Monday, June 19, 2006 7:34 AM

Hand Evaluation – Ststemic ( Lebensohl )

PITBULLS:

Everybody knows the standard treatments with Lebensohl after a weak two. Here are some more advanced applications of the Lebensohl relay which I like to play over weak 2’s. Lebensohl is normally used to show weak hands but the convention can also be used to show strong or invitational hands or two suited hands. Using the Lebensohl 2NT relay & bidding again can be assigned meanings. Using Lebensohl initially & Q bidding is a fancy way to show the other 4 card major with a game forcing hand. The concept is not unlike “breaking the relay” but by the person making the relay in the first place !! Bidding Lebensohl first & subsequently bidding your major shows an invitational hand with a 4 card major. Bidding Lebensohl first & subsequently using the 4 level describes two suiters.

Specialized uses of Lebensohl

Lebensohl can be a beneficial addition to your system if limited to the standard treatments . If you want to adopt some more advanced uses of the convention, you can add special sequences to distinguish between different types of forcing and invitational hands. Here's one approach, which you can simplify or expand to meet your preferences:

Invitational auctions

• Jump below game (2♥-DBL-P-3♠) = One-suited invitational , promising 5+ cards in your suit. To show an invitational hand with only a 4-card suit major, you can go through the Lebensohl 2NT sequence first & bid your suit later (2♥-DBL-P-2NT / P-3♣-P-3♠).

Game auctions

• Immediate 3NT (2♥-DBL-P-3NT) = Good stoppers in the opponent's suit. Usually denies 4 cards in the other major.
• Immediate cuebid (2♥-DBL-P-3♥) = Asks doubler to bid 3NT with a stopper. (This can also be used to start the description of a one-suited slam try -- see below).
• Immediate jump cuebid (2♥-DBL-P-4♥) = Both minors (if the weak-2 was a major). If the opponent opened 2♦, a jump to 4♦ shows both majors. The jump cuebid shows game values with a control, but is not a slam try. (See below for how to use Lebensohl to make a two-suited slam try.)
• Immediate jump to 4NT – Quantitative ( one trick better than a 3NT bid ) . 5NT quite often used afterwards saying pick a slam.

Choice-of-game auctions

Lebensohl can help you improve your bidding accuracy when you have a good hand, but only 4 cards in the other major. Since the takeout doubler may have only 3-card support for your suit, it's helpful to give him specific information about your length in the other major & your stoppers in the opponent's suit. To do this, start with the Lebensohl 2NT (ostensibly showing a weak hand), then follow with a cuebid or 3NT:

 LHO   Partner  RHO    You
   2♥     DBL     Pass   2NT
   Pass   3♣      Pass   3♥ or 3NT

• Lebensohl, then a cuebid (3♥) = 4 cards in other major, but NO stopper in the opponent's suit.
• Lebensohl, then 3NT = 4 cards in other major WITH a stopper.

Both these auctions show forcing-to-game strength & gives partner the choice of playing your suit or notrump. Used after a weak 2♠ opener also with 4♥’s.

One-suited slam try

• Cuebid, then 4 of a suit = One long suit, slam-invitational values. This is used for a hand that's too strong for a simple jump to game. Your cuebid (2♥-DBL-P-3♥) originally asks doubler to bid 3NT with a stopper, but if you then follow with a new suit at the 4-level (4♣, 4♦ , 4♠), it shows slam-try values with one long suit.

Two-suited slam tries

Lebensohl can also be used to show a two-suited hand with slam-try (or better) values. To do this, you start with 2NT, then bid a new suit at the 4-level:

 LHO    Partner   RHO   You
  2♥      DBL     Pass   2NT
  Pass    3♣      Pass    ?

• Lebensohl, then 4♣ or 4♦ = Two-suited slam-try with that suit & the other major. (If the opponent opened a weak 2♥, Lebensohl followed by 4♣ or 4♦ shows that suit and the other minor.)
• Lebensohl, then cuebid at 4-level (4♥) = Two-suited slam-try with both minors. (If the opponent opened a weak 2♦, Lebensohl-then-4♦ is a slam-try with both majors.)
• Lebensohl, then 4♠ (after a 2♥ opening) = You can develop your own special meaning for this if you like. The Lebensohl-then-4♠ sequence could be a slam-forcing hand that forces partner to cuebid.