Source: NABC Phoenix ACBL Bulletins
Dealer South, E/W Vul
|
|
|
|
West | North | East | South |
1![]() |
|||
2![]() |
3![]() |
Pass | 3![]() |
Pass | 4![]() |
All Pass |
Opening lead: A
West’s 2 is the Michaels cuebid, showing at least five spades plus five or six cards in one of the minors. The range is 7-11 HCP or 16+ high-card points. With 12-15 HCP, bid both suits starting with the higher ranking. It should be noted that these two-suited hands can be upgraded with strong intermediate spot cards and downgraded with few if any intermediates.
Some 7-point hands might be too weak to use Michaels and some 11 point hands might be too strong. Ditto with the other ranges. Intermediates matter. If East makes a minimum response to a Michaels cuebid, say 2 in this example, West
passes with the minimum range and bids on with 16+ HCP. East can ask for West’s minor by bidding 2NT. Here it is pretty obvious that the other minor is clubs.
West starts with the A and
K, noticing East’s play of the
10 and the
7, a high-low showing a doubleton. Before rushing to judgment and leading just any old spade, the spade that West leads should be suit preference!
In this case, West is desperate to have a diamond returned, so he returns the J, his highest remaining spade. East ruffs and, though it may kill him, he had better return a diamond.
Incidentally those 12-15 point hands that don’t cuebid, but bid both suits, are called “’tweeners” because the range is in between the other two ranges.