Friday, August 27, 2004 2:59 AM
Hand Evaluation – Rubensohl ( Kantar )
PITBULLS:
Lebensohl over a strong NT was invented so that you can
compete better or show game
forcing hands immediately. The bad part
of Lebensohl is that you must go thru a relay to find out partners real suit so if RHO competes
you might never know that you have
a fantastic fit. In today’s game
, the opponents always seem to use their toy to disturb your NT but RHO is getting
into the act more & more to re-preempt the auction. Jeff Reubens
from the Bridge World thought it was a better idea for partner to announce the suit directly
with a transfer
but your strength later with a
D.S.I.P. double or a Q bid or by bidding
again. You build your system around hand
evaluation concepts. Rubensohl was built on the transfer concept.
1NT-2♠-3♦-4♠ ?
♠xxx ♥AQxx ♦AKxx ♣Kx it might be a good idea to bid 5♥ since partner has announced hearts with her transfer .
Partners hand is ♠x ♥Kxxxxx ♦xx ♣Q10xx but playing Lebensohl
he would have bid 2NT so with the same 4♠ bid by RHO the
partnership is poorly placed. Neither side
is aware of the huge heart fit !!
Competing
for a partial is important as double partial
swings are expensive. You
hold ♠xxx ♥Ax ♦Axxx ♣AKxx , they overcall 2♠ after your 1NT bid.
Partner bids 2NT Lebensohl , your RHO bids 3♠ . You guess that partner was competing in hearts
so you pass. Wrong , partner had
diamonds . ♠x ♥xxx ♦QJ10xxx
♣Qxx , you are on a hook for 5♦ but you sell out for
3♠ unaware of your
huge diamond fit.
The
device Rubens suggests to prevent RHO from jamming you is to replace
the Lebensohl structure with a
transfer
structure. This allows
the NT opener to know the suit immediately
and by the simple act of accepting the transfer he can be dropped by partner if
his intention was just to compete.
If partner’s intention was to force , he can bid game or Q bid or bid Blackwood
or whatever. The brilliant part of this structure is that you can define meanings
to transferring into their suit.
Transfers
also allows the concept of “super accepts”
which can be used in this structure also. Useful space with two suiters are preserved
with transfers along with the super accept understandings. All this & the contract
is right sided !!!
A more modern version of Rubensohl by Eddie Kantar below.
If the opponents bid artificially or bid the minors
naturally, Lebensohl or other understandings are on. If the opponents make
artificial doubles or 2♣ bids showing a single suit, we just ignore and systems on. A double
on an artificial 2♣ bid is simply
Stayman. Rubensohl applies after a 1NT overcall also and RHO interferes.
The underlying new concept with Rubensohl is the trick of transferring into their suit. This is Stayman or a 3NT bid without a stopper.
AFTER A 1NT OPENING BID AND
A NATURAL 2♥ or 2♠ OVERCALL.
(ALSO PLAYABLE IF THE OVERCALL SHOWS THE BID
SUIT ALONG WITH AN UNKNOWN MINOR.)
North
East South (you)
1NT
2♥
?
Double= penalty ,
D.S.I.P on terrorist vul (us vul
) .
2♠= Natural, not
forcing.
2NT= Transfer to 3♣
3♣ = Transfer to 3♦
3♦ = ( transfer to their
suit ) Stayman or 3NT without a
stopper
3♥ = transfer to 3♠
3♠ =
both minors x xx AQxxx KJxxx
3NT= Natural with a heart stopper
4♣ = Gerber (for aces only)
4♥ = Transfer to 4♠
(If followed by 4NT, Keycard Blackwood)
4NT = Natural
After a 2NT transfer
to 3♣ you can:
(1) Pass
(2) Bid 3♦ or 3♠, natural,
showing 6-4 with six clubs, forcing.
(3) Bid 3NT slam try in clubs
After a 3♣ transfer to 3♦, you
can:
(1) Pass
(2) Bid 3♠ or 4♣
to show six diamonds and four of the bid suit.
(3) Bid 3NT, a slam try in
diamonds.
After a 3♥ transfer
to 3♠, you
can
1. Bid 3NT and give partner
a choice of game contracts.
2. Raise
to 4♠
( slam try as you did not bid Texas transfer
)
3. Bid a
new suit, natural, probably 5-5.
4. Bid
4NT, natural, with five
After a 3♦
transfer to their suit
Accept the transfer to
their suit with no major or stopper
Bid your major
Bid 3NT with a stopper
Tom Gandolfo suggests that transferring into their suit should also be a way of asking partner if he has a stopper in their
suit as well as Staymn. If the NT opener does bid a 4 card major & partner
now bids 3NT he does not have a
stopper. If you do not either , scrambling for the best contract commences.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1NT
2♠
? (similar to previous list)
Double= penalty
, D.S.I.P. terrorist vul ( us vul )
2NT = transfer to 3♣
3♣ = transfer to 3♦
3♦ = transfer to 3♥
3♥ =
Stayman or 3NT without a stopper
( transfer to their suit)
3♠ =
both minors
3NT= Natural, with a spade stop.
4♣ = Gerber
4♦ = Transfer to 4♥
(If followed by 4NT, Keycard Blackwood)
4NT = Natural
Responses consistent with the heart
overcall. With this treatment , the transfer always shows the suit immediately in case RHO interferes.
Rubensohl applies when partner makes a 1NT overcall and they interfere. You can
give a meaning to transferring into the 2nd bid suit if there is
one. D.S.I.P. doubles rather than
penalty doubles apply in these auctions also when they interfere after a 1NT overcall by partner.
Understandings are also necessary of RHO gets in the act
, but these are just common sense. As per other Bridge principles , if they
double bidding is the weakest action. Pass denies a fit and leaves room for a
penalty double if there is one . A XX is punitive & denies a fit with your
suit. A Q bid or 3NT are super accepts even with RHO interfering.