[Oddie77]

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First question is West's 2NT the correct bid?

If so how would you continue without any further N-S bidding? If not how would you manage this hand?

[mfa1010]

Yes 2N is correct. East then bids 3♦ and it goes all pass. West should be given latitude to compete for the partscore after their 1♥-p-2♥. Getting to 5m has low priority, and here I think sensible bidding will miss the good 5♦.

[aguahombre]

I predict the auction will proceed favorably after the 2NT call. We will not go peacefully in 3D or defending 3H, and the opponents with their 24 HCP will not be happy after pushing you to a making phantom sacrifice or you collect 500/800 vs 4H.

[Oddie77]

NS managed to keep their side of the bidding to no more than 2♥ even with 24 points and two 8 card fits in the majors.

As it turned out we missed a slam in ♦, but worried if either of our side had under valued their hand.

[ggwhiz]

I would jump to 4♦ over 2nt and would be tempted to go straight to 5 but I have a little too much defense against a N/S game.

An Ace, a 4th trump and a stiff club are all gold and 3♦ doesn't do the hand justice. Kokish called a bid like that "weakly invitational" in that west can raise to make here or take a cheap dive should N/S bid on with suitable hands and it's typically long diamonds and short clubs.

[aguahombre]

ggwhiz, on 2014-March-09, 08:36, said:

I would jump to 4♦ over 2nt and would be tempted to go straight to 5 but I have a little too much defense against a N/S game.

An Ace, a 4th trump and a stiff club are all gold and 3♦ doesn't do the hand justice. Kokish called a bid like that "weakly invitational" in that west can raise to make here or take a cheap dive should N/S bid on with suitable hands and it's typically long diamonds and short clubs.

Yeh, thought about that. But, was pretty sure I was being heavily influenced by seeing West's actual hand. What we might bid 2NT with in OBAR prebalance position at these colors made me accept the mere 3D bid.

[barmar]

Silly question: what does this question have to do with Michaels?

[aguahombre]

barmar, on 2014-March-09, 14:04, said:

Silly question: what does this question have to do with Michaels?

Maybe West is named Michael and an apostrophe is missing.

[akwoo]

At these colors I might be willing to play in 5 of a minor without any input from partner. If that is so, then perhaps an immediate 3♦ is better. (This is on the theory that unusual NT should be weak or strong, just like Michaels should be weak or strong. There are good reasons to disagree with this idea for both unusual NT and Michaels.)

I'm not sure that gets us to 5♦ either though.

[the hog]

barmar, on 2014-March-09, 14:04, said:

Silly question: what does this question have to do with Michaels?

Mike Michaels invented the bid.

[Oddie77]

If you do not bid 2NT would you not bid 3♣ as that is your longer suit

[the hog]

This is worth 4Ds over 2NT. Anything less is far too weak.

[mcphee]

Why does 2N show minors?

[Oddie77]

mcphee, on 2014-March-10, 06:50, said:

Why does 2N show minors?

After ops have bid and agreed a suit, the chances that you want to play in 2NT is very very low. It is a lot better to have a bid to show the minors for either strong game going hands or weak hands to get in the way.

[Vampyr]

the hog, on 2014-March-10, 00:58, said:

Mike Michaels invented the bid.

Perhaps he did, but the two-suited convention that normally bears his name is the cuebid.

[helene_t]

the hog, on 2014-March-10, 00:58, said:

Mike Michaels invented the bid.

Are you sure? Bridgeguys quote The Bridge Encyclopedia for attributing it to Roth. http://www.bridgeguy...ualNoTrump.html

[HighLow21]

3♦ is a gross underbid. 4♦ almost does the hand justice, but in my few is also a slight underbid. All the points are working except the J♠, and that's a small loss compared to the massive upgrade available to all the other assets.

Personally, I think 5♦ is too much for East to bid, because of all the defense with East, and because the club shortage could be wasted. Plus I can't imagine West accepting game by bidding 5♦ over 4♦ with so few high cards, but he might. (He does, after all, have 1st or second round control of all side suits and an extra trump to boot. All of his values are working overtime.)

He absolutely will not drive to game if the reply is 3♦, though. That is a certainty.

[the hog]

Sorry Helene' I read a comment about Micheals and the question as to why it is called Michaels and responded to that.

Here are some lnks, interestingly one from the Bridgeguys as well:

• 
  Michaels cuebid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaels_cuebid‎The Michaels cuebid is a conventional bid used in the card game contract bridge. First devised by Michael Michaels of Miami Beach, it is an overcaller's cuebid ...
• 
  Michaels Cue Bid - Bridgebum
  www.bridgebum.com/michaels_cuebid.php‎Michaels is a cue-bid that promises a two-suited hand, with at least five cards in each suit. The Michaels convention is named for Mike Michaels of Florida.
• 
  Michaels Cuebid - Bridge Guys
  www.bridgeguys.com/Conventions/michaels_cuebid.html‎This conventional method was devised and developed by Mr. Michael Michaels, (aka Mike Michaels), of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. The concept ...

[HighLow21]

The original title is a mistake. It should read "How to respond after Unusual NT?"