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.