Tactics over NT interference.

(Courtesy of Bob Crosby)

The entire Bridge population likes to interfere with your strong NT auction. Here are our thoughts on how to deal with their interference. Throw away Lebensohl in favor of Rubensohl (transfers). You have the dual advantage of super accepts and knowing the transfer suit immediately in case RHO interferes further. Rubensohl is far, far superior to Lebensohl and allows extra bidding room where Lebensohl just adds ambiguous auctions. Transfers have a life of their own in the game of Bridge.

When the opponents interfere with your auctions, do not rescue them. They are taking a risk coming into your auction so punish them when applicable and use them as stepping stones otherwise. Here is a hand where the player both rescued the opponents and did not use the opponents to her advantage.

SQJ10xx H1087x Dx CKQx and partner opens 1NT.They overcall 2C alerted as showing clubs with a higher ranking suit. Looking at your hand the higher ranking suit looks like diamonds but you are not sure. One thing you do know is that you have 8 HCP's and with the KQ of clubs well located behind the club bidder. This hand is obviously enough for a penalty double or a game try.

Everybody passes your double except for the bidder who rescues himself to 2D so now what? The opponents bidding your singleton has upgraded your hand. The club location has upgraded your hand. You can now bid 3S or 3D to force to game in a major. 4S makes on the hand so thank you opponents for helping us get there. Bidding 2S immediately just rescues them and unilaterally keeps you out of game. How does partner know you have 8 HCP, a singleton in their suit, a good spade suit and well located clubs with a 2S bid? Their 2nd suit might even be hearts or spades for all you know so they are really in trouble. Do not make a hasty initial decision to bid as quite often that is fatal because you lack information.

Another hand came up showing how not to handle interference.

You hold SQ10xx Hxxx DQxxx CJx. Partner opens 1NT so they bid 2D for the majors. The opponents partner bids 3C and they bid 3S so do you make a trump stack double? Not on your life. The auction is not over so you never double the only contract that you can beat. Your double signals to partner that you have values and opens the door for her to double. They run to 4C so partner with 3 defensive tricks doubles. This added to your no defensive tricks means -510. With your 5 HCP, was your side ever going to make anything? They are not stealing from you. With your 5 HCP, you do not even have the balance of power. Bridge is a partnership game so partner has a right to play you for a better hand since you doubled them into game at the 3 level. Trump stuck doubles with no other cards are for ΒΌ cent rubber Bridge games.

Now what does the pass mean of their interference and then a subsequent double? This double is not for penalty. This double just shows cards and partner is expected to do something hopefully something intelligent. A penalty double is shown by doubling their artificiality initially. This initial double shows the balance of power and one or more of their suits. One exception is if their double or 2C is artificial. You just ignore the double so a double of 2C is Stayman.

You can have understanding re Invisible cuebids. What this term means is that you bid the suit in which they are advertising artificially. Say they overcall 2H which shows spades. You bid 2S before they do which shows the other suits and for takeout. A double of 2H would show spades thereby warning partner to let me at them. Remember do not rescue them by bidding when you have values! They are taking a risk by entering a NT auction.