Leaping Michaels

In the game of bridge, Leaping Michaels is a conventional overcall made in defense to an opposing 2-level or 3-level preempt. Leaping Michaels is played by many pairs as it provides a means to show strong two-suited hands (5-5 or longer) that are less suitable for a takeout double.

To do so, Leaping Michaels, utilises the 4Clubs and 4Diams bids. Similar to Michaels cuebid, in case this minor suit overcall is in the opposing suit, both major suits are implied. In case the overcall is not a cuebid, the suit bid plus a major suit is indicated. So, on preempts of the opponents (indicated between brackets), the following applies when playing Leaping Michaels:

:(2/3Hearts) - 4Clubs : Clubs and spades:(2/3Hearts) - 4Diams : Diamonds and spades:(2/3Spades) - 4Clubs : Clubs and hearts:(2/3Spades) - 4Diams : Diamonds and hearts:(3Clubs) - 4Clubs : Majors:(3Clubs) - 4Diams : Diamonds and an undisclosed major:(3Diams) - 4Clubs : Clubs and an undisclosed major:(3Diams) - 4Diams : Majors

After (3Diams) - 4Clubs, a bid of 4Diams asks for the major. The bids 4Hearts and 4Spades are to play.

Following (3Clubs) - 4Diams the bid of 4Hearts is played as pass-or-correct.

Some partnerships prefer to interchange the meanings of the 4Clubs and 4Diams bids following a 3Clubs preempt so that 4Clubs denotes diamonds and an undisclosed major. This has the advantage that the 4Diams becomes available to ask for the major suit. The 4Hearts/4Spades responses can then be played as natural (to play).

Leaping Michaels can be utilised after natural two-level preempts, but also after conventional preempts such as Muiderberg. Even after a Multi 2 diamonds preempt, Leaping Michaels can be utilised to good effect:

:(2Diams) - 4Clubs : Clubs and an undisclosed major (4Diams asks for the major):(2Diams) - 4Diams : Diamonds and an undisclosed major (4Hearts is pass-or-correct)

See also: Michaels cuebid