______ The trick-taking potential of any 5-5 (or better) 2-suiter increases dramatically if Partner can support either or both of our suits. In fact, we should bid very aggressively with such a fit; if the contract does not make it is most likely a good sacrifice.

______ The ability to show 2 suits quickly can be a very useful tool in locating such fits.
LOTUS
______ The question arises, though, whether we should bid these two suits naturally, starting with the higher of the two 5+ card suits (according to the High Five Rule), or use the 2-suited overcall (be it Michaels, an Unusual 2NT or a "Sandwich" 1NT in some cases) to show them immediately.

______ Consider this hand:

Overcaller

AKQxx

Kxxxx

xx

x

______ After a 1 opening we have the choice between 1, intending to rebid the Hearts later, and a Michaels Overcall of 2, showing the majors. Let us analyze what may happen in both cases.

______ If we overcall 1, we may or may not be able to bid Hearts later--although this is most true when the opponents are strong and we would likely not want to bid Hearts at that level. But, assuming we do not get another chance to bid, which major would we want lead? Right, Spades. If we make a Michaels cuebid of 2, showing both majors, and do not get another chance to bid, Partner must guess which major you'd like led. Hence, overcall 1 here.

______ Now let's reverse the majors and reconsider:

Overcaller

Kxxxx

AKQxx

xx

x

______ Here a 1 overcall would only confuse the issue; we want a Heart led. Alright, how about a 1 overcall, then? This would be awkward even if the enemy does not jump to game, since a Spade rebid by us would be a reverse, forcing Partner up another level in order to show a preference for our first bid suit, Hearts.

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	1	any	any	---
any	2	any	3	May be too high.

______ Hence, with the second hand, we must use the 2-suited overcall, a Michaels 2. It follows, then, that using a 2-suited overcall strongly suggests that the lower ranked suit is the superior of the two suits promised (since, if the higher ranked suit were stronger we might bid our suits naturally, higher suit first). This tendency is called "LOTUS": Lower Of Two Usually Stronger, and applies whenever we use any 2-suited overcall.

Questions

#1	Is LOTUS a convention?

Yes.

No.

#2	Do we have to alert our 2-suited overcalls if we play LOTUS?

Yes.

No.

Michaels
______ Any cuebid of Opener'S suit in direct or balancing (i.e. if Responder Passes Opener's opening suit bid) seat is a Michaels overcall, showing 8+ (10+ if vulnerable) HCPs, a 5-5 (or better) 2-suiter, including 5+ cards in any unbid major if the opponents have bid only one suit and if not in the passout seat.

LHO	Pard	RHO	You	Explanation
1	2	---	---	Michaels: Majors.
1	2	---	---	Michaels: Spades and a minor.
1	Pass	Pass	2	Not Michaels: strong, void.
1	Pass	1NT	2	Michaels: s and a minor.
1	Pass	2	3	Michaels: s and a minor.
1	Pass	1	2	Not Michaels: natural.

______ The last example, 1-P-1H-2 is not Michaels because the enemy bid two suits. 2, then, is natural when both opponents have bid a different suit--as a 2 (i.e. 1-P-1-2) bid would have been.

Questions

#3	If you have a 5=5=3=0 hand, void in Opener's Clubs, should you bid 1, 1, Double or make a Michaels cuebid of 2?

3a.

Q10xxx

AKJxx

xxx

void

Double.

One Heart.

One Spade.

Two Clubs.

3b.

Q10xxx

KJxxx

KQx

void

Double.

One Heart.

One Spade.

Two Clubs.

#4	Can I use Michaels with a 5-4 2-suiter? How about a 4-5 2-suiter (i.e. with the 4-carder being the higher ranked suit)?

Yes.

No.

Maybe.

#5	After 1-2 or 1-2 does Advancer know which minor Overcaller has?

Yes.

No.

#6	Does Michaels apply if they open a weak 2-bid? Is 2-3 Michaels? 2-3? 2-3?

Yes, yes and yes.

No, no and no.

Replying to a Michaels Cuebid
______ Without a promising hand, Advancer (i.e. Michaels Overcaller's partner) will choose between the two suits promised. Thanks to LOTUS, with an equal holding in both of Overcaller's suits, Advancer will know to prefer the lower ranked suit.

Opener

xx

xx

Kxxxx

Kxxxx

After 1-2-P or 1-2-P bid 2, not 2, since if either of Partner's majors is longer/stronger, it will be Hearts.

______ If Partner has cuebid a major (i.e. 1-2 or 1-2), Advancer can use 2NT to ask for the hitherto unspecified minor.

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	2	Pass	2NT	Minor?
Pass	3	---	---	5+ s.

______ In those rare instances where the Michaels cuebid comes at the 3 or 3 level (e.g. 1-P-2-3) a Club bid by Advancer shows a preference for the undisclosed minor. Cuebidder will correct to Diamonds if that is Cuebidder's second suit.

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	Pass	2	3	s & a minor.
Pass	4	Pass	4	s & s.

______ Advancer's strongest action is always a cuebid of the enemy suit, forcing game. This may come immediately (e.g. 1-2-P-3) or after requesting clarification of the minor via 2NT. In the latter case, Overcaller's minor is presumed to be trump.

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	2	Pass	2NT	Minor?
Pass	3	Pass	3	Game force, support.

______ In the above example, then, Clubs will be the presumed trump suit.

______ Any jump to the three level (e.g. 1-2-P-3) is invitational, on 10-14 points. This, however, exposes one of the inadequacies of standard Michaels. We can invite in either major over a cuebid of a minor...

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	2	Pass	???	3 or 3 invite.

Opener	Overcaller	Responder	Advancer	Explanation
1	2	Pass	???	3 or 3 invite.

______ ...and we can invite game in Spades over 1-2-P by jumping to 3. But how do we invite in Hearts after 1-2-P ? An immediate 3H bid over partner's 2 Michaels cuebid could be bid on zero HCPs with 3+ Hearts. Bidding 2NT, to ask for the minor, and then 3 would not invite, since it might show a weak hand with 2 Hearts that was hoping Overcaller had the other minor (say, 5-2-5-1).

______ Standard praxis offers no solution to the problem of distinguishing a 0-9 point hand, with no interest in a Heart game, from a 10-14 point hand that might like to invite to 4 over 1-2-P.

______ For a solution to this vexing problem--one which requires that you discuss this dilemma at length with your steady partner--use 3 as an invite to 4, since with a bad hand with long Diamonds you and bid 2NT and rebid 3D over Partner's expected 3 rebid. The 3 invite is called "Lover's Leap", since it involves a bid of three Diamonds to invite a jump to four Hearts.

Questions

#7	After 1-2-P should I jump to 3-of-a-major anytime I have 4-card support, according to the Law of Total Tricks (which states that in competitive and pre-emptive auctions we should be willing to bid one trick for every trump we have)?

Yes.

No.

#8	If Advancer invites game opposite the Michaels cuebid (e.g. 1-2-P-3), what kind of strength does Overcaller need to have to accept? Assume that you play that Michaels cuebids show either strong or weak hands only (as many still do) here?

10 to 11 points.

18+ points.