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Back to Basics - Stayman (from Monday 3rd July 2006).

		ª	A J x x
		©	A
		¨	Q J x x
		§	K 8 x x

This hand was a surprise because not one (!) pair bid to the best contract.

Partner was dealer and opened 1NT (Acol, 12-14pts balanced/semi-balanced).
All pairs played in 3NT making only 8 or 9 tricks after a heart lead. This means that the bidding must have gone 1NT - 3NT. The question is "Why?"

I think that there is a tendency for players to pick up a good hand, hear partner open 1NT and then jump straight to game. All we have to do with hands like this is to use STAYMAN. The singleton Ace of hearts is a good card to hold (obviously) but if partner is short of hearts (exactly what happened) there is a risk of 3NT not making. However, if partner has 4 spades then a 4ª contract appears straightforward, (11/12 tricks would have made).

So here is a suitable bidding sequence for this hand:
1) After 1NT from partner you should respond 2§ (Stayman - asking for a 4 card major).
2) If partner replies 2ª then rebid (Stop) 4ª.
3) If partner replies 2¨ or 2© then the rebid should be (Stop) 3NT.
If partner does bid 2¨ in response to Stayman there is still a worry about the heart suit but there is no alternative to 3NT. Although opener may have a 5 card minor there is no easy way to find out - and it is easier to make 9 tricks than 11!

If partner has shown a 4 card heart suit (in answer to the Stayman enquiry) he/she may also have 4 spades. One of the underlying principles of using Stayman is that YOUR bidding clearly indicates to opener that you have a 4 card spade or heart suit (or both). If you did not show interest in partner's heart response, then you must have 4 spades, so opener may convert your 3NT bid to 4ª.

Why? Because if you did not have a 4 card major why were you using Stayman?

Remaining on the subject of Stayman - if you hold a 5 (NOT 6) card major and game values then there are two approaches, (I leave it to you to work out why you do not immediately bid 3© or 3ª):
a) If you play transfers then you transfer to 2 © or 2ª and then jump to 3NT - to show game values and a 5 card suit in hearts or spades.
b) If you do not play transfers then you should use Stayman and then jump to 3© or 3ª over a 2¨ response, - you MUST play this as forcing. If partner has replied 2ªbut your suit is hearts then I think you have to play that 3© from you is also forcing, (otherwise why does anyone want to play at the 3 level opposite a weak 1NT opening bid?)

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