By Alan Fraser Truscott

The Two Way Stayman response, devised by Mr. Alan Fraser Truscott, follows. For guidelines to open a holding with 1 No Trump, please