Lebesohl -3N and Stayman Responses

Hi all,

My last post explained how lebesohl can differentiate invitational versus game forcing hands in a major in response to partner's no-trump opening when the opponents have interfered.  Just a quick reminder that X's remain penalty unless you deem that X of artifical 2C is Stayman. One does not usually play "stolen bid X's" with this treatment. One now has the option of using a direct X  as penalty.


i Lebesohl also has the possibility of differentiating semi balanced hands with a stop in the opponent's suit from those semi-balanced hands that don't have a stop.  Remember, the 2N bid is now used as a relay, not to play.

If partner opens 1 NT and you hold:  A43,A65,K543,J43 you have an easy response: 3 NT.  If the opponents should overcall 2H one might also bid 3N however, what would one do with this hand?  A43,T65,K543,A43?  This hand does not have a stop in the opponent's suit but does have game going values. Counter-intuitive though it may seem, going through the 2N relay shows a stop in the opponent's suit and bidding 3N directly denies  a stop. Using "slow show stop:" lebesohl (not everyone's choice but the one I discuss here) I would relay through 2N with the first hand and bid 3N directly with the second hand.  If neither one of you have a stop in the opponent's suit it's hairy to start scrambling at the four level, but it's better than playing a hopeless NT contract.

Folks pretty commonly use a queue bid of the opponent's suit as Stayman in these sequences even if not playing lebesohl.   One can direct Stayman or "slow show stop" Stayman using lebesohl. Here's an example.

If you hold A876,A643,76 K76 and partner opens 1N, you know what to do.  2C Stayman and place the contract according to what partner bids.  If opponents overcall  2D you can bid 3D. This would deny a stop in opponent's suit.  Bidding 2N! with a relay to 3C! and then bidding 3D! Stayman shows this hand:  A876,A643,K76,76. 

If opponent's use artificial bids such as transfers, one used lebensohl to show stops in the known (shown) suit, e.g. 1N (2D! transfer) one would show a heart stop with this hand?  A76,K54,AK54,J54 by going through 2N! 3C! then Q bid hearts.

Review points:

1)  Lebensohl uses a 2N relay to 3C,. Opener has no other option but to bid 3C
2)  You have a choice,  but I've discussed "slow show stop" -so if you're using lebsohl to show/deny stops,  going through the relay shows a stop.
3)  Texas transfers are on over opponent's interference call up to 3C. One needs 4d over 3D interference to show majors.
4)  All three level bids are game forcing
5)  If you use lebesohl to differentiate between invitation and game forcing major suit hands --the "stop" idea is lost
6) If you use lebensohl, use it when lho opens and partner overcalls and rho raises!


One last thought. Don't use a convention when one isn't necessary.  If partner opens 1 NT and rho overcalls 2H and I hold Q54,8,Q87,AKQJ65, I would bid 3C (game forcing with a club suit). Partner can clearly bid 3 NT if he/she thinks it's right. In the meantime I've bid my beautiful club suit!

 Please comment or ask questions if the spirit moves.

Lebensohl Over NT Inteference, Single Major Suit Hands

Hi all, Every developing player should develop a working knowledge of a treatment called lebesohl. The origin of the name is lost in bridge lore, but its use and effects are embraced by many advanced players.

Lebensohl can be used in many bridge auctions and situations, but the basic concepts entails giving up the natural 2 no-trump bid to differentiate responder hands-most notably over no-trump interference. A 2 no-trump bid as responder becomes an automatic relay to 3C to opener. This relay is called the "slow" relay, so when one says "slow shows stop" one means that the relay through 2N! 3C! has been used.

We all have our basic sequences over no-trump openers down by now, the Stayman bid, transfers, Texas and quantitative bids. Pesky opponents don't always give you free reign to execute your machinery, however, and you need to be prepared to use lebensohl to differentiate between different types of responder hands.

Let's look at a basic hand you might hold over partner's 1 no-trump call: AK654,A76,K6,986. The bidding might go: 1N 2H!, 2S 3N --partner is asked to place the contract in spades or no-trump. Now suppose an opponent has overcalled hearts naturally. 1 n-trump (2H). With this hand using lebenshol, one can comfortable bid 3S game forcing in spades. Opener can then place the contract in 3 no-trump or four spades. Note, all three level calls using lebensohl are game forcing.

Now, let's look at an invitational hand in spades over partner's no-trump opening: AK654,Q74,87,987. Without interference the auction might go: 1N 2H!, 2S 2N inviting partner to play 2N, 3N, 3S or 4S. If you get two hearts interference, however, one cannot jump to 3S --that would be game forcing. The opponents have taken away the transfer call so one option is to bid 2N, relay to 3C and now bid 3S. This shows an invitational hand with spades.

Holding majors as responder, lebensohl relays are used to differentiate between game forcing and invitational values.

Please note that Texas transfers still apply. Should you have a hand like this: AQJT54,Q8,J34,J54, feel free to Texas transfer (4H!) over any interference bid.