Responders options with a fit

No fit response by opener

When opener shows a 5 card major:

Saturday, December 07, 2002 8:40 AM

Puppet Stayman - 2NT

PITBULLS:

Normal Stayman over 2NT is very clumsy for slam bidding. Say the auction goes 2NT-P-3♣-P 3♠-P-4♦ Is that a Q bid in support of spades or does that show 5♦ & 4♥ ? How do you make slam tries after Stayman ? How do you find minor slams after Stayman ? How do you find a 5-3 major or minor fit with Stayman ? The answer is to try Puppet Stayman . Puppet Stayman got its name from a relay or puppet bid of 3♦ which turns the tables on the Stayman bidder. Instead of you asking the 2NT bidder for the major , the 2NT bidder asks you for the major via 3♦. The strong 2NT only tells you if he has a 5 card major . He bids 3NT with no major and relays to 3♦ with one or both majors.

After the 2NT bidder bids 3NT denying a major , the Puppet Stayman bidder can bid 4♣ as “re-Stayman”. The 2NT opener bids 4♦ with 4-4 in the minors and 4NT with a 4-3-3-3. If the 2NT opened with a 5 card minor , she bids 4♥ with a 5 card club suit and 4♠ with a 5 card diamond suit. 4NT is now KCB for that minor by the puppet Stayman person.

As the table below shows the smaller hand preserves the transfer by bidding the major he does not have. You can add fancy bids to show minor slam try hand types as below . You can invent any sequences you want . You break sequences down to fit – no fit auctions. When opener bids 3♦ and responder is interested in slam with a fit , he describes his hand to the 2NT opener. All bids from 3NT up show Smolen hands or 4-4 in the majors impying a fit.

When the 2NT opener bids 3♦ and subsequently no fit is found , the bidding reverts to natural except for 4♣ which is Re-Stayman. As openers 4 card suit is known, you just bid the 2^nd suit or 4nt with a 4-3-3-3.

Here is one approach …

M stands for Major in the notation below . Here are the sequences when the 2NT opener shows one or both majors. Responder can show Smolen hands or 4-4 in the majors if a fit is found. All bids of 3NT or higher imply a fit.

West 2 NT 3 ♦	North P P	East 3 ♣ ?	South P

•
•
•
•

•
•
•

Call
3 ♥
3 ♠
3 NT
4 ♣

4 ♦
4 ♥
4 ♠
4 NT
5 ♣

Meaning
exactly 4 spades or no major interest
exactly 4 hearts
4-4 or 5-4 majors; choice of games; NF
5-4 or 6-4 majors*; slam try (4♦ relays
then shape is shown Smolen style)
4-4 in majors; slam try
4-4 in majors stiff club
4-4 majors stiff diamond
quantitative
Gerber

*With 6-4 majors and no slam interest, responder should just use Texas.

Openers options

West 2 NT 3 ♦ ?	North P P	East 3 ♣ 3 M	South P P

•

Call
3 ♠
3 NT
4 ♣

4 ♥

Meaning
spade fit (if responder has 4 spades)
no fit
heart fit; maximum (responder should
bid 4 ♦ as transfer to play in 4 ♥)
heart fit; minimum

West 2 NT 3 ♦ Fit	North P P P	East 3 ♣ 3 M ?	South P P

•

Call
3 NT
Cheapest suit
Other suit
4 NT

Meaning
sign-off (denies spade fit)
ambiguous; slam try in fit
splinter; slam try
key-card Blackwood (fit suit key)

West 2 NT 3 ♦ 3 NT	North P P P	East 3 ♣ 3 M ?	South P P

Call
4 ♣
4 NT
5 ♣

Re-Stayman
quantitative
Gerber

West
2 NT
3 NT
?

North
P
P
P

East
3 ♣
4♣

South
P
P

Call
4 ♣
4 NT
5 ♣

Re-Stayman
quantitative
Gerber

West

2 NT
3 M

North

P
P

East

3 ♣
?

South

P

Call
3 ♠
3 NT, 4 M
other M (3+)
non jump ♣ or ♦
jump 4 x +
4 NT
5 ♣

Meaning
4 spades (weak minor, no fit for M); I
sign-off
raise of 5 card M; slam try
5+ cards (does not deny fit); GF
splinter raise; slam try
quantitative
Gerber