After watching some of the drives in the past, there seems to be a problem with whether 4NT is asking for Aces (or Key Cards) or not.

We all should know that when the bidding goes 1NT – 4NT that this is inviting your partner to bid 6NT with a maximum holding for their 1NT.

However, there are other circumstances where this is true. Let us first discuss 1NT openings and the follow-ups.

After Stayman:

1NT – 2♣  (Stayman) – 2♥  – 4NT

In the above sequence, 4NT is Quantitative, inviting partner to bid 6NT with a maximum hand. It is NOT Blackwood, you have not agreed to a suit.

After Jacoby Transfer:

1NT – 2♦  (showing Hearts) – 2♥  – 4NT

Again, as with the Stayman hand, you have not agreed on the trump suit. 4NT in this case is Quantitative and NOT blackwood.

As a general rule of thumb, if after an NT opening or an NT rebid and no suit is agreed upon, then a 4NT rebid is quantitative.

After an opener's rebid of NT, again 4NT is quantitative:

1♣  – 1♥  – 1NT – 4NT

So when is 4NT asking for Aces (or Key cards)

After a suit is agreed upon (especially a major) then a bid of 4NT is Blackwood:

1♠  – 3♠  – 4NT

It is also Blackwood if you've made a conventional bid that shows support for the suit, e.g. After a splinter or a Jacoby 2NT raise.

1S – 4D (Splinter, shortage in Diamonds) – 4NT

Depending on the partnership agreement, it is also Blackwood AND showing support for your partner's second suit.

1S – 2♦  – 2♥  – 4NT (Blackwood in Hearts)

The tricky situation is where you are using 4 suit forcing. As a general rule, if after a 4 suit forcing bid, if NT is bid (to show stop in the fourth suit) then 4NT is quantitative.

1♠  – 2♦  – 2♥  – 3♣  (fourth suit) – 3NT (shows stop in Clubs) – 4NT (quantative)

However, if after the 4 suit force, a suit contract is preferred, then 4NT is Blackwood.

1♠  – 2♦  – 2♥  – 3♣  (4SF) – 3♥  (showing 5+) – 4NT (Blackwood in hearts)

I hope the advice above helps you to avoid confusion about what 4NT means in certain situations.

Don't rush to bid 4NT!

You have opened the above hand 1 ♠  and your partner has raised it to 3 ♠  showing 10+ points and 4+ spades (8 losers). Although you have around 30-31 points, counting losers (12) you have the potential for a slam in spades. So, what you should do?

The common mistake, and I have done it many times, is to think 'Oh we could have slam, let's bid 4NT (Blackwood asking for aces)'. However, whatever method of Blackwood you use, if your partner comes back showing one Ace (or key card), you are at a bit of a loss on what to do.

If the Ace is in diamonds, then you have a reasonable chance of 6 spades. However, if the Ace is in clubs, you could then have two losers off the bat in diamonds. You have no idea where to go.

Italian cue bids (shows 1^st or 2^nd round control in a suit)

One solution is to cue bid first before bidding 4NT. You have a free round of bidding before 4NT so you might as well use that space for something useful.

Bidding a new suit, after a major, and sometimes a minor, suit agreement (a jump after simple raise to avoid confusion with a long suit game try) shows 1^st or 2^nd round control in the suit bid. You then, as a partnership, bid controls up the line.

First or second-round control is any of a void, a singleton, an Ace or a supported King.

In the above example, after 1 ♠  - 3 ♠, bidding 4 ♣  shows first or second-round control in clubs. Your partner will then bid their controls up the line.

If they bid 4 ♦  then you know you have at most one loser in the Diamond suit. That means you can then bid 4NT to find the other key cards safely.

If they by-pass, bidding 4 ♥  or 4 ♠  then you know you have 2 losers in the diamond suit and thus avoid bidding an unmakeable slam.

In summary

Using Italian cue bids will help you bid more solid slams and more importantly help you avoid bidding bad slams where you have two losers in one of the suits.

There are more continuations after the initial cue bid so you if want to read more then I recommend having a google yourselves.

Also, this article goes into more depth http://www.acblunit390.org/Simon/icb.htm

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Thanks for reading, I apologise for it being a week late! If you have an questions or ideas for an article then please do not hesitate in contacting me. Cheers - Tony

Tony will be looking at useful conventions. When to use them and, more importantly, when not to use them!

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I am planning to do an article each Thursday before the evening drive at 7 pm :)
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If you have any feedback or questions regarding any of the articles, then feel free to email me at sugarspun58@googlemail.com with the subject line 'Bidding Articles' 

We could have a game but I'm worried!!!

