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 when 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 . By the simple act of accepting the transfer , he
can be dropped by
partner when his
intention was just to compete. When
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. When 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 or cards ( partnership
preference ) . Rubensohl applies after a
1NT overcall also with RHO
interfering.
The underlying new concept
with Rubensohl is the trick of transferring into their suit. This is Stayman or a 3NT bid
without a stopper. The opponents must be playing a natural or quasi – natural system
before Runensohl comes into effect.
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 them not) .
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. When
the NT opener does bid a 4 card major & partner now bids 3NT he does not have a stopper. When you do not do
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.