Lebensohl

      Many people ask:

      The reason, quite simply, is that other conventions are helpful and interesting; Lebensohl is Necessary. 
      Indeed, it is part of the 2over1.OK convention card, and should have been part of the SA-YC.OK card.  Because it isn't, you will have to ask any new prospective SAYC partner if they, too, play Lebensohl. 
      By using an artificial bid of 2NT, Lebensohlers can distinguish between bad hands and good ones, or between hands that DO have a guard in the opponents' suit from hands that do NOT.

      The Lebensohl 2NT comes up in FIVE instances. 
      Case (1). The first and most common is when the opponents have overcalled our partner's 1NT opening with 2-of-a-suit (e.g., 1NT-2♥-2NT is Lebensohl).  1NT Opener is forced to bid 3♣.  Then Responder can Pass with a weakish (i.e., "competing") hand that includes long Clubs, or correct to any suit BELOW the Overcaller's suit.  In this way, Responder can compete without getting 1NT Opener too excited. 

West	North	East	South
1NT	2	2NT	Pass	2NT = Lebensohl.
3	Pass	3		– Competing the partscore.
				Advancer is NOT inviting 4!

      In standard Lebensohl, a free bid by Responder at the 3-level without prefacing it with the 2NT bid (e.g., 1NT-2♥-3♦) becomes forcing.

West	North	East	South
1NT	2	3		– FORCING.  10+ HCPs.

      With stronger hands, the 2NT force to 3♣ can be used to distinguish hands that DO have a guard in the opponents' suit from those that DON'T. 
      For example, 2NT followed by 3NT promises a stopper in the opponents' suit, while a Jump to 3NT (e.g., 1NT-2♦-3NT) denies any such guard. 
      Similarly, 2NT followed by a cuebid shows a stopper, while an immediate cuebid (e.g., 1NT-2♥-3♥) denies one. 
      In this way, "SLOW SHOWS", while "direct denies". 
      In other words, the slower 2NT followed by a cuebid or 3NT (e.g., 1NT-2♥-2NT-P-3♣-P-3NT) shows a stopper while the faster 1NT-2♥-3NT denies one. 

West North East South 1NT 2 3  – Denies stopper.  "Major ?"

West North East South 1NT 2 3NT  – Denies stopper.

West North East South 1NT 2 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3  – Shows guard. "4 Spades ?"

West North East South 1NT 2 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3NT  – Shows guard.

      In this way, 1NT Opener can predicate subsequent action based upon knowledge of Responder's strength in the opponents' suit. 

      A bid of a suit Higher ranking than overcaller's (i.e., a suit which Responder could have bid at the 2-level) is Forcing if a jump, Invitational if prefaced by the 2NT relay to 3♣. 

West North East South 1NT 2 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3  – This invites game.

West North East South 1NT 2 3  – This forces game.

      Note: Some pairs play Lebensohl ONLY after interference over their 1NT openings.  Such pairs need not read any further. 

      Case (2). The second instance where Lebensohl is common is over partner's double of their weak 2-bid (e.g., 2♥-Dble-P- ??).  Here, 2NT asks the doubler to bid 3♣, allowing partner ("Advancer") to Pass (with a weak hand and Club length), or correct to any suit below Overcaller's. 
      A direct 3-over-2 response by Advancer shows a slightly better hand (7-10 HCPs) but, unlike opposite a 1NT Opener, is NOT forcing. 

West North East South 2 Dble Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3  – Weakish hand with Diamonds.

West North East South 2 Dble Pass 3  – Mediocre hand with Diamonds.   NOT forcing, though.

      Again, strong Advancer who is interested in playing in a suit may cuebid directly without a stopper, while preferring 2NT followed by a cuebid when Advancer does have a stopper (in case 3NT is the correct place after all). 

West North East South 2 Dble Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣. Pass 3 Pass 3  – "4♥ ?   3NT, perhaps ?"

West North East South 2 Dble Pass 3  – "4♥ ?  4-of-a-minor, maybe ?"

