[mikeh]

pescetom, on 2026-February-15, 07:08, said:

I did expect more support for Double, although you will have to convince me it is a great idea. What do you plan to do over 2♥?

Double is, imo, the exact opposite of a good idea. And I’m a big believer in the takeout/negative double after natural overcalls.

The issue is the same one that applies after auctions such as 1D (1S). You don’t double when you have a game force hand and a long suit. You show your long suit. Have a second suit? Show that later. Tell partner about your hand when you can do so by descriptive, natural bidding. You’ll be amazed at how well your partnership can bid if you focus on describing your hand.

A negative double isn’t some kind of magic panacea. It’s a device used to show values when one doesn’t have what’s needed for a direct bid…because one lacks the required length for a suit bid or the required strength or both. Once you start overloading the double you are going to get utterly lost in competitive auctions. 1D (1S) x does several things but perhaps one of the most important is that it denies 5+ hearts and the strength for a 2H bid. In your OP hand, double should absolutely deny a 6 card club suit with opening hand values. Wtf are we thinking? That we can best describe our 4=3=0=6 12 count by starting with double? Then if they bid 3D, and opener passes? Brilliant idea. That was sarcasm, btw.

I see weak players overloading doubles all the time.

[pescetom]

mikeh, on 2026-February-15, 10:31, said:

Double is, imo, the exact opposite of a good idea. And I’m a big believer in the takeout/negative double after natural overcalls.

The issue is the same one that applies after auctions such as 1D (1S). You don’t double when you have a game force hand and a long suit. You show your long suit. Have a second suit? Show that later. Tell partner about your hand when you can do so by descriptive, natural bidding. You’ll be amazed at how well your partnership can bid if you focus on describing your hand.

A negative double isn’t some kind of magic panacea. It’s a device used to show values when one doesn’t have what’s needed for a direct bid…because one lacks the required length for a suit bid or the required strength or both. Once you start overloading the double you are going to get utterly lost in competitive auctions. 1D (1S) x does several things but perhaps one of the most important is that it denies 5+ hearts and the strength for a 2H bid. In your OP hand, double should absolutely deny a 6 card club suit with opening hand values. Wtf are we thinking? That we can best describe our 4=3=0=6 12 count by starting with double? Then if they bid 3D, and opener passes? Brilliant idea. That was sarcasm, btw.

I see weak players overloading doubles all the time.

You're right of course, and I would not Double here.
But the Rubehsohl transfer to clubs almost never comes up and I doubt partner would take a subsequent 3♠ bid as natural (in our normal transfer to clubs during an unopposed auction, 3♠ would be a splinter, not suit).
Do you have this or some other way of keeping spades in the picture after showing the 6 card clubs?

[mikeh]

pescetom, on 2026-February-16, 11:23, said:

You're right of course, and I would not Double here.
But the Rubehsohl transfer to clubs almost never comes up and I doubt partner would take a subsequent 3♠ bid as natural (in our normal transfer to clubs during an unopposed auction, 3♠ would be a splinter, not suit).
Do you have this or some other way of keeping spades in the picture after showing the 6 card clubs?

It’s never come up but I’m going to add it to our system notes. I think that showing side shortness in an unbid suit after a natural overcall,and a transfer leb auction isn’t as useful as it is had they not bid. And this hand needs the two step to show both blacks, longer clubs. If they had not bid, I can stay man, promising a major, then bid clubs, if he didn’t shows spades, showing 4=5+, gf.

Btw, I don’t play rubensohl, although it’s been so long side I read rubensohl (I briefly played it after reading the write up in The Bridge World). It’s mostly the same as transfer Leb and right now I can’t recall the difference

[DavidKok]

mikeh, on 2026-February-16, 14:24, said:

Btw, I don’t play rubensohl, although it’s been so long side I read rubensohl (I briefly played it after reading the write up in The Bridge World). It’s mostly the same as transfer Leb and right now I can’t recall the difference

While it's always risky explaining a convention by its name, my main understanding is that in Transfer Lebensohl 2NT is 'weak any or clubs', whereas in pure Rubensohl bidding 2NT and then another suit shows clubs + a secondary feature, and is not weak. Some allowances may be made in both methods for the delayed cue bid and a delayed 3NT.
As a consequence, the transfers in Transfer Lebensohl are (typically) invitational+, whereas in Rubensohl they are wide ranging.

[thepossum]

No idea how to bid it but 6 clubs is suitable for Carnival time

I am not sure if my minor t5ransfer is on over 2 diamonds and Lebensohl would get me to 3 clubs. Not sure where next
I don't think Lebensohl has to be weak

Stayman, hope for spades then splinter