Rubensohl is a bridge

Contract bridge

Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...

 convention that can be used to counter an opponent's intervention over a 1NT opening bid. After opponent's two-level overcall

Overcall

In contract bridge, an overcall is a bid made after an opening bid has been made by an opponent; the term refers only to the first such bid. A direct overcall is a bid made directly over the opening bid by right-hand opponent; an overcall in the 'last seat' is referred to as a balancing...

, all bids starting from 2NT are transfer bid

Jacoby transfer

The Jacoby transfer, or simply "transfers", in the card game contract bridge, is a convention initiated by responder following partner's notrump opening bid that requests opener rebid in the suit ranked just above that bid by responder, i.e...

s to the next strain.

Although Ira Rubin devised similar methods before, the Rubensohl convention is attributed to Bruce Neill

Bruce Neill

Bruce William Neill was an Australian cricket player, who played for the Tasmanian Tigers. He was a right-handed batsman who only represented the team briefly in the 1977/78 season.-External links:*...

 who described Rubensohl as an alternative to the Lebensohl

Lebensohl

Lebensohl is a contract bridge convention used by responder after an opponent's overcall of a one notrump opening bid in order to compete further in the auction without necessarily committing the partnership to game...

 convention in a Bridge World article in 1983.

When playing Rubensohl, the following applies after an opposing 2 (natural) overcall

Overcall

In contract bridge, an overcall is a bid made after an opening bid has been made by an opponent; the term refers only to the first such bid. A direct overcall is a bid made directly over the opening bid by right-hand opponent; an overcall in the 'last seat' is referred to as a balancing...

 over partner's 1NT opening:

1NT - (2) - ??

dbl : penalty

2/ : to play

2NT : transfer to 3

3 : transfer to opponent's suit -> asks for four card major

3 : transfer to hearts (at least invitational)

3 : transfer to spades (at least invitational)

3 : transfer to 3NT -> game values but no major suit and no stopper in opponent's suit

3NT : to play

Similar schedules apply following a natural two-level overcall in any of the other suits.

Unlike Lebensohl, the partner of the 1NT opener can indicate his long suit at the first bid; this can be advantageous in competitive auctions.

The same transfer schedule can also be used following a conventional overcall over 1NT as long as this overcall indicates an anchor suit. For instance: following an Asptro

Asptro

Asptro is a contract bridge bidding convention used to intervene over a 1NT opening bid. It is a hybrid of the Astro and Aspro conventions, thus the name.*2 shows at least 5-4 either way round in hearts, the anchor, and a minor suit...

 2 overcall (showing and another suit) over partner's 1NT opening, the bids 2NT, 3 and 3 would be transfers to the next strain, whilst 3 would be an asking bid.

Partnerships that have agreed to use Rubensohl often extend its use to include responses to partner's takeout double over an opposing weak two opening. For instance:

(2) - dbl - (pass) - ??

pass = penalty

2 : to play

2NT : transfer to clubs (weak or strong)

3 : transfer to diamonds (weak or strong)

3 : asking bid

3 : transfer to spades (at least invitational)

3 : transfer to 3NT -> game values but no major suit and no stopper in opponent's suit

3NT : to play

See also: Lebensohl

Lebensohl

Lebensohl is a contract bridge convention used by responder after an opponent's overcall of a one notrump opening bid in order to compete further in the auction without necessarily committing the partnership to game...