December 2014 - 46

Newer Players

Ask	Jerry
BY JERRY HELMS

Dear Jerry,
A new duplicate partner has
insisted that we need to learn the
lebensohl convention when the
opponents open a weak two-bid.
He has tried to explain it to me, but
it seems hopelessly complicated
and I question the need. Opinion,
please.

 www.jerryhelms.com

"Takeout	doubles	are	meant	to	be	
taken	out."	I	have	often	said	that	when	
advancing	a	takeout	double,	it	is	important	to	let	partner	know	whether	you	
are	doing	so	because	you	had	to,	you	
were	happy	to,	or	you	were	thrilled	to.
Looking	at	case	one,	your	longest	unbid	suit	is	hearts.	Lacking	any	options,	
you	would	bid	3♥.	On	case	two,	lacking	
any	options,	you	would	also	bid	3♥.
Jonathan
The	third	case	should	be	relatively	
easy.	Holding	full	opening	values	opHi,	Jonathan,
posite	a	partner	who	has	shown	at	least	
Years	ago,	I	taught	a	two-day,	10-hour	 an	opening	bid	and	three	cards	in	all	of	
seminar	on	the	lebensohl	convention.	
the	unbid	suits,	bidding	a	heart	game	
It	was	one	of	the	major	mistakes	of	
seems	rather	straightforward.	
my	teaching	life!	The	problem	was	not	
Players	who	have	questionable	eththe	convention	as	much	as	my	stupid	
ics	or	who	just	don't	know	any	better	
decision	to	try	and	teach	every	possible	 have	a	simple	solution	on	the	first	
application	and	every	possible	retwo	hands.	With	the	first	hand,	a	head	
sponse	to	a	group	who	was	completely	 shake	followed	by	a	sigh	followed	by	
unfamiliar	with	the	concept.	That	bereluctantly	tabling	the	3♥	bid	card	
ing	said,	there	is	at	least	one	instance	
strongly	suggests	weakness.	Holdwhere	I	consider	this	convention	to	be	 ing	the	second	hand,	a	big	smile	and	a	
an	absolute	necessity,	and	that	is	when	 prompt	and	emphatic	thump	of	the	3♥
the	opponents	open	a	weak	two-bid.
bid	card	should	clearly	express	your	
Let's look at three cases.
constructive	values.	Obviously,	these	
methods	are	entirely	unacceptable.	
West North
East
South
The	solution?
2♠	
Dbl	
Pass	
?
Any	time	you	consider	changing	a	
natural	bid	to	a	conventional	call,	the	
1. ♠J	8	7			♥J	9	5	4	3			♦J	4	2			♣J	6. two	most	important	factors	are	frequency	of	occurrence	and	analysis	of	
2. ♠J	3	4			♥A Q 7 5 6 ♦Q 5 2 ♣8 7. gain versus loss.
When	the	opponents	open	a	weak	
3. ♠J	8	6			♥A Q 7 5 2 ♦A Q 3 ♣6 4. two-bid,	lebensohl	works	as	follows:	
When	your	partner	makes	a	takeEdgar	Kaplan	famously	advised,	
out	double	and	you	hold	a	poor	hand	

46 Bridge Bulletin December 2014

where	a	response	at	the	three	level	is	
required,	start	with	what	is	now	an	artificial	bid	of	2NT.	By	agreement,	this	
"weakness	signal"	is	a	relay,	essentially	
forcing	your	partner	to	bid	3♣,	which	
you	can	then	pass	with	a	club	suit	or	
convert	to	your	own	suit.	
With	constructive	values,	something	
on	the	order	of	8-11	points,	bid	your	
suit	immediately.	
The	gain	of	this	treatment	is	that	
the	doubler	knows	to	pass	after	your	
"weakness	signal"	unless	he	holds	
substantial	extra	values.	After	a	constructive	three-level	bid,	he	can	move	
forward	with	just	a	little	extra.
The	loss?	What	happens	when	you	
hold 8 or 9 points and a stopper in
the	opponent's	suit	and	you	want	to	
bid	a	natural	2NT?	You	simply	rue	
the day that you decided to adopt this
convention!
There	are	circumstances	that	you	
and	your	partner	will	want	to	discuss	in	more	detail,	such	as	the	use	of	
lebensohl	when	partner	doubles	in	the	
balancing	seat,	or	when	partner	is	a	
passed hand.
This	explanation	is	as	brief	as	my	
two-day	presentation	was	wordy.	To	
fully	assimilate	this	useful	tool,	do	
some	reading	or	consult	one	of	your	
local	experienced	teachers	for	"the	rest	
of	the	story."			
◾
Send your questions to
askjerry@jerryhelms.com
http://www.jerryhelms.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2014
