When the concept of Michael
Cuebids was
devised and developed by Mr. Michael Michaels, (aka Mike
Michaels), of Miami Beach, Florida, United States, variations and
modifications were suggested in the following years. One French
version of the Michaels Cuebid conventional method deals only
with the opening bid of 1 Club by the opposing side. The
actual originator is unknown.
This version is described below with appropriate examples. The original version
of Mr. Michael Michaels is that any immediate overcall of a 1 Club opening bid
shows both Major suits, preferably with a distribution of 5-5, but which can be
reduced to a distribution of 5-4 by favorable vulnerability.
Example 1
| East |
|
South |
|
Meaning |
1  |
|
|
|
Promises opening values. |
| |
|
Options for the Overcaller |
| |
|
2 |
|
In the French Michaels version this overcall is natural and shows a minimum of a good 5-card plus Club suit. |
| |
|
2  |
|
In the French Michaels version this overcall promises a 5-5 to 5-4 distribution in both Major suits. |
In the above example South would immediately overcall with a bid of 2 Diamonds to show distributional strength in both Major suits.
Example 2
| East |
|
South |
|
Meaning |
| 1 |
|
|
|
Promises opening values. |
| |
|
2 |
|
In the French Michaels version this overcall is natural and shows a minimum of a good 5-card plus Club suit. |
In the above example South would immediately overcall with a bid of 2 Clubs to show distributional strength only in the Club suit.
Notes
| 1. |
This version is rather limiting in its employment and therefore does not enjoy much of a popularity within the bridge community. The frequency of a holding with either distribution in both Major suits or only length in the Club suit has a low frequency rate. |
| 2. |
If the opening is 1 Diamond by the opposing side and the holding of the immediate opposing player contains distributional strength in both Major suits, then the overcall is 2 Diamonds as in the original Michaels Cuebid conventional method. The same principle of the original version is used if the opening bid is one of the Major suits. The guidelines of the original version prevail. |
If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.