[Quartic]

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What should West's 2♠ bid show? I think it should show any (10+ ish) 3 suiter, but another player at my local club thinks it should be a lot stronger than this. (I think he likes to play it as nearly game in hand.)

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Michaels : ♥ and a minor

[mgoetze]

I think it should mean the same thing as

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[gwnn]

This has been discussed a few times. Leaving aside the question of ranges, there are two different opinions as the above two posts have shown: takeout or michaels (since the only reasonable option is to play takeout doubles after 1NT-p-2♠-x). I believe most experts play it as TWO4BRIDGE.

[FrancesHinden]

You have 3 possible sequences:

- double of 2H
- pass then double 2S (assuming that's available)
- immediate 2S

you have 5 possible hand types to show

- hearts
- light/distributional take-out of spades
- Michaels (hearts & a minor)
- strong balanced hand
- sound take-out of spades

I've seen double used as take-out of spades, strong balanced (mainly against a weak or mini 1NT opening) or hearts
I've seen 2S used as take-out, light-takeout and Michaels
I've seen pass then double used as take-out, light take-out and sound take-out

You pays your money and....

A couple of years ago I switched from light 3-suited 0 or 1 spade to Michaels, which definitely seems to come up more often.

[Quartic]

Interesting, I hadn't thought of the possibility of Michaels. I'll have to discuss this with my regular partner.

[Quantumcat]

Michaels. Most people I know would play an immediate double as takeout, a bid of the transfer suit as michaels, pass then doubling as penalty.

Doubling instead of bidding 2♠ as takeout is better. Why?
If partner has a crap hand but three or four hearts he can pass, and you're not forced to the 3-level.
If you bid 2♠ as takeout presumably a double shows a heart suit and is lead-directing. This is not at all useful, since they now know what the threat is and even if 3NT only fails on a heart lead, then they will try 4♠ on the 5-2 fit and maybe make. Better to keep quiet and hope partner can find the lead by himself.
In addition, the double lets opener define his hand a bit better (he can pass with two spades, bid two with three spades, and bid three with four). This is the same if the double is takeout but at least you are achieving something with it. (You'll be pleased to hear partner bid a suit over 2♠ when he has five.)
It also lets you make a Michaels bid that you wouldn't been able to otherwise.
One benefit of 2♠ as takeout is it will confuse the unprepared pair. (Does 3♠ by opener show four? Does double show small doubleton and invite partner to double the opponents, or does it show 3 good spades? Does pass show two spades? etc).

[Vampyr]

Quartic, on 2012-April-03, 16:13, said:

Interesting, I hadn't thought of the possibility of Michaels. I'll have to discuss this with my regular partner.

I also find it interesting and hadn't thought of it.

Quantumcat, on 2012-April-13, 01:06, said:

One benefit of 2♠ as takeout is it will confuse the unprepared pair. (Does 3♠ by opener show four? Does double show small doubleton and invite partner to double the opponents, or does it show 3 good spades? Does pass show two spades? etc).

I think that this is more of a disadvantage than a benefit.

Anyway, the OP asked about range, and I think that it depends on the strength of the 1NT opener, ie definitely a lot sounder if their 1NT is weak, just like all interference.

[kenrexford]

I have always played a cue as Michaels. As this is a cue, this is Michaels for me.

This reminds me of one of my favorite recent stories, which I posted on my blog:

One simple bid, so much amusement.

Last night, I think I was playing at a table of insane people. I can attest to being insane myself, and the opponents, plus my partner, joined my ranks.

The auction seemed simple. LHO opened 1NT, partner passed. RHO responded with a 2D transfer to hearts. With spades and a minor, I decided to bid 2H Michaels. Seemed like a normal start.

However, Opener asked my partner what 2H meant, and she shook her head, finally deciding that if it sounds natural it must be natural. I'm not sure why 2H sounds natural, especially in this auction, but OK.

So, Opener, looking at five hearts himself, found this very odd. He was looking at five hearts. His partner transferred to hearts, ostensibly showing five or more hearts. "RHO, Ken Rexford, said he had hearts, and Ken knows what he is doing." So, not sure how all of this works out, but trusting that my new "natural" convention must make sense, he decided that a 5-5 stack was enough to make my 2H contract in jeopardy. So, he doubled.

My partner, with two hearts herself, saw no reason to pull my contract, as she had at least tolerance. This at least made some sense, as Opener might have the stiff King of hearts. Her partner (me) was good, and he'd probably realize that the only possible layout was exactly this. If dummy hits with two hearts, and RHO has five, and Declarer has five, then the 1NT opening was with a stiff, obviously the King, so that suit would be easy to play, via the "Rabbit Coup." Drop the stiff King. All very plausible.

Responder had no where to go, so he passed.

I decided that passing with a stiff heart was not a good idea. So, I tried something. 2S seemed like a reasonable "second suit" to show, having started conveniently with five of them as well.

Opener passed.

My partner, who had four spades and two hearts, was probably somewhat amazed at my ability to read the 4-4 spade fit from the auction, and so she passed with a glimmer of pride.

Responder, who had values, was stuck. Doubling seemed like the only solution. Values.

I passed.

Opener now went into the tank. This was a strange development. No one seemed to have spades. Plus, everyone had hearts. Even if they had a 5-5 heart fit, the five-card stack against them seemed to doom the 4H option. Furthermore, something seemed fishy.

Opener then realized what was apparently going on. He decided that his partner was quite the jokester. Obviously, 2D was intended as a pseudo-psychic, intended to throw the opponents off of a heart lead. The double clearly must have been penalty, because Responder's backup plan, in a pinch, would be to correct any unfortunate heart bids by opener to spades. A master plan, indeed.

So, Opener thought about whether passing for penalty or 3NT was best. Because I was not vulnerable and he was vulnerable, 3NT seemed prudent.

3NT unluckily went down one, when 4H wopuld have made an overtrick, even with the 2-1 stack.

[gwnn]

Opener should be fined for fielding his partner's psyche. It should be rolled back to 2♠x=.