jim berglund’s lesson 38 rubensohl (transfer lebensol)

Jim Berglund’s Lesson 38

Rubensohl(Transfer Lebensol)

♠ 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 majorBid 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.

Rubensohl ( Kantar – Lesson by Bob Crosby)

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 ProblemW N E S

1NT 2♠ 3♦

4♠ ?

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.

The Problem

W N E S

1NT 2♠ 2NT

3♠ ?

♠ 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 !!!

The Solution

♠ 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.

How it Works

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♥ ?

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 stopper3♥ = 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

Example 3.

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 their suit1. Accept the transfer to their suit with no major or stopper

2. Bid your major3. Bid 3NT with a stopper

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

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.

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.

W N E S

1NT 2♠ ?Example 4NS Vulnerable

♠ 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.

Rubensohl, like Lebensol …

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.

If RHO Competes…

Test Question 1BOTH VULNERABLEYOU 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

♠♥

♦♣

8754385432A65

W N E S

1♣ 1♦ ?

♠♥

♦♣

K108276543Q3252

♠♥

♦♣

K875Q76532865

♠♥

♦♣

AKQ7AKQ7A6452

♠♥

♦♣

AQ8AQ82632K3

Test Question 2BOTH VULNERABLEYOU 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

♠♥

♦♣

876A432Q5QJ52

W N E S

1♦ 1♠ ?

♠♥

♦♣

108KQJ54343252

♠♥

♦♣

J10KJ54432K654

♠♥

♦♣

654AKQ76Q3652

♠♥

♦♣

AQ8A832632K32


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

♠♥

♦♣

876A432Q5QJ52

W N E S

1♦ 2♣ ?

♠♥

♦♣

108KQJ54343252

♠♥

♦♣

J10KJ54432K654

♠♥

♦♣

654AKQ76Q3652

♠♥

♦♣

AQ8A832632K32


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

♠♥

♦♣

87A43QJ5KJ932

W N E S

1♦ 2♦ ?

♠♥

♦♣

102QJ36543252

♠♥

♦♣

J107KJ43K65432

♠♥

♦♣

K542AKQ643652

♠♥

♦♣

AQ84A832632K3


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!

♠♥

♦♣

87654A43QJ5J5

W N E S

1♥ 2♦ ?

♠♥

♦♣

QJ1042432654AK

♠♥

♦♣

10743QJKQJ5432

♠♥

♦♣

KQ42Q6Q3K652

♠♥

♦♣

AQ84A8326KQ32


26 27 28 29 30

DBL with hand 26; bid 4♦ over partner’s (likely) club responsePass with hand 27 & hand 28 – hope partner re-opensBid 3NT with hand 29 – the easiest & best gameBid 4♠ with hand 30 – Exclusion BW

♠♥

♦♣

8765

AQJ5432A10

W N E S

1♥ 3♠ ?

♠♥

♦♣

J10243KJ109KQJ10

♠♥

♦♣

10743QJKQJ5432

♠♥

♦♣

KQ5A6Q652Q652

♠♥

♦♣

A832AQ84KQ832

jim berglund’s lesson 38 rubensohl (transfer lebensol)

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