Super-Michaels

7^th August – Board 22: East/West Game. Dealer East.

I always enjoy the ability to turn the opponents’ sophistication to my own use and the hand shown below might well have been a case in point…

	North: S A J 8 3 2 H 5 D A Q 10 9 5 3 C 9
West: S K Q 10 6 H A J 6 2 D 7 4 C A J 3		East: S 5 H K Q 10 4 3 D J 6 C K Q 7 6 4
	South: S 9 7 4 H 9 8 7 D K 8 2 C 10 8 5 2

West	North	East	South
		1H	No
2NT	4H	No	4S
Dbl	End

2NT is of course Jacoby, showing as it does a raise to game in hearts or better but it does allow North a clever way of showing two suits – spades and a minor, by bidding the game the opponents were about to bid! This is of course just an extension of the Michael’s convention whereby a bid of 2H over 1H shows spades and a minor. If in the above hand South had been dealt something with a 1-3-4-5 shape or thereabouts he would bid 4NT asking his partner to bid his minor. As it happens South would bid 4S and the best West can do is double, as 5H is down in top tricks. With careful play declarer can escape for two down in 4S showing a good return for enterprise.