Bridge news sheet 288

This week’s bridge news sheet No. 288 is a very interestong one, with eleven articles.
It starts off with a fairly familiar topic - Michaels cue bids (and the UNT). These show two-suited hands but should they be basically pre-emptive or any strength? Your hand was ♠KJ73 ♥KQ974 ♦A2 ♣J9 and RHO had opened 1♦. I disagree with a 2♦ Michaels cue bid here and I would overcall 1♥.
Then there’s an example of a good UNT when LHO has opened 1NT and RHO transferred into a major; it’s favourable vulnerability and you hold  ♠J ♥J4 ♦109754 ♣AQ753 - bid 2NT.
Next you hold  ♠AQJ ♥AKQJ1042 ♦K6 ♣Q, what do you open playing Benjamin twos? 2♣ or 2♦?
Next you hold  ♠K1076 ♥864 ♦A7532 ♣4 and partner opens 1♣ (could be short), you bid 1♦, partner bids 1♥ and you bid 1♠ (natural and forcing). LHO then bids 2♣ and partner bids 2s. You pass and LHO bids 3♣ which is passed to you - what do you do?
Now here’s a very tricky one. You hold ♠J8743 ♥A94 ♦4 ♣AKQJ and open 1♠; partner responds 2♣. What do you do? Playing two-over-one it’s easy of course, 3♣ is forcing - but is it in Standard American? And it certainly is not forcing playing Acol.
Next there are the two usual Dave problems on the play of the hand, but one is not at all clear to me.
Then there’s another play problem. trumps are K9872 opposite A1064. You play low to the ace, LHO drops the queen and RHO the five. You then lead th ten fro table and RHO plays the three - do you finesse or not?
This is followed by an article about restricted choice or eight ever-nine never.
Next you hold ♠A765 ♥KJ853 ♦94 ♣K85; LHO opens 1♣ and partner overcalls 1♦, what do you do? If you think that 1NT is right (it is not) then have a look at Responding in No-Trumps to partner’s overcall.

Finally we have an incident where the director was called when a 1NT was overcalled with a Multi Landy two clubs which turned out to be a club suit.

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