[jillybean]

We played in a tournament again yesterday , finishing midway which I'm happy with.
This hand is going to haunt me for a while. Sitting down against 2 Grand Masters I lost my mind.

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[DavidKok]

4♦ Leaping Michaels, I'll definitely compete over their 5♥ but I would like to consult partner over their 6♥.

[jillybean]

Leaping Michaels undiscussed

[LBengtsson]

The only thing on my mind at the moment at red/white is to bid my best suit at the lowest level to show my hand and for a lead. Without Leaping Michaels that is all you can do. It has strong distribution but not defensively oriented. 2♠ is my bid and see what happens next.

[thepossum]

3 hearts??

[mikeh]

I would bid a quiet 4H.

I am going to be bidding 4S next time anyway…I’m raising partner and/or not defending

Second choice is 3H

Leaping Michaels would be useful so long as played as forcing to 4S or 5D, as I think it should be. However, it’s unavailable.

Losing one’s mind probably involves at least one double😀

[jillybean]

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Pick your slam
Without Leaping Michaels, I really like 4♥. I wonder when I will get another chance to use it.

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2023-March-12, 10:17, said:

Without Leaping Michaels, I really like 4♥. I wonder when I will get another chance to use it.

I don't disagree.
What would you (really) have done over 5♣?

[thepossum]

Can you use Leaping Michaels over 1-P-2
I was reading that it was for use over pre-empts
Looks like a good bid though

It fits into the class of all my favourite bids

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2023-March-12, 16:43, said:

I don't disagree.
What would you (really) have done over 5♣?

If I'm prepared to bid 4♥ I must bid 5♦/5♣

[mw64ahw]

Why 2♥ for West?

[DavidKok]

thepossum, on 2023-March-12, 18:22, said:

Can you use Leaping Michaels over 1-P-2
I was reading that it was for use over pre-empts
Looks like a good bid though

It fits into the class of all my favourite bids

Yes. This is an important topic to discuss with partner, when is (non)Leaping Michaels on? The theory on the auction in this thread is that there isn't much preemptive value in bidding 4 of a minor after they have established a fit and limited one hand. Meanwhile, with modern aggressive openings (or just very shapely hands), it is very possible we have a good game on.
Personally I recommend playing (non)Leaping Michaels on
(1M)-P-(2M)-?
(1M)-P-(3M)-?
(2X)-?
(2X)-P-(P)-?
(2X)-P-(3X)-?
(3X)-?
(3X)-P-(P)-?
1m-(P)-3m* (inverted)-?
1X-(P)-2NT/3Y (artificial weak or mixed raise)- ?
The X'es include minor suits, as long as it is natural/shows a 5-card anchor suit.

The auctions where they quickly bid to 3 of a major are a point of discussion, many players want to have a way to show a long strong minor suit and therefore reject Nonleaping Michaels on those auctions. I think this is backwards - strong hands with a long minor usually belong in 3NT, so making a takeout double (really a 'Thrump double') is often better. And if you are prepared to give up on 3NT you often belong in 5m rather than 4m anyway.

In theory I'd also play LM on 1m-(P)-2m-? if the raise is not inverted, but I don't think I've ever seen that auction.

[jillybean]

mw64ahw, on 2023-March-12, 22:42, said:

Why 2♥ for West?

Constructive?

[mw64ahw]

jillybean, on 2023-March-13, 10:36, said:

Constructive?

Its close between that and a limit raise For me

[jillybean]

mw64ahw, on 2023-March-14, 01:11, said:

Its close between that and a limit raise For me

Me too

A little off topic however I have to mentioned that I have concerns with the name "Leaping Michaels". "Michaels" is a direct cue bid of the opponents suit, "Leaping Michaels" is not a cue bid of the opponents suit.
Going back many years when a partner suggested we play "Leaping Michaels" and did a poor job of describing the convention, I did just that, leap in the opponents suit
as I had learned when adding "Michaels". Of course what ensued was a total disaster.

[DavidKok]

I call it "Wereldconventie", which is the Dutch name for the same treatment (though there are minute differences - (3♣)-4♣ shows ♦+a major). I don't really care about the name, just make sure to discuss

• on which auctions it applies,
  
• whether or not it is forcing to game (it should always be), and
  
• what the minimum strength is on which you are allowed to bid it (my opinion is 'any hand that is uncomfortable passing at the 3-level', about an ace weaker than standard).