      Consistent with the "SLOW SHOWS" theme, if Advancer bids 2NT followed by 3NT, s/he wants to play in 3NT and is interested in a slam (if Doubler is maximal). 
      A Direct Jump to 3NT over the Double denies slam interest.  BOTH 3NT bids by Advancer are natural ("to play"), promising a guard in the opponents' long suit. 

West North East South 2 Dble Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣. Pass 3 Pass 3NT  – 14-17 HCPs, slam interest.

West North East South 2 Dble Pass 3NT  – 11-13, NO slam interest.

      Many pairs agree that if Opener's major suit opening is raised after partner has doubled, Lebensohl is in effect. 

West North East South 1 Dble 2 2NT  – Forces 3♣, 8-9 HCPs.

West North East South 1 Dble 2 3  – Shows 4+ Hearts, 10-12 HCPs.

West North East South 1 Dble 2 2NT  – Forces 3♣, 8-9 HCPs.

West North East South 1 Dble 2 Pass Pass Dble Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣. 8-9 HCPs.

      Some long-standing partnerships "extend" Lebensohl to cover reverses:

West North East South 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3  – A weak sign-off in Diamonds.

West North East South 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 3  – Good hand, supporting Diamonds.

      The least well known application of Lebensohl occurs, after partner has made a Michaels cuebid. 
      In the case of a cuebid of a Minor by partner, 2NT can show a guard in NoTrump en route to a major.  Overcaller will rebid 3♣, whereupon Adancer can rebid 3♥ or 3♠ (invitational) or 3NT (which Overcaller may pass or correct to a major suit contract). 

      If the auction has started with 1♦-2♦, Advancer can force game with a 3♦ rebid over the forced 3♣. 

West North East South 1 2 Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣ Pass 3 Pass 3  – Invites 4♠ or 3NT。

West North East South 1 2 Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣ Pass 3 Pass 3  – Forces to game with guard.

West North East South 1 2 Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣ Pass 3 Pass 3NT  – "3NT or 4-of-a-major ?".

      If partner has made a Michaels cuebid of a Major (i.e., 1♥-2♥ or 1♠-2♠), Advancer can stop in 3♣ or 3♦ by rebidding 2NT. 
      If, instead of stopping in 3♣ or 3♦, Advancer rebids the promised major, Advancer is showing a weak hand (after 1♠-2♠) with Heart Support OR, after 1♥-2♥ (where Responder could have stopped in 2♠ if weak), an invitational hand with a guard in the opponents' suit. 

West North East South 1 2 Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣ Pass 3 Pass 3  – Invites 4♠ or 3NT。

West North East South 1 2 Pass 2NT  – Forces 3♣ Pass 3 Pass 3  – Weak hand with 3+ Hearts.

      In this way, any direct bid of a lower ranked suit shows values.  In the case of 3♣, it asks Overcaller to Pass with a minimum and 5+ Clubs, correct to 3♦ with a minimum and 5+ Diamonds, rebid 3♥ with 5+ Clubs and a maximum, 3♠ with 5+ Diamonds and a maximum but no stopper for NT, or 3NT with 5+ Diamonds and a guard in the opponents' suit. 

West	North	East	South
1	2	Pass	3	Invitational, Minor length.
Pass	??
		3♦ = 5+ Diamonds, minimum.
		3♥ = 5+ Clubs, maximum, allowed 3♠ to ask for a guard in their suit.
		3♠ = 5+ Diamonds, maximum, no Spade stopper.
		3NT = 5+ Diamonds, maximum, Spade guard.

West North East South 1 2 Pass 3  – Natural, invitational.

West North East South 1 2 Pass 3  – Natural, 10-14, 6+ Diamonds,  no interest in Clubs or Spades.

      Because this application was originally designed to solve Advancer's problem with an invitational hand with 3+ Hearts after 1♠-2♠-P, this variation has been dubbed "Heartensohl".  :)

 

      These extensions, however, are NOT part of "standard" Lebensohl (i.e., even if your partner agrees to play Lebensohl, they may not be part of your arsenal until you explicitly mention each extension) and would have to be discussed beforehand.

      "Partner," you might ask after establishing that you play Lebensohl,

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