| A Flexible Convention |
Show Detail |
A Flexible Convention
Regular partnerships will probably be familiar with the Lebensohl convention, used to minimise the disruption caused when an opponent competes over partner's 1NT opening bid. The basic idea is that over this intervention, a response in a suit at the 3 level is forcing. With a more limited hand, responder bids 2NT- this asks opener to reply 3♣, and responder may then pass (with clubs) or make a non forcing bid in a suit.
However, Lebensohl is also useful when there has been an opening weak two bid by an opponent. It is usual for a double of this bid to be played as takeout, but it can be difficult to know whether to bid on if partner responds to the double with a bid in a suit at the 3-level. Does partner have a rotten hand (after all, he was asked to bid) or does he have enough for game (perhaps 9 or 10 points) when the doubler has about 15 or 16 points?
The answer is to play that a response at the 3 level promises about 8-11 points, with a cue bid of the opponent's suit showing a stronger hand. With fewer than 8 points, partner bids 2NT. This conventional bid, as above, asks the doubler to bid 3♣-partner may then pass (with a weak hand and a club suit) or sign off in a long suit.
In this week's hand, taken from the club's Team of Four Championship, the opening bid was the "multi 2♦" , usually showing a weak 2-bid in a major.West passed and when North's non forcing 2♠ was passed by South ( revealing a weak 2♠ opener),West now competed with a takeout double. East recognised this was a Lebensohl situation, and the 3♦ bid showed 8-11 points. However, West missed this inference, and worried that partner may be weak, passed.
The 3♦ contract was safe enough (East made 11 tricks) but if West had realised that East's bid promised some values, he could have bid 3♥, and now the game in hearts would have been bid.
Tip: Discuss with partner the use of Lebensohl when bidding after partner's take out double of a weak 2- bid (and also after the dreaded "multi 2♦")
Bob Baker
|
|
|
|