On BWTA there is the extra point that EW might have game available in a major (as today) but will struggle to bid it over 3N. After 1N (P) 2N showing D’s, West might have double as a way of showing the majors (or 3D perhaps) at a much safer level. Also, from the oppo’s viewpoint, they don;t know the hand isn;t balanced or semi-pbalanced.
Redgards,
Iain
A V Ramana RaoJuly 9th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Hi Barry
After first trick, declarer knows for certain that east doesn’t have heart A and he can always prevail if west also has club A . So leading club from dummy perhaps could have been deferred and declarer could have done either of the following
a) Just cash all diamonds as Mrs Guggenheim would do reducing to five card position with declarer retaining two spades, two heart honors and a club honor. What would west retain: to beat the contract, he must retain four spades and heart A or even three spades and two hearts. Now on club lead from dummy, east of course would hop up but what should west discard in case he retained three spades and two hearts? He should correctly throw heart but he might just as well discard a spade .
b) Come to hand with diamond nine at T2 and leads heart J. West wins and a club return would beat the contract but he might just return a spade
Regards
Iain ClimieJuly 10th, 2025 at 12:17 pm
Hi Folks,
A stray thought on Lebensohl made by Joe Amsbury years ago. It is the wrong way round. With a competitive hand, bid 3C, 2S or 3D after 1N (2H). With a stronger hand, bid 2N first. The reason? Suppose North wants to compete to 3C even 4C after 1N (2M) 2N and the next hand raises to (3M)?
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HI Barry, Folks,
On BWTA there is the extra point that EW might have game available in a major (as today) but will struggle to bid it over 3N. After 1N (P) 2N showing D’s, West might have double as a way of showing the majors (or 3D perhaps) at a much safer level. Also, from the oppo’s viewpoint, they don;t know the hand isn;t balanced or semi-pbalanced.
Redgards,
Iain
Hi Barry
After first trick, declarer knows for certain that east doesn’t have heart A and he can always prevail if west also has club A . So leading club from dummy perhaps could have been deferred and declarer could have done either of the following
a) Just cash all diamonds as Mrs Guggenheim would do reducing to five card position with declarer retaining two spades, two heart honors and a club honor. What would west retain: to beat the contract, he must retain four spades and heart A or even three spades and two hearts. Now on club lead from dummy, east of course would hop up but what should west discard in case he retained three spades and two hearts? He should correctly throw heart but he might just as well discard a spade .
b) Come to hand with diamond nine at T2 and leads heart J. West wins and a club return would beat the contract but he might just return a spade
Regards
Hi Folks,
A stray thought on Lebensohl made by Joe Amsbury years ago. It is the wrong way round. With a competitive hand, bid 3C, 2S or 3D after 1N (2H). With a stronger hand, bid 2N first. The reason? Suppose North wants to compete to 3C even 4C after 1N (2M) 2N and the next hand raises to (3M)?
Any thoughts?
Regards,
Iain