So, you have opened 1 ♠  and your partner has made a simple raise to 2 ♠. However, you are holding one of those awkward 16 point hands (or 6 losers) like below.

In normal circumstances you would invite by bidding 3 ♠, however, is there something better you can do?

Help (Long) suit game try.

When holding a hand such as above, the main concern is how many losers you have in the ♦ suit. If you raise to 3 ♠  you learn nothing about the diamonds, you could have 3 losers there before you can even get in.

So, the solution is to make a 'Help/Long' suit game try.

Bidding a new suit at the lowest level tells your partner 'I think we have a game but I need help in this suit'

In the example above, the bidding will go 1♠  – 2♠  – 3♦  (game try)

The responses are as follows, informing your partner of your diamond situation.

With 3 losers in the suit (even if maximum) – bid 3♠, sign-off

With 2 losers but a minimum hand (5-7 points) – again bid 3♠, sign-off

With 2 losers but a maximum hand (8-10 points) – bid game, 4♠ 

With 1 or zero losers in the suit (even if weak) – bid game, 4♠ 

All the above is the same with a heart fit.

Why should we play all of the above?

It will be rare to have the need to bid a 'Help suit' game try, however it is a valuable gimmick to have. You will find more 'thin' makable games, very important at teams, and avoid bad games even when holding the maximum as you have 3 losers straight off the bat.

The only real downside to using the above convention is it will give the opponents an idea of what to lead when you stay in 3 of a Major, however, it will be outweighed by beating those who have gone one level too high.

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Addition info – Counting losers https://www.60secondbridge.com/play-of-the-hand-lessons/counting-your-losers/

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Disclaimer - all the above is my personal experience! If you have any comments or queries, feel free to drop me an email :)

Tony (sugarspun5 on BBO)

Stayman – When to and when not to.

Stayman is probably one of the first conventions you will learn when starting out on your bridge journey. Alan Truscott, after writing Sam Stayman's obituary, called him “the player best known in the world” based on Sam's convention.

So, why is the convention useful in the first place.

Stayman is a bid of 2 ♣  after an opening bid by your partner of 1NT. (also 3 ♣  after 2NT or 2C/2D/2NT)

It asks your partner to bid a major if they have a least 4 cards in that suit. The idea is to find a 4-4 or better fit which you cannot do easily without using the convention.

If they do not have a 4 card (or longer) major, they will bid 2 ♦ .

So, if you have a game going hand with a 4 card major then usually Stayman is the first bid you make over your partner's 1NT opening.

Are there any downsides to using Stayman?

The only thing you really lose is the ability to show a weak hand with long clubs at the two-level. From the popularity of the convention, I personally do not know anyone who doesn't play it, it is clear the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Right, so should I bid Stayman with every hand when holding a 4 card major?

The short answer is NO! There are many reasons why.

If you have game going values and a 4 card major then you will be bidding Stayman nearly 90% of the time. However, there are times when you should not use it.

• Weak hands – Even if you are holding a four-card major, with less than 11 points (presuming you are playing a weak NT opening of 12-14) do not bid Stayman, just pass 1NT (unless you hold a 5 card suit that's not Clubs - then make a weak take-out bid). If you do, you will likely end up in a contract at a too higher level. (There are exceptions but we will come on to those later)

• 4-3-3-3 hands with 11+ HCP – With such shape, you do not really hand any ruffing values in your hand. If you do bid Stayman and do find the major it is likely you will end up in a bad 4 ♠  or 4 ♥  contract rather than a makable 3NT contract. It is likely your opponents will get ruffs before you can set up your side suits. Remember your partner is balanced and not likely to have a shortage.

• 5-5 in the majors, game going – Your partner should, when bidding 1NT, have a balanced hand and therefore should have at least 3 cards in one of the majors. It is best to show the spades first (whether naturally or via Transfers if you play them) and then the hearts after if you do not find a spade fit.

The general rule of thumb is, if you cannot handle a 2 ♦ response from your partner, then do not bid Stayman!

So, I shouldn't bid Stayman if I do not have game going values and a four-card major?

The answer is 'usually' no, however, this is bridge, life is not always that simple!

• Weak hands with 5-4 in the majors – in this case, you can use Stayman to show a weak hand. You need to make sure your partnership agrees to play it this way otherwise you could get into a lot of mix-ups.
  
