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. The following section covers how to respond to a Michaels Cue Bid of a minor suit opening bid where you know partner has both majors.
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. This allows xxxx
We use a cue of of opener's major to show a game forcing raise of partner's major.
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:
| 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 with a raise or a cue bid as shown in the table below.
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♥ | Invitational heart raise |
| 3♠ | Invitational spade raise |
| 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♥ | Invitational heart raise |
| 3♠ | Invitational spade raise |
| 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.
