After Partner’s for the Majors

By Mike Savage

While discussing responses to a Michaels cue-bid with some local club players, I realized that there was a way to perhaps improve them by including constructive “raises”. In response to 1S-2S Michaels, it is common practice to use 2NT - which forces partner to bid his minor - and then bidding 3H as the only way to make a game try, as a direct 3H bid just shows a heart preference. Of course, using 2NT as an artificial bid over major-minor Michaels means it can't be used for an extremely rare natural, invitational bid. However after a 1H-2H or 1S-2S Michaels cue-bid, playing 2NT as an artificial bid, asking for overcaller’s minor is a basic part of the convention. A lot of expert partnerships also use 2NT over 1S-2S as the only method to (eventually) invite game in hearts.

You almost never would have a hand that you would want to make a natural, invitational 2NT bid with after your partner has shown a 5-5 two-suited Michaels hand. Therefore why not also use the 2NT response over the Michaels cue-bids showing both majors as a conventional bid as well? - one that shows a fit in a major and has strongly invitational values. Using 2NT this way in order to show an invitational major raise, would allow your partnership to use the jump to three of a major to show a constructive raise. Here is a basic outline of how this would work:

Michaels for both majors

1C-2C or 1D-2D: 2H or 2S = The worst hand, preferring the major bid 

               1C-2C or 1D-2D: 3H or 3S = A constructive raise with 4 trumps, usually to an honor

               1C-2C or 1D/2D: 2NT = Invitational raise or better in one of the two majors

Suggested Responses:

3C or 3D = Shows a stiff or void, might be with a minimum

3H = Shows a bare minimum (pass, correct or bid game)

3S = Shows slam interest

4H = Shows values for game (pass or correct)

Michaels for the other major and a minor

1H-2H-2S = The worst hand, with a spade fit or tolerance

               1H-2H-3S = A constructive raise with 4 trumps, usually to an honor

               1H-2H-2NT-3m-3S = Strongly invitational

This extra way to show a constructive raise would not be available over 1S-2S as there are only two ways to show heart support below game: 3H and 2NT-3m-3H. However using 2NT as an artificial response to a Michaels cue-bid would be consistent throughout and therefore easier on memory. A couple of examples of what you might have for a constructive raise after Michaels for the majors are #1: A, K or Q fourth of trumps and not much more or #2: four small trumps and a side ace.

The advantage of this method is that you can now make a constructive raise, which requires four trumps while only losing the ability to make a very rarely occurring natural, invitational 2NT bid (which is already unavailable as a natural bid after 1H-2H and 1S-2S - as 2NT is used as an artificial bid, asking the Michaels bidder to show his minor suit). Sometimes the Michaels bidder will have a good hand that only needs four trumps to an honor to make game and having a constructive raise available in your partnership will enable him to bid a close game that might not otherwise be bid.