Stayman~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Why? To find your 8 card fit in a major suit after partner has opened 1NT~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Recap
Partner opens 1NT showing 12-14 points and a fairly balanced hand
If you have an opening hand (a good 12 or more points) you want to be in game.~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With a 6-card major (hearts or spades) it is easy, when partner opens 1NT, he guaranteed at least 2 cards in each suit so your 6 and his 2 make 8 – just bid game in the major.~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With a 5-card major you should jump to 3 ♥ or ♠. This is forcing! Partner must respond either 4 ♥ or ♠ with 3 or 4 cards in the suit and 3NT with only 2.~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With a 4-card suit you need to find out if partner has 4-card support. So ask him.~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2 clubs over 1NT is forcing. Partner must respond. His choices of responses are: ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- 2 ♦, saying sorry partner I don’t have a 4 card major.
You bid 3NT and complete the auction.~ ~- 2 ♥ or ♠ saying I have 4 cards in this suit. If he holds 4 cards in both suits he must respond hearts first.
If partner bids the suit you hold, simply raise to four and complete the auction.
If he bids the suit you don’t hold, bid 3NT and complete the auction. ~What if you open 1NT and hold both majors? You show partner your heart suit and now your partner bids 3NTs. You know he would not have asked for a major if he did not hold one so he must have spades ~~~~~| ~ West | ~~ North | ~~ East | ~~ South | ~~| ~ Pass | ~~ 1NT | ~~ Pass | ~~ 2♣ | ~~| ~ Pass | ~~ 2♥ | ~~ Pass | ~~ 3NT | ~~| ~ Pass | ~~ ? | ~ | ~ | Bid 4 Spades.
~
~
~~Why does South’s bid nearly always complete the auction?
Because 1NT is a limit bid. This makes responder the player with most information about both hands and therefore the player who can best decide what the final contract should be. Make sure you know which bids are forcing, asking and shut-up.~ ~~~~~~~~~You still may want to know if partner has a 4 card major when you hold less than opening points (0 - 11) The only difference is you need to able to cope with any reply he makes before you engage Stayman. ~
~ie with S 7 5
H Q J 8 4
D K 3 2
C J 10 4 2 ~ ~~~~You would be in trouble. 2NT now would make partner think you had 11 points and looking for game if he was maximum. None of your suits are long enough to bid. This type of hand should make your first thought be to pass 1NT and hope partner can make 7 tricks. ~When? Hands I would use Stayman on.
With no points, even, these shape hands will nearly always play better in a suit contract. In fact the lower your point count, the more likely it is that you should be playing in a suit! ~
~~~~~| | ~ Hand 1 | ~ Hand 2 | ~ Hand 4 | ~ Hand 5 | ~~| ~ ♠ | ~ x x x x x x | ~ x x x x x | ~ x x x x | ~ x | ~~| ♥ | ~ x x | ~ x x x x | ~ x x x x | ~ x x x x | ~~| ♦ | ~ x | ~ x x | ~ x x x x x | ~ x | ~~| ♣ | ~ x x x x | ~ x x | ~ ---- | ~ x x x x x x x | ~~| | ~~ After any response except spades (which you should pass), rebid 2 spades. ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is now a weak-take-out | ~Pass 2 hearts or spades or correct any other bid to 2 spades.
~~~~~~~~~~~This is now a weak-take-out | ~~ Pass any response! ~
~ | ~~ Pass 2 hearts; rebid 3 Clubs after any other response.
~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is now a weak-take-out | ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~REMEMBER~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~When you are playing Stayman, 2 clubs is unconditionally forcing! ~Want to know more? Clickhere |