Rubensohl (Transfer Lebensol) Jim Berglund’s Lesson 38

( Kantar – Lesson by Bob Crosby) Rubensohl  ( Kantar – Lesson by Bob Crosby) Lebensohl  by responder 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.     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 !!!    The  modern version of Rubensohl by Eddie Kantar below. When the opponents bid artificially  or bid the minors naturally, Lebensohl or other understandings are on.When  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.   From Kantar ..   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   Transferring into their suit should also be a way of asking partner if he has a stopper in their suit as well as Stayman. 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.   

The Problem W N E S 1NT 2♠ 3♦ 4♠ ? Example 1     With ♠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 !!

The Problem Competing for a partial is important as double partial swings are expensive.  Example 2. You hold ♠xxx ♥Ax ♦Axxx ♣AKxx and guess that partner was competing in hearts so you pass. Wrong  , partner had diamonds . With ♠x ♥xxx ♦QJ10xxx ♣Qxx  , you are on a hook for 5♦ but you sell out for 3♠ unaware of your huge diamond fit. W N E S 1NT 2♠ 2NT 3♠ ?

The Solution 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. Another brilliant part of this structure is that you can define meanings to transferring into their suit.

The Solution Transfers also allows the concept of “super accepts” which can also be used in this structure Usable bidding with two suiters is preserved with transfers along with the super accept understandings. All this & the contract is right sided !!! 

How it Works When the opponents bid artificially  or bid the minors naturally, Lebensohl or other understandings are on. When  the opponents make artificial doubles or 2♣ bids showing a single suit, we just ignore them and systems are 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.

How it Works 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   W N E S 1NT 2♥ ? Example 3. 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     (eg ♣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 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 1. Accept the transfer to their suit with no major or stopper 2. Bid your major 3. Bid 3NT with a stopper

Note: Transferring into their suit should also be a way of asking partner if he has a stopper in their suit as well as Stayman. 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.

Example 4 NS Vulnerable 1NT 2♠ ? W N E S 1NT 2♠ ? Double =  penalty  - D.S.I.P. (Do Something Intelligent, Partner) 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 are consistent with the heart overcall. With this treatment , the transfer always shows the suit immediately, in case RHO interferes.

Rubensohl, like Lebensol … 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.

If RHO Competes…  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. 

In hands 4 and 5 bidding after partner’s response is forcing one round W N E S 1♣ 1♦ ? Test Question 1 BOTH VULNERABLE YOU ARE SOUTH 1 2 3 4 5 DBL in all cases In hands 4 and 5 bidding after partner’s response is forcing one round ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 87543 85432 A 65 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ K1082 76543 Q32 52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ K875 Q765 32 865 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AKQ7 A 6452 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AQ8 AQ82 632 K3

DBL with 6,7,and 8; in hand 7, bid 2♥ over 2♣, showing a single suit 1♦ 1♠ ? Test Question 2 BOTH VULNERABLE YOU ARE SOUTH 6 7 8 9 10 DBL with 6,7,and 8; in hand 7, bid 2♥ over 2♣, showing a single suit Bid 2♥ in hand 9 (forcing 1 round) Bid 3NT in hand 10 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 876 A432 Q5 QJ52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 108 KQJ543 432 52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J10 KJ54 432 K654 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 654 AKQ76 Q3 652 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AQ8 A832 632 K32

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 876 A432 Q5 QJ52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 108 KQJ543 432 52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J10 KJ54 W N E S 1♦ 2♣ ? Test Question 3 BOTH VULNERABLE YOU ARE SOUTH 11 12 13 14 15 Pass with hands 11, 12, and 13 and hope partner reopens with a double None of these hands are suitable for a negative double Bid 2♥ in hand 14 (forcing 1 round) Bid 3NT in hand 15 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 876 A432 Q5 QJ52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 108 KQJ543 432 52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J10 KJ54 432 K654 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 654 AKQ76 Q3 652 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AQ8 A832 632 K32

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 87 A43 QJ5 KJ932 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 102 QJ3 65432 52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J107 KJ 43 W N E S 1♦ 2♦ ? Test Question 4 BOTH VULNERABLE YOU ARE SOUTH 16 17 18 19 20 Negative doubles are only used over bids of two different suits. This is a Michaels bid, showing the Majors Bid 4♦ in hand 17 (with more points, bid 2S Bid 2♥! in hand 18 Double in hand 19 (this is a penalty double) Bid 3NT in hand 20 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 87 A43 QJ5 KJ932 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 102 QJ3 65432 52 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J107 KJ 43 K65432 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ K542 AKQ6 43 652 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AQ84 A832 632 K3

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 87654 A43 QJ5 J5 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ QJ1042 432 654 AK ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 107 43 QJ W N E S 1♥ 2♦ ? Test Question 5 BOTH VULNERABLE YOU ARE SOUTH 21 22 23 24 25 Bid 2♥ with hand 21 Bid 2♠ with hand 22 Pass with hand 23 – hope partner re-opens Double with hand 24 - a nice negative double Bid 3D with hand 15 – slam may be on! ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 87654 A43 QJ5 J5 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ QJ1042 432 654 AK ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 107 43 QJ KQJ5432 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ KQ42 Q6 Q3 K652 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ AQ84 A832 6 KQ32

♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 8765 AQJ5432 A10 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J102 43 KJ109 KQJ10 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 107 43 QJ W N E S 1♥ 3♠ ? Test Question 6 BOTH VULNERABLE YOU ARE SOUTH 26 27 28 29 30 DBL with hand 26; bid 4♦ over partner’s (likely) club response Pass with hand 27 & hand 28 – hope partner re-opens Bid 3NT with hand 29 – the easiest & best game Bid 4♠ with hand 30 – Exclusion BW ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 8765 AQJ5432 A10 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ J102 43 KJ109 KQJ10 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ 107 43 QJ KQJ5432 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ KQ5 A6 Q652 ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ A832 AQ84 KQ832