Friday, August 27, 2004 2:59 AM

Modified Rubensohl

 

PITBULLS:

 

          Lebensohl  over a strong NT was invented so that you can compete better and show game forcing hands immediately. The bad part of Lebensohl is that you must go thru a relay to find out partners real suit and 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 and RHO is getting into the act more and 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 and your strength later with a D.S.I.P. double or a Q bid or by  bidding again.

 

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 and playing Lebensohl he would have bid 2NT and 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   and they overcall 2♠ after your 1NT bid. Partner bids 2NT Lebensohl and they bid 3♠ . You guess that partner was competing in hearts so you pass. Wrong  , partner had diamonds . ♠x ♥xxx ♦QJ10xxx ♣Qxx  and you are on a hook for 5♦ and 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 and 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.

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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.