2007-09-21 23:32

Hand Evaluation – Systemic ( Heart Spade Reverse )

PITBULLS:

Experts have done away with Lebensohl after a forcing 1NT response to a heart opening & a reverse into 2♠. Lebensohl is at the discretion of responder & forces the opener to bid 3♣ unless opener is too strong & breaks the relay. The modern way of handling heart/spade reverses after a 1NT response is have 2♠ force a relay of 2NT by responder unless responder has a reason to break the relay. This way the big hand describes her hand to responder but with relay like sequences. Responder can break the initial relay but rarely. If responder breaks the relay to 3♥ , she says opener should pass with a minimum reverse & bid game with a maximum reverse.

This is how relays work in general & magical things can happen after that. A heart spade reverse falls into three main patterns 5-4-3-1 , 5-4-2-2 or the 6-5 , 6-4 types which is the basics for this pattern showing treatment. The relay to 2NT allows opener to describe these hand patterns to responder with step responses. 3♠ shows the 5-4-1-3 patterns with the lower ranking suit ♣ as the 3 card suit . 3NT shows the higher ranking suit ♦ as the 3 card suit. OK , both 5-4-3-1 patterns covered. 3♥ is left to show the 5-4-2-2 pattern or all the distributional patterns with a 6 card heart suit. Since this 3♥ bid is an either/or possibility , a further relay is needed to clarify. 3♥ is a relay to 3♠ by responder so she can get further information with openers 3NT response now shows the 5-4-2-2 . 4♣ by opener after the 3♠ relay can show a ♣ stiff & the 4-6-2-1 pattern & 4♦ can show a ♦ stiff with the 4-6-1-2 pattern. 4♥ can show the 6-5 in hearts & spades hand. Relays are truly powerful.

Strong jump shifts need all the help they can get , hence the 3♣ SJS . We have room to use the above scheme to help us out there also. 2♠ can show all the spade reverse hands & also all the strong jump shifts to either minor holding only 4 in that suit. After the 2NT relay , 3♣,3♦ can show those hand types. This means that a strong jump shift directly to 3♦ must show 5♦ & 3♣ shows a strong one suiter in hearts or 5♣’s. ♠x ♥AKxxx ♦KQxx ♣AKx

1♥-P-1NT

2♠-P-2NT

3♦ I have a strong jump shift into diamonds but only 4 of them.

If responder breaks the relay by bidding 3♥, responder wishes to play there if partner has a minimum reverse. If responder breaks the relay to a minor , it shows a weak single suited minor. You can get fancy & have responder break the relay to 3♠ which shows 5-5 in the minors & keeps the auction under 3NT. Since by now , we are getting quite comfortable with these types of relays , I feel this structure is far superior to Lebensohl after the heart spade reverse.

Established partnerships need to work out continuations of these sequences.