A Michaels Cue Bid is a bid of opener's suit to show a 2-suites hand. Click here to learn more about Michaels Cue Bids and when they apply. You rarely want to play in the opponents suit. So when your partner makes a Michaels Cue Bid, you don't want to pass. Because you typically cannnot pass, a minimum response to a Michaels Cue Bid doesn't promise points and doesn't prommise a fit. If your right-hand-opponent bids, you have the option of passing. If you freely raise your partner's suit, your raise promises 3+ card support.
The meaning of responses to a Michaels Cue Bid vary by partnership agreement. Please discuss this topic with your partner to ensure you have a firm agreement.
Because a cue bid of a major doesn't specify the overcaller's minor, it needs to be treated differently than a cue bid of a minor which shows 5-5 or longer in the majors. In the first section below, we provide specific recommendations for responding to a Michaels Cue Bid of a major suit opening bid.
Advancing a Michaels Cue Bid of a Major
After a Michaels Cue Bid of a major suit, showing 5+ cards in the unbid major and 5+ cards in an unspecified minor, advancer needs ways to raise their partner's major if they have a fit. If advancer doesn't have a fit, they may want to play in their partner's minor. If advancer has less than invitational values, they need a way to suggest stopping in 3 of their partner's minor. If advancer has invitational or better values, they need a way to show their values and ask for their parttner's minor.
The key agreements here are:
- to have an immediate way to show an invitational raise of partner's known major. We use an artificial 3♦ bid to show an invitational raise.
- to have an immediate way to show a game forcing raise of partner's known major. We use a cue of of opener's major to show a game forcing raise of partner's major.
- Have a way to play at the 3-level in partner's unspecified minor. We use a bid of 3♣ to play in 3♣ if partner's long minor is clubs. With long diamonds, partner will correct to 3♦.
- Have a way to show invitational or better values and learn partner's minor. We use an artificial 2NT bid to show an invitational or better hand. Partner will bid their minor at the 3-level if they aren't strong enough to accept an invitation to game. With a game going hand, partner will bid 3♥, to force to game and show clubs. the lower ranking minor, as their 2nd suit. Partner bids 3♠, the higher ranking major, to show a game going hand with diamonds as their 2nd suit.
Continuations after (1♥) - 2♥ - (Pass):
| Bid | Meaning |
| 2♠ | Less than invitational with spade tolerance |
| 2NT | Asks for partners minor, showing invitational or better values |
| 3♣ | Pass or correct to play in partner's long minor, less than invitational values |
| 3♦ | Invitational with a fit for partner's spade suit |
| 3♥ | Game forcing raise of partner's spade suit |
| 3♠ | Less than invitational raise, typically 4-card spade support |
| 4♣ | Pass or correct, weak hand with support for both minors |
| 4♠ | Typically a weak raise, could be stronger but chose not to cue bid for tactical reasons |
Continuations after (1♠) - 2♠ - (Pass):
| Bid | Meaning |
| 2NT | Asks for partners minor, showing invitational or better values |
| 3♣ | Pass or correct to play in partner's long minor |
| 3♦ | Invitational with a fit for partner's heart suit |
| 3♥ | Less than invitational with heart tolerance |
| 3♠ | Game forcing raise of partner's heart suit |
| 4♣ | Pass or correct, weak hand with support for both minors |
| 4♥ | Typically a weak raise, could be stronger but chose not to cue bid for tactical reasons |
Responding to Advancer's 2NT Bid which shows invitational or better values:
| Bid | Meaning |
| 3♣ | Weak with clubs |
| 3♦ | Weak with diamonds |
| 3♥ | Accepting invitation with corresponding minor (clubs) |
| 3♠ | Accepting invitation with corresponding minor (diamonds) |
Advancing a Michaels Cue Bid of a Minor
After a Michaels Cue Bid of a minor suit, showing 5+ cards in both majors, advancer will generally show a preference for their longer major. If advancer has equal length in the majors, advancer takes a preference for their stronger major. An advancer with invitational or game forcing values will show their strength and fit by bidding 2NT (invitational) or cue bidding (game forcing). Raises of a major show less than invitational values.
Continuations after (1♣) - 2♣ - (Pass):
| Bid | Meaning |
| 2♦ | A good 6+ card diamond suit, no fit for a major, no game interest |
| 2♥ | Preference for hearts, less than invitational values |
| 2♠ | Preference for spades, less than invitational values |
| 2NT | Asks for the strength of the Michaels Cue Bid, invitational or better values |
| 3♣ | Game forcing cue bid, may have slam interest |
| 3♦ | A good 6+ card diamond suit, no fit for a major, invitational values |
| 3♥ | Less than invitational, typically 4+ hearts |
| 3♠ | Less than invitational, typically 4+ spades |
| 4♥ | Typically a weak raise, could be stronger but chose not to cue bid for tactical reasons |
| 4♠ | Typically a weak raise, could be stronger but chose not to cue bid for tactical reasons |
Continuations after (1♦) - 2♦ - (Pass):
| Bid | Meaning |
| 2♥ | Preference for hearts, less than invitational values |
| 2♠ | Preference for spades, less than invitational values |
| 2NT | Asks for the strength of the Michaels Cue Bid, invitational or better values |
| 3♣ | A good 6+ card club suit, no fit for a major, non-forcing |
| 3♦ | Game forcing cue bid, may have slam interest |
| 3♥ | Less than invitational, typically 4+ hearts |
| 3♠ | Less than invitational, typically 4+ spades |
| 4♥ | Typically a weak raise, could be stronger but chose not to cue bid for tactical reasons |
| 4♠ | Typically a weak raise, could be stronger but chose not to cue bid for tactical reasons |
Responding to Advancer's 2NT Bid:
| Bid | Meaning |
| 3♣ | Artificial, would not accept an invitational raise |
| 3♦ | Artificial, game forcing, equal length in majors |
| 3♥ | Game forcing, longer hearts than spades |
| 3♠ | Game forcing, longer spades than hearts |
When Your Right-Hand-Opponent Bids or Doubles
If your right-hand-opponent bids, you have the options of passing. If you raise your partner's suit, your raise promises 3+ card support.
Doubles of your right-hand-opponent's bid are penalty oriented. Doubles of a right-hand-opponent's cue bid are "stolen bids."
