete to the level their fit justifies and never expect game. With a known strong one they bid game with a little. If your hand could be in between, they can't make either judgement.
The middling hand can also afford to wait: overcall the better suit and bid the other one later.
Answering one
As advancer, use the Law of Total Tricks: bid to the level of your combined fit and let the opponents guess.
- With three-card support for a known suit: bid it, at the level your fit justifies. With nine trumps between you, three of the suit; with ten, four.
- With no fit for either: bid the cheapest of partner's suits anyway, or pass if the opponents' contract suits you. Don't bid notrump: partner has a two-suited hand and no help for you elsewhere.
- With a good hand: cue-bid the opponent's suit to ask partner which range they hold.
- After Michaels over a major: 2NT asks which minor.
What it costs
You give up a natural cue bid of the opponent's suit, which once showed a very strong hand. A strong hand can start with a takeout double and bid again.
You also give up a natural 2NT overcall. With 20 balanced points over their opening, double first and bid notrump next.
There's also the cost of describing your hand. You've told declarer your exact shape before the opening lead, and when the opponents buy the contract they will play it better for knowing. On two-suited hands it's usually worth it, since otherwise you often can't compete at all.