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Question 1. You are dealt the following
hand as South, Partner has opened 1NT, RHO has overcalled a natural 2D, and you are playing Lebensohl. What is
your bid and what do you plan to bid over Partner's possible responses? You and your Partner should agree on this.
S - Axxx
H - KQxxx
D - x
C - xxx
Answer. This is a borderline hand.
Note that the best final contract could be in NT, hearts, spades or even clubs.
Your first decision is to decide whether it is a game forcing hand or an invitational
hand. Your bidding should hold open as many options as possible for as long as possible. Keep in mind that even
if there is a 5-3 fit in hearts, a 4-4 fit in spades also means that spades is a superior trump suit . A 4-4 fit
often provides one more trick than a 5-3 fit.
1. If you decide it is a game forcing hand, you could bid 3D (Stayman without
a Diamond stopper). In this case, you must anticipate that Partner will have no 4 card major and will rebid 3NT
(if he holds a solid Diamond stopper) or will have to bid 4C. After either bid you have the difficult question
whether to pass, bid 4H and hope Partner will read you for this particular hand, or raise 4C to 5C. After a 4H
rebid Partner will choose to pass or bid 4S (and play in a 4-3 spade fit).
My suggestion is to bid 3H - a game forcing bid showing a good 5 card suit (with
a 6 card suit, you would have bid 4H (Texas)). Partner will normally respond either 3NT or 4H.
But in order to check for a possible 4-4 spade fit, if he holds 4 spades (even with 3 hearts) he should bid 3S.
Holding this hand you will raise to 4S. With 3 spades or less you would rebid 3N (hoping Partner has a diamond
stopper or can correct to 4H). It is obviously possible to wind up in 3NT going set (no Diamond stopper), but you
will have made the best effort to find the right contract.
Here are 2 typical hands for Partner and my recommended bidding:
S - KQxx
H - xxx
D - KJ
C - AKxx
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S - KQx
H - xxx
D - KJ
C - AKxxx
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N E S W
1N 2D 3H P
3S P 4S P
P P
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N E S W
1N 2D 3H P
4H P P P
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2. If you decide the hand is invitational strength, you cannot bid 3D - this is
game forcing. You must choose between a Double and 2NT (planning to rebid 3H over Partner's forced 3C rebid). Those
of you who play that a Double is penalty must not make that bid here. Many good players play that a Double in this
sequence is negative (Stayman), in which case it is the best bid here.
My recommendation is to bid 2N followed by 3H (invitational). Partner with a minimum
will pass, even with 4 spades and 2 hearts, and you will play in a 5-2 heart fit - not the end of the world but
possibly not the best contract. If Partner is strong enough to accept the game invitation, however, he should bid
3S holding 4 spades (even with 3 hearts). Otherwise he bids 4H with 3 hearts or 3N with a heart doubleton and a
Diamond stopper. Over Partner's 3S bid, you raise to 4S with 4 or rebid 3N, leaving the final contract up to Partner.
Here are 2 typical hands used above and my recommended bidding:
S - KQxx
H - xxx
D - KJ
C - AKxx
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S - KQx
H - xxx
D - KJ
C - AKxxx
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N E S W
1N 2D 2N P
3C P 3H P
3S P 4S P
P P
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N E S W
1N 2D 2N P
3C P 3H P
4H P P P
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At the table recently, my Partner and I held the cards in the second example,
and after a 3D bid we wound up at 3N down 3, missing the laydown 4H game.
Question 2. You are dealt the
following hand as South, Partner has opened 1NT, RHO has overcalled a natural 2D, and you are playing Lebensohl.
What is your bid and what do you plan to bid over Partner's possible responses?
S - KQxxx
H - Axxx
D - x
C - xxx
Answer. This problem is the same as
Question 1 but with the Spades and Hearts reversed. Your first decision is still to decide whether it is a game
forcing hand or an invitational hand.
1. If you decide it is a game forcing hand, you still have the choices of 3D and
3S. My recommendation is to bid 3S. With 3 spades, Partner will raise to 4S normally - but with 4 hearts as well,
he should bid 4H. You will then pass or correct to 4S (holding this hand you obviously pass).
Holding 2 spades and 4 hearts, Partner may choose to bid 4H if he is afraid of
3N. You will then pass gratefully.
Holding 2 spades Partner will normally bid 3N. You should then (probably) bid
4H hoping Partner has 4 hearts. If not, he will then choose the 5-2 spade fit over the 4-3 heart fit and bid 4S.
Here are 2 example hands and my recommended bidding.
S - xxx
H - KQxx
D - KJ
C - AKxx
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S - xxx
H - KQx
D - KJ
C - AKxxx
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N E S W
1N 2D 3S P
4H P P P
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N E S W
1N 2D 3S P
4S P P P
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2. If you decide that the hand is invitational, you can Double (if you play that
as negative). This works very well. Otherwise, you bid 2N followed by 3S,
With a minimum, Partner will pass and you may miss a 4-4 heart fit.
With a maximum, Partner should bid the same as in the previous paragraph.
Here are 2 example hands and my recommended bidding.
S - xxx
H - KQxx
D - KJ
C - AKxx
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S - xxx
H - KQx
D - KJ
C - AKxxx
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N E S W
1N 2D 2N P
3C P 3S P
4H P P P
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N E S W
1N 2D 2N P
3C P 3S P
4S P P P
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