This is a topic that I’ve discussed before: Stayman over 2NT. The standard scheme of responses in this country has its issues, in the earlier article, I described one solution, today I’m looking at another structure that solves them.
It is common that a 2NT opener (20-22 balanced, or some similar range) can contain a 5-card major in a 5332 (or perhaps 5422) shape. If responder wants to find out if opener has a 4 or 5 card major, most players use puppet Stayman. The standard scheme of responses being:
2NT-3♣: asks for 4 and 5 card majors
- 3♦: 4♥ and/or 4♠. Now responder rebids:
- 3♥: 4♠, opener bids 3♠ with 4♠, 3NT with 4♥.
- 3♠: 4♥, opener bids 3NT with 4♠, 4♥ with 4♥.
- 3NT: To play, responder was only interested in a 5 card major
- 4♦: 4♥-4♠, opener bids his major
- 3♥/♠: 5 cards
- 3NT: No 4 or 5 card major
Minor suit stayman and artificial slam-try’s are usually added to this, but that is outside the scope of this article. If one takes a close look at this structure, one will find that this uncovers all cases where opener has a 4 or 5 card major, and there is a 5-3 or 4-4 fit. Also, opener (that is, the strong hand) will always be playing the final contract. What about responder holding a 5 card major. Obviously, one uses a transfer and the bidding will usually proceed: 2NT-3♦(♥); 3♥(♠)-3NT. If there is a 5-3 fit, then opener can correct to 4♥(♠), again rightsiding the contract.
What if responder has both majors? 5♠-4♥ in responders hand definitely is a problem: if one transfers, then rebids 4♥, opener may have a 2♠-3♥-4-4 shape and we end up in at least 4♥ where 3NT is probably the best contract. If one bids 3♣ and opener bids 3♦, there is no way to show the 5 card spade suit. 5♥-4♠ is also a problem, one can bid 2NT-3♦; 3♥-3♠ but this makes responder declarer at spades, wrong-siding the contract.
As a partial solution, people have been playing that 2NT-3NT shows 5♠-4♥. Opener then selects a contract from 3NT, 4♥ or 4♠. That approach suffers from a few problems:
- It is easy to forget that 2NT-3NT is not a natural bid. In fact, the convention is known as the beer convention, for all those cases where somebody had to get partner a beer after forgetting the auction.
- And more seriously: if one wants to simply raise 2NT to 3NT without bothering about the majors, one still has to bid 3♣ and opener will show his major suit holdings. Now consider the hand on the left.
What would you lead after a natural 2NT-3NT? Would you be sure that this is the best lead? Now lead again after 2NT-3♣; 3♦/♥/♠/NT-3NT. Are you more confident that this is the best lead? Obviously, there is no right or wrong answer here, but after 2NT-3NT it is a blind guess, after 2NT-3♣, a ♠-lead will often be better if opener rebid 3♥ or 3NT, while a ♦-lead will be better if he rebid 3♦ or 3♠. - Next, if opener has a 5♠-2♥-33 and responder 3♠-5♥-(32), a 5-3♥-fit will be missed after 2NT-3♦;3♥-3NT.
- And finally, the issue of 5♥ and 4♠ isn’t addressed.
Is there a better solution to all these issue? Yes, there is, or there are. One of them is called Romex Stayman described in the earlier article, the other one is called Muppet Stayman. Muppet Stayman is an invention by the Italians Bocchi and Madala.
The convention is quite simple once you are familiar with regular Puppet Stayman (or Niemeijer, as is known in Holland). If you are not, click on the link to read up. Anyway, here are the two changes with respect to regular Puppet Stayman:
Over 2NT-3♣; the responses of 3♥ and 3NT are reversed, 3♥ denies a 4 or 5 card major, 3NT shows 5♥.
This makes the scheme (with all unlisted bids as above):
2NT-3♣: asks for 4 and 5 card majors
- 3♦: 4♥ and/or 4♠. Rebids as above.
- 3♥: No 4 or 5 card major.
- 3♠: Forces 3NT from opener
- 3NT: 5♠-4♥, opener passes or bids 4♥/♠.
- 3♠: 5♠
- 3NT: 5♥
- 4♦: Transfer to 4♥
Again, minor suit asks and artificial slam-try’s can be added to this. With this change, 2NT-3NT can be a natural bid again, solving the 2 top problems above: no forgets and no information given to the opponents if one simply want to raise 2NT to 3NT without interest in the majors.
How about the third and fourth problem? We can extend the principle above:
After 2NT-3♦;3♥, 3♠ denies 4♠ while 3NT shows 4♠.
In detail:
2NT-3♦
- 3♥: Usual accept
- 3♠: 5♥ (and not 4♠), opener chooses between 3NT and 4♥.
- 3NT: 5♥-4♠, opener chooses between 3NT, 4♥ and 4♠.
- 3NT: 5♠-2♥ (4♦/♥ transfer)
This right-sides a spade contract if responder has 5♥-4♠, and uncovers a fit in the other major if there is one. Similar 2NT-3♥-3NT shows 2♠-5♥.
Convinced that this is better? Go and play it. Confused about all the bids? There are 2 approaches here. First, here is a set of blank bidding diagrams. All the special sequences are listed here, all you have to do is fill out the meaning of the bids on the dots. Have your partner do the same and compare them. You should be able to figure out the correct answer from the text above, though it is far more important that you and your partner have the same opinion.
Need some practice hands? Here are a few as well. Simply print them and bid them with your partner.