Tuesday, February 21, 2006 1:21 PM

Re-opening Dbls - Lebensohl

PITBULLS:

There are many auctions in Bridge where the opponents bidding jams you of describing your values to partner. You do not have a NT bid or a negative double and since partner opened a minor you are reluctant to raise partner with only three trumps. Despite your values , you choose to pass and partner re-opens with a double. How do you make up for lost time ?

When the opponents bid a weak jump overcall , it is best to convert the double for penalty when you have values for a natural 2NT bid. This makes the natural 2NT extinct when partner re-opens the bidding with a double. Use the 2NT bid as Lebensohl instead ! You have xxx Kxx Jxxx xxx and partner opens a diamond and they bid 2♠. You pass and partner re-opens with a double so you bid 2NT as a relay to 3♣ & your subsequent 3♦ bid pours water on the proceedings. Instead you have xxx Kxx KQxx xxx and you bid a direct 3♦ after the double.

These Lebensohl understandings can apply later in the auction as long as the auction gets to the 2 level eventually. I held xxx Kxx Kxxx J10x and BJ Trelford opened 1♣ and RHO overcalled 1♠ . I passed and BJ re-opened with a double. RHO interfered with 2♦ and I passed again. I felt a double of 2♦ should show a spade trap and the giant is awakening. If partner has a minimum re-opening double I can not beat 2♦. BJ now re-opens with 2♥. He can have a very good hand . How do I show that I have these values for a hand that passed twice ? Lebensohl to the rescue. If I have nothing I bid 2NT forcing him to 3♣ and I pass. A direct 3♣ should show these values. A AJ10x Ax AQxxxx and 6♣ is very odds on.

A hand from the sectional could have used the Lebensohl understandings. Axx K1098x xx xxx and partner opens 1♦ with RHO bidding 2♠. This hand passed and opener re-opened with a double. if this hand had nothing but a weak heart hand she bids 2NT as a lebensohl relay to 3♣. 3♥ would end the auction. With this hand you bid 3♥ as a game invite and partner passes and you get +140 for a near top.

Note this has nothing to do with good-bad 2NT understanding. This bid is defined when there has been 3 bids already during the auction with RHO interfering in the sandwich position at the 2 level. A direct 2NT bid by opener is the good bad 2NT as she can not jump to the 3 level to differentiate good and bad hands. A direct bid shows values.