  With a weak hand and 5-4 in the majors, bid Stayman. If you partner bids either of the majors (at the 2 level) then you simply pass. However, if you partner bids 2 ♦  denying a 4 cards major, then you bid your 5 card major at the 2-level which then your partner 'should' pass. Basically, any hand you would normally make a weak take out bid in a major with but holding 4 cards in the other major as well, you can use Stayman. Again, you can handle the 2 ♦  response by then bidding your 5 card major to play.
   

• Weak hands with 4-4-5-0 shape – bid Stayman and then pass any response. Best case, you'll be in a 4-4 or better major fit, worse case, a 5-2 diamond fit.
  
  It is very rare to get a hand like this, but holding 4 cards in both majors and 5 cards in Diamonds, you can handle the response of 2 ♦  after bidding. Also, with a club void, it is better to be playing in a suit contract. 1NT might go down a ton if your opponents hold good clubs.
   

Okay, I've got all that but what about invitational hands – especially the awkward 11 point holding? (or 8 points if playing strong NT)

Many players use 2 ♠  to show a hand of exactly 11 HCP. This is fine when you have a balanced hand but when you are not, it can cause problems. You are forcing the bidding to 2NT and if your hand is distributional you could end up in a bad contract, whether if 2NT is passed or you end up in a suit contract at the 3 level or higher.

However, the main issue with the above is you will not find a 4-4 fit in a major, which may be the best place to play.

Bidding Stayman with 11 points and a 4 card major may be the right thing to do but there are dangers to doing this.

Holding one 4 card major, if your partner comes back 2 ♦  or the other major, you are forced to bid 2NT. If balanced, this might not be an issue, but on other hands, you will be stuck without any idea if you have a fit. But, if you do find a fit, you may well have a game on in a major that no one else has bid.
 

There is no easy answer to this so I'm going to give you my personal experience on this.

At pairs, it is best to show the 11 points, and not worry about the major fit. Okay, at times you may be in 3NT= when 4 of a major is making, losing out to those players, but it is rare.

At teams, however, I like to search for the 'thin-game' if vulnerable, hoping to make a game in a major when others are either not bidding it or going off in a bad 3NT contract.

So, my rule, and feel free to question it, is to do the following.

• First – I need a 4 card major, better if I have both of them.

• 11 points – Okay, I count losing tricks when hoping for a trump fit. So my criterion is, could we make a game in a major? If so, I will bid Stayman. If we find a fit, I will raise it or bid game myself. If we don't, we will end up in 2NT most likely, we just have to hope the damage isn't too bad. You usually make 2NT or go one-off. That versus the potential of a major suit game makes it worth the risk for me, especially at teams.

• Shortage – If I have both of the above, then I look at which suits I am short in. If I do not have a least a doubleton, then I'll just pass 1NT. With an outside void or singleton (or two doubletons), then I will look for the major 4-4 fit. Again, this does come with issues though, if your partner bids the suit you are short in, then you have a bit of a problem and hope to bail out in 2NT. Holding only one doubleton, then it will depend on my mood!

My brain hurts, if there anything else I need to know? (5-4 in the majors, game values)

There are a lot more continuations after Stayman, especially if you have a slam going hand but we'll look at those another time. However, one thing that confuses people, it used to confuse me, is what to do with a 5-4 holding in the majors and game going values.

The general rule of thumb is with 5-5 or better in the majors, show the suits – whether you use transfers or natural methods.

With 5-4 in the majors though, I always use Stayman first. Why?

• If my partner bids the 4 card major, I can then bid game (or invite to game by raising to the 3 level)

• Same as above if my partner bids the 5 card major, but take into account that you have at least a 9 card fit.

• If my partner bids 2 ♦  then I bid the 5 card major at the 3-level. This forces my partner to either raise to 4 with a 3 card major suit or bid 3NT without.

• If I do not use Stayman, then my partner knows I am 5-5 or better in the majors.

Wow, that's a lot to take in!

I am going to leave it there, for now. I think I have covered most of the pitfalls of using Stayman. In summary, the rule of thumb is, if you are going to use Stayman, make sure you know what to do if your partner bids 2 ♦  denying a 4 card major.

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Thanks for taking the time to read. If you have any feedback on the article or any questions, then please drop me an email at sugarspun58@googlemail.com, with the subject 'Stayman – Feedback/Question'.

Also, if you have any ideas for another convention you would like to be discussed, then also drop me an email with the subject 'Suggestions'

Just to clarify, I am not a pro player, the above are merely observations, I could be wrong! (You can tell me if you like!)

See you at the bridge table on BBO

Tony – (sugarspun5 on BBO)

Ref: Alan Truscott quote - Sam Stayman - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Stayman