- Lionel convention
Lionel is a bridge conventional defense against opposing 1NT openings. Utilising Lionel, over a 1NT opening of the opponents, a double is conventional and denotes spades and a lower suit (4-4 or longer), a 2Clubs/2Diams
overcall denotes hearts and the suit bid (4-4 or longer), and the 2Hearts/2Spadesovercall s are natural. Any of the overcalls denote high-card strength corresponding to 12+ (or good 11) hcp.The convention is named after Lionel Wright from New Zealand who published it in the International Popular Bridge Monthly magazine of May 1993 [Lionel Wright, "Lionel in Action", International Popular Bridge Monthly, Vol. 19, No. 5 (May 1993).] .
Responses
Following the Lionel double, the partner of the double responds as follows:
(1NT) - dbl - (pass) - ??
:pass = 10+ hcp, all subsequent doubles for penalty
:2Clubs =
pass-or-correct bid (doubler to pass or bid second suit):2Diams = Non-forcing, diamond length (typically 5+) with heart tolerance. Doubler can bid 2Hearts with hearts as second suit and less than two diamonds.
:2Hearts = Natural, non-forcing
:2Spades = Weak Raise
:2NT = Invitational spade raise without a singleton side suit
:3Clubs/Diams/Hearts = Invitational spade raise with singleton or void in bid suit
:3Spades = preemptive raise
After a minor suit Lionel overcall, the responses are straightforward. For instance:
(1NT) - 2Clubs - (pass) - ??
:Pass = to play
:2Diams = to play
:2Hearts = weak raise
:2Spades = to play
:2NT = invitational heart raise
:3Clubs = preemptive
:3Hearts = preemptive
Advantages/disadvantages
Like using
Brozel orDONT , using Lionel has the consequence of losing the penalty double over opponent's 1NT. Although this is often seen as a loss, Lionel Wright argued that this loss turns into an advantage as it opens the possibility to defend 1NT doubled with split points between you and your partner. As a balanced holding of the majority of points is far more likely to occur than holding the majority of points in an imbalanced way, a conventional non-penalty double over 1NT holds the potential of paying-off on many hands. Also, non-penalty doubles are more difficult to deal with than traditional business doubles. [ [http://www.cavendish.demon.co.uk/bridge/1nt-complex.htm Chris Ryall's page on 1NT defenses] ]ee also
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List of defenses to 1NT References
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