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Lebensohl

It is applied by responder after a suit overcall by the 1st opponent over 1 NT openning. Responder forces the opener to bid 3 Clubs by bidding an artificial 2 NT. Then he explains his hand in the second tour of auction. You can examine the following table for whole application of this convention.

Opener

1.Opponent

Responder

Explanation

Opener

1 NT

2 Hearts
Double
2 Spade
2 NT
3 Clubs
3 Diamonds
3 Hearts
3 Spades
3 NT
Punishment
Game
Lebensohl
Long Clubs, Game Forcing
Long Diamonds, Game Forcing
9+ HCPs, 4 cards of Spades, No Hearts stopper
Long Spades, Game Forcing
9+ HCPs, No 4 cards of Spades, No Hearts stopper
Pass
Pass
3 Clubs
 

The above table could be arranged to any suit overcall by the 1st opponent. As you will see from the table the cuebid of the suit shows 4 cards of the other major. If the suit is Club or Diamond, then the cuebid means Stayman convention.

You can examine the second tour bidding by responder after Lebensohl from the following table.

Opener

1.Opponent

Responder

Opener

Responder

Explanation

1 NT

2 Hearts

2 NT

3 Clubs
Pass
3 Diamonds
3 Hearts
3 Spades
3 NT
Long Clubs, weak hand
  • Long Diamonds, weak hand
    • 9+ HCPs, 4 cards of Spades, Hearts stopper
    Long Spades, Slam Force
    9+ HCPs, Hearts stopper

    If the overcall suit is a minor, cuebid after Lebensohl is a Stayman promising stopper. But if the overcall suit is Club then the cuebid after lebensohl will be made by bidding 4 Clubs so there will be no return to 3 NT. So a different approach is needed here. After 2 Clubs overcall, while 2 Diamonds response of the responder will show long Diamonds and a weak hand, 3 Diamonds response will show long Diamonds and a strong hand. Therefore we can utilize 3 Diamonds after Lebensohl for Stayman in such a situation (Thanks to Mr.Ferudun Cangurus for the suggestion). Then you can use 4 Clubs to show 5-5 major distribution. Let us try to explain the situation in the following table. Application in the 2nd table is our addition to the convention.

    Opener  1.Opponent  Responder Explanation
     1 NT
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     2 Clubs
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     Double
     2 Diamonds
     2 Hearts
     2 Pik
     2 NT
     3 Clubs
     3 Diamonds
     3 Hearts
     3 Pik
     3 NT
     Punishment
     Long Diamonds, weak hand
     Long Hearts, weak hand
     Long Spades, weak hand
     Lebensohl
     Stayman, No Clubs stopper
     Long Diamonds, Game Forcing
     Long Hearts, Game Forcing
     Long Spades, Game Forcing
     No 4 cards major, No Clubs stopper, 9+ HCPs

     

    Opener  1.Opponent Responder Opener Responder Explanation
     1 NT
     
     
     
     
     2 Clubs
     
     
     
     
     2 NT
     
     
     
     
     3 Clubs
     
     
     
     
     3 Diamonds
     3 Hearts
     3 Spades
     3 NT
     4 Clubs
     Stayman, Clubs stopper
     5 cards of Hearts, 4 cards of Spades
     5 cards of Spades, 4 cards of Hearts
     No 4 cards major, Clubs stopper
     At least 5-5 Major distribution

    If the overcall is in the third level, then the shifting suit by the responder at the same level is 1 tour forcing. For the minor suit overcalls cuebid could be taken as Stayman but the major distribution should be at least 5-4.