M J Bridge
♦
♠
♥
♣
Bidding
Two-
LHO has opened, partner has passed, and RHO has made an unlimited change of suit.
As you are competing against opponents who may well hold the balance of points there is much to be said for confining your intervention to hands on which you have considerable playing strength represented either by a long suit of excellent quality or by a two-
The bids most likely to be used to show a two-
double, 1NT, 2♣, 2♦, 2NT and cue-
You may choose to use any or all of these bids when available.
Depending on your choices you may also redefine the range of a natural 1NT.
Many online sources and discussion forums concentrate on just one of these bids -
1NT
You might choose to retain 1NT as natural -
But remember, even if you play it as strong as seventeen to nineteen it is still possible that your opponents hold the balance of the points, and LHO knows exactly where to start his defence of the title.
If you do hold that hand there is a lot to be said for ‘lyin’ low and sayin’ nuffin’, which is another way of saying that the loss of a natural 1NT in this position will not be something which you regret greatly.
The Sandwich No Trump
There are many variations in the detail, but typically a bid of 1NT will be played to show 5-
Frequently this will be played alongside an ‘unusual’ 2NT promising the same shape in either a stronger or a shapelier hand.
With no further refinement double will then be restricted to hands with 4-
♠
♥
♦
♣
9
K T 8 6 4
A J T 7 4
5 3
Bid 1NT promising 5-
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♠ |
? |
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♠
♥
♦
♣
9
A K T 8 6
A Q J 7 4
5 3
5-
Bid 2NT.
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♠ |
? |
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Intermediate and above
System specific methods
This section is really no more than a concept.
The idea centres around the idea that there will be some opposing bids which you will be happy to cue-
For example, if your opponents open one of a minor (could be two) you might well be happy to bid that minor naturally, but if their opening bid promised a five-
Following on from this you might choose to vary your allocations according to how many ‘natural’ cue-
One artificial cue-
In the following I am going to consider just the situation in which you have one natural cue-
Typically LHO will have opened one of a minor (short) and RHO will have responded one of a major (at least four).
Let me take the specific sequence (1♣), -
1♠ and 2♦ will of course be natural -
There are three possible two-
To cater for these you have double, 1NT, 2♥ and 2NT available.
One possible allocation, along the lines suggested by Mikestar on the bridgebase discussion forum, might be as follows:-
double 4-
1NT 4 spades and 5 diamonds -
2♥ 5-
2NT 4 spades and 6 diamonds -
You will note that this does not cover the two-
Feel free to reallocate one or more of these bids, or to include 2♣ as a second two-
I have no clear recommendation as to what works best.
This is an area which a serious partnership might like to work on until they come up with something which they are happy with.
Advanced
In this specific scenario in which the opponents have bid both clubs and diamonds naturally at the one level there is little need for any further two-
1NT is most easily played as natural and strong (seventeen to nineteen say), but it will be a rare occurrence that you prefer such a bid to a pass. Vulnerable against not with hopes of a better score in 3NT is by far the most likely scenario for it to make an appearance.
Other suit combinations
If the opponents’ bidding has been natural and is still below the level of 1NT then simplest is to play the ‘sandwich’ no trump and the unusual 2NT as above.
An alternative (but not particularly common to the best of my knowledge) option would be to play two of a bid minor (if any) in a sort of Michaels’ manner to show the two unbid suits either in a stronger hand or with more shape (as agreed).
A possible variation plays 1NT to promise 5-
Variations on the Michael’s cue-
An alternative approach is to play something which resembles the Michaels’ cue-
The following paragraphs draw heavily on David Gold’s article in the June 2017 edition of English bridge.
Both majors
If the particular cases when the opponents’ bidding was one of:-
1♣ -
1♣ -
1♦ -
and their minor suit bids were, in essence, natural, then you are quite likely to hold both majors.
At its simplest use 2♣ to promise 5-
double will then be used on hands with less ‘shape’.
But
recommended is that you should define the shape with even greater precision.
use the 2♣ bid to promise 5-
and 2♦ to promise at least 5-
Either of these bids could be played as wide-
In response to the 2♣ overcall partner can bid 2♦ to ask for your five-
An extended sequence also distinguishes between the 5-
Fourteen points and 5-
Bid 2♦.
♠
♥
♦
♣
A K 9 8 6
A K 8 6 4
7
5 3
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♦ |
? |
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Fourteen points and 5-
Bid 2♣.
If partner bids 2♦ you will rebid 2♥ to show your five-
♠
♥
♦
♣
A K 9 6
A K 8 6 4
7
8 5 3
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♦ |
? |
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Fourteen points and 6-
Bid 2♣.
If partner bids 2♠ you will rebid 3♥ to show your 6-
♠
♥
♦
♣
A K 9 6
A K 8 7 6 4
5
8 3
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♦ |
? |
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Double, then bid strongly at your next turn to show at least sixteen points, or some equivalent playing strength.
Note that some partnerships would bid 2♣ on this hand to show the 5-
♠
♥
♦
♣
A K Q 6
A K 8 6 4
7 5
8 3
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♦ |
? |
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This page last revised 4th Jul 2020
Bidding has reached 1NT or higher
By all means come up with something clever based around 2NT and the available cue-
Simplest is to play just double for take-
Bear in mind that you might prefer to use a cue-
Opponents have bid in a short suit
For most of us a system based around either the sandwich no trump or a variation on the Michaels’ cue-
But, if you really want to add further complications……….
♠
♥
♦
♣
9
K T 8 6 4
A J T 7 4
5 3
Bid 1NT promising 5-
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♠ |
? |
|
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♠
♥
♦
♣
9
A K T 8 6
A Q J 7 4
5 3
5-
Bid either 2NT or 2♣ according to your agreed method.
You |
LHO |
Pard |
RHO |
|
1♣ |
- |
1♠ |
? |
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Context -
Opener |
Overcaller |
Responder |
Advancer |
Opener's rebid |
Overcaller's rebid and beyond |
Responder's rebid and beyond |
The continuing auction |