The Lebensohl Principle

submitted by Ned Kohler

Lebensohl causes many intermediate players (and some advanced players) a great deal of difficulty.  This is unfortunate because Lebensohl gives you more bang for the buck than a lot of more popular conventions.   Lebensohl (and similar conventions) are useful in many situations.  The most common is Lebensohl after interference over a 1N opening.

THE WHY

It is very easy to bid accurately after an opening 1NT.  Opener's hand is very narrowly defined and you have a lot of tools to find the best strain and level.  For the purposes of this article I will assume we are playing Stayman, Four-suit Transfers and Texas Transfers but the benefits of Lebensohl are universal whatever your preferred methods.

You pick up:

♠ 8

♥ K109542

 984

♣ Q73

and are pleased to hear partner open 1N (15-17).  2H should be a good spot so you plan to transfer and pass.  However, your miserable low down RHO has the nerve to stick in a 2S bid.  That will never do!  You clearly want to compete to 3H but there is one small fly in the ointment.  A 3♥ bid by you is 100% forcing to game in standard methods.  After all, suppose you held

♠ A108

♥ KQ1095

 94

♣ Q73

You would bid 3♥ (forcing) and not particularly care if Opener raised or converted to 3N.

Or suppose you have

♠ 108

♥ QJ9

 KQ1095

♣ A73

In standard methods, you have no choice but to raise to 3N and hope that partner has Spades stopped.   Since you would bid the same way with:

♠ KJ8

♥ QJ9

 KQ1095

♣ 73

Opener has to hope you have the second hand if he has no spade stop of his own. This will be most unsatisfactory when Overcaller rattles off the first six tricks.

When opponents interfere, they rob you of room to use your tools.  Lebensohl gives you back some or all of this room at the cost of losing 2N as an invitational bid.  This is a very low price to pay, since 2N is rarely a good contract.

Lebensohl allows you to distinguish weak and strong hands, sometimes even weak, strong or invitational, while also giving information about stoppers in the opponent’s suit.

THE HOW

Use Lebensohl after opponents' natural overcall at the 2 level of partner's 1NT opening (except Clubs).   Also use Lebensohl after opponents' artificial overcall at the 2 level showing one known suit (except Clubs).  The overcall can have a second unknown suit but not two known suits.

Use Lebensohl over Capp 2H showing H and an unspecified minor but not DONT 2H showing H and S.  The known suit is the Lebensohl suit for cue bidding purposes.  Just ignore the unknown suit.

Systems are ON after 2C overcalls, both natural and artificial.  A double of 2C is Stayman.

(Note some people use Lebensohl after a Club overcall as well but it does not work well.  You cannot cue in Clubs, which is the opponent’s suit, to show Stayman with a stopper after Opener’s forced rebid of 3 clubs.)

There are two versions of Lebensohl.  They differ only in how a stopper is shown.   This article will use the most popular method. "Slow shows (fast denies)".    To show a stopper, it is necessary to first use the Lebensohl 2N relay.

An opponent makes a natural overcall (not clubs) or an artificial overcal with ONE known suit (not clubs) at the 2 level:  

1. Double is for penalty.
2. A two level suitbid is to play, showing a weak hand.
3. A 2NT bid isartificial, forcing opener to bid three clubs.
4. A three levelMINOR new suit bid is invitational to game.
5. A three levelMAJOR new suit bid is forcing to game.
6. A three level cuebid is Stayman and DENIES a stop in Overcaller's suit.
7. A 3NT bid showsstrength for game but DENIES a stop in Overcaller's suit.
8. A 4C bid is stillGerber.
9. 4D and 4H arestill Texas transfers.
10. 4N is still a quantitative slam try.

Responder's rebids over Opener's forced bid of 3C:

1. Pass with a weak hand and long clubs.
2. Any new suit bid below the rank of the overcall is a weak signoff.  You could NOT have bid it at the two level.
3. Any new suit bid above the rank of the overcall is invitational. You COULD have bid it at the two level.
4. A three level cue bid is Stayman and PROMISES a stop in Overcaller's suit.
5. A 3NT bid shows strength for game and PROMISES a stop in Overcaller's suit.

Life is easy when Responder shows a stop or Opener has one.  It gets a little more interesting when neither has one and there is no 8 card major fit.  Remember, if you weren't using Lebensohl you would now be sitting in 3N about to go down at least one.  Having been warned by the "Fast Denial", you have chances to scramble to your best spot.

After an IMMEDIATE cue-bid by Responder (Stayman with no stop).  Opener's priorities are:

1. Bid a four-card major if he has one;
2. Bid 3NT with a stopper in the enemy suit;
3. Lacking both a stopper and a four-card major, look for a better game.
4. With a minimum, rebid four clubs or four diamonds
5. With a maximum, opener should jump to five of long minor, or cue bid
6. Cue bid of opponent's suit to ask responder to pick a minor at the 5 level
7. Opener may decide to try a 4-3 major fit if he knows responder's four-card major

A direct jump to three no trump over an enemy overcall DENIES a stopper in the enemy suit.  Opener then

• Passes with a stopper
• Bids a five card major if he has one
• Explores for a better contract in a minor.

Where the overcall was a natural OR artificial 2C bid SYSTEMS ARE ON.  Double is STAYMAN, not penalty.  After a Cappeletti/Hamilton 2C, you can still use Lebensohl by passing first and waiting to see what the suit is.  Passing then bidding does NOT show weakness.  It just allows you to clarify the auction.

After a natural (penalty) double, redouble is SOS and demands opener rebid 2C, pass or correct, otherwise systems are on.

After an artificial (DONT or similar) double, redouble says “We have the balance of the HCP”, and asks partner to double (for penalty) anything he can. Otherwise, systems are on.  Another option is to pass, then Lebensohl applies after opponent shows the suit.  Ex:  1N-(X)-P-(2C)-P-(2H)- you can now bid exactly as after a natural 2H overcall.

Where the overcall is at the 3-level:  

• A bid below game is forcing to game.
• A double is negative, NOT penalty.  Opener is requested to bid but may choose to convert the double to penalty by passing.
• Game bids are signoffs.
• Three no trump neither shows nor denies a stopper.
• A cue-bid of a minor suit is either
  a.  Michaels
  b.  Slam interest (with or without a major).  Subsequent bids will show which one.

EXAMPLES

 I.♠ 8

♥ K109542

 984

♣ Q73

1N-(2C)-2D!     Systems are on over 2C.   Transfer and pass.

II.♠ 8

♥ K109542

 984

♣ Q73

1N-(2D)-2H  Weak to play 

III.♠ 8

♥ K109542

 984

♣ Q73

1N-(2S)-2N!-(P)-3C!-(P)-3H  Weak to play

IV. ♠ 8

♥ K10942

A84

♣ J73

1N-(2D)-2N!-(P)-3C!-(P)-3H  Invitational

V.♠ 8

♥ KQ1092

A84

♣ J73

1N-(2D)-3H  Game forcing.  Notice that you neither show nor deny a stopper when showing a 5 card major.

VI.♠ 84

♥ 42

AQ9864

♣ J73

1N-(2H)-3D  Invitational.  With a good minor suit and a hand strong enough for game just bid 3N (or 2N, then 3N with a stopper).

Library of previous columns:

Bid More Slams by Wayne Sands & Ken Barbour

February 2008