Bridge for Beginners Lesson 14 The Stayman Convention

Homework Question 1  Bidding sequence. You to open. AA AA K J AA KK KK 7 QQ 22 22223NT 4444BlackwoodRKCB QQ 2222 44444NT 99 PPPPPP 5555 5555?? 55  Partner has tried to find a fit. After the Blackwood response partner may try a slam in a suit or NT.

Homework Question 2  Bidding sequence. Partner opens. KK KK 6 5 AA KK 2 77 66 1111BlackwoodRKCB QQ 1 1 4NT 77 PPP 5555 5555??  Partner has agreed ’s. After the Blackwood response partner may try a slam in ’s or NT.  Partner has agreed  ’s. After the Blackwood response partner may try a slam in  ’s or NT. 22 TT

Homework Question 3  Bidding sequence. You open. AA KK K 5 KK 3 TT 1111 2222BlackwoodRKCB QQ 22224NT 55 PPPP 5555 5555??  Partner has agreed ’s probably with 3 of the suit.  Partner has agreed  ’s probably with 3 of the suit.  Much more info with RKCB. 33 77 JJ 33

Homework Question 4  Bidding sequence. You open. AA KK A T QQ QQ 1111 3333BlackwoodRKCB TT 1 1 4NTPPPP 55??  Partner has agreed ’s.  Partner has agreed  ’s.  Must be 3 not 0 after the jump. 88 33 77 55 33 22

Homework Question 5  Bidding sequence. Partner opens. KK 99 A Q KK JJ T 1111 44BlackwoodRKCB TT 1111 3333 33334NT 55 PPPPPPP 5555 5 5 ??  Partner has agreed ’s. After the Blackwood response partner may try a slam in ’s.  Partner has agreed  ’s. After the Blackwood response partner may try a slam in  ’s. 66 7 QQ JJ

Homework Question 6  Bidding sequence. Partner opens. TT 88 K 9 AA 99 8 2222 4 4 BlackwoodRKCB 2222 2 2 4NTPPPPP 5555 5 5 ??  You agree ’s. After the Blackwood response partner may try a slam in ’s. 7 88 6 77 66 22

The Stayman Convention  Remember our bidding priorities  Game in a Major  Game in NT  Game in minor  Without enough for game to stop at the cheapest sensible contract we can  The way we play NT does not really fit this  We may play in NT with a 4/4 fit in a major

Look at these hands KK JJ Q AA KK 66 TT AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ 1NT3NT2NT 55 J TT 77 99 88 3 But NT is a bad contractBut NT is a bad contract And 4 looks easyAnd 4  looks easy 22 55 44 88 66

Finding major fits  We need to be able to show 4 card majors after partner opens 1NT (or 2NT)  We cannot do this at the moment  Bidding a major at the 2 level shows 5 and weak  Bidding a major at the 3 level shows 5 and stronger  The Stayman Convention gets round this  And is played by most players worldwide

Stayman  To find the extra bid we have to sacrifice a natural one  2 will no longer be a weakness take out  2  will no longer be a weakness take out  It tells partner:  I have 10+ HCP  And a 4 card major (perhaps both majors)  Opener MUST announce that this is not a natural bid by saying “Stayman”

Stayman  Opener MUST NOT PASS  Opener responds as follows:  With no 4 card major bid 2  With no 4 card major bid 2   With 4 ’s bid 2  With 4 ’s bid 2  With 4 ’s bid 2  With 4  ’s bid 2   With 4 ’s and 4 ’s bid 2 and show ’s on the next bid if partner does not agree ’s  With 4 ’s and 4  ’s bid 2 and show  ’s on the next bid if partner does not agree ’s

Stayman  Responder then re-bids  With no fit and HCP re-bid 2NT  With no fit and 13+ HCP bid 3NT  With a fit and HCP bid 3 of the agreed major  With a fit and 13+ HCP bid 4 of the major

Example hand 1a AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT 77 3 StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP 88 66 22222NT

Example hand 1b AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 55 TT 77 3 StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4 ’s Showing HCPShowing HCP < 4 ’s and 4 ’s< 4 ’s and 4  ’s Happy with NT after the bidHappy with NT after the bid 88 66 22222NT

Example hand 1c AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT 77 3 StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4  ’s Agreeing the suitAgreeing the suit Showing HCPShowing HCP 88 66 2222 3333

Example hand 2a AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT 77 K StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing 13+ HCPShowing 13+ HCP 88 66 22223NT

Example hand 2b AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 55 TT 77 K StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4 ’s Showing 13+ HCPShowing 13+ HCP Happy with NT after the bidHappy with NT after the bid 88 66 22223NT

Example hand 2c AA KK QQ TT 77 99 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT 77 K StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4  ’s Agreeing the suitAgreeing the suit Showing 13+ HCPShowing 13+ HCP 88 66 2222 4444

Example hand 3a KK QQ TT 77 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP Plus 5 ’s and 4 ’sPlus 5 ’s and 4  ’s 66 2222 2 2 T 7 3 2

Example hand 3b KK QQ TT 77 QQ Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4 ’s Showing HCPShowing HCP Agreeing the ’sAgreeing the ’s 66 2222 3 3 T 7 3 2

Example hand 3c KK QQ TT 77 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4  ’s Showing HCPShowing HCP Agreeing the ’sAgreeing the  ’s And showing 5 ’sAnd showing 5 ’s 66 2222 3 3 T 7 3 2

Example hand 4a KK QQ TT 77 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP Plus 4 ’s and 5 ’sPlus 4 ’s and 5  ’s 66 2222 2222 T 7 2 33

Example hand 4b KK QQ TT 77 QQ Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4 ’s Showing HCPShowing HCP Agreeing the ’sAgreeing the ’s Showing 4 ’s and 5 ’sShowing 4 ’s and 5  ’s 66 2222 2222 T 7 2 33

Example hand 4c KK QQ TT 77 QQ Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman Showing 4 ’sShowing 4 ’s Showing HCPShowing HCP Agreeing the ’sAgreeing the  ’s Invitational to gameInvitational to game 66 2222 3333 T 7 2 33

Example hand 5 QQ TT 77 Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 55 TT K StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP 4 of a major + long ’s4 of a major + long  ’s Have you stops for NT?Have you stops for NT? AA 2222 3333 QQ 99 JJ 88 77 66

Example hand 6 33 AA JJ TT Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 66 A StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing 13+ HCPShowing 13+ HCP Showing 4 ’s and 5 ’sShowing 4 ’s and 5  ’s Forcing partner to select the game contractForcing partner to select the game contract QQ 2222 3333 K 5 3 55 55 33

Example hand 7 33 AA JJ TT Partner1NT 2222 We bid ?? 66 A StaymanStayman No 4 card majorNo 4 card major Showing 13+ HCPShowing 13+ HCP Showing 6 ’s and 4 ’sShowing 6 ’s and 4  ’s QQ 2222 4 4 K T 5 55 4 3

Example hand 8 33 AA JJ TT Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 66 A StaymanStayman Shows 4 card majorShows 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP Showing 4 ’s and 5 ’sShowing 4 ’s and 5  ’s Pick your contract – I will passPick your contract – I will pass QQ 2222 2222 T 5 55 3 22 55

Example hand 9 33 AA JJ Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 66 A StaymanStayman Shows 4 card majorShows 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP Showing < 4 ’s and 4 ’sShowing < 4 ’s and 4  ’s QQ 22222NT T 5 TT 22 55 55 33

Example hand 10 AA TT Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 66 J StaymanStayman Showing 4 card majorShowing 4 card major Showing 10+ HCPShowing 10+ HCP Showing < 4 ’s, 4 ’s, 5+ ’sShowing < 4 ’s, 4  ’s, 5+  ’s Suggesting short ’sSuggesting short  ’s QQ 2222 3333 T 5 TT 22 55 55 33 AA

Example hand 11 KK 99 Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 88 Q StaymanStayman Showing 4 card majorShowing 4 card major Showing HCPShowing HCP Showing 4 ’sShowing 4 ’s Invitational to gameInvitational to game JJ 2222 3 3 J 7 99 QQ 22 88 KK 6

Example hand 12 KK 99 Partner1NT 2 2 We bid ?? 88 Q StaymanStayman Showing 4 card majorShowing 4 card major Showing 13+ HCPShowing 13+ HCP Showing 4 ’sShowing 4  ’s JJ 22223NT J 7 99 KK 22 88 KK QQ

Stayman  After responder’s second bid Opener should know:  Whether there is a fit in a major  Whether the pair have enough for game  Which is likely to be the best game contract  Where to play in a part score  And should now bid the contract

Summary  Stayman adds a lot to your bidding  You avoid bad NT contracts  You find 4/4 major fits  You can tell each other more about the shape and strength of your hands  The whole world plays Stayman  Because it has proved its worth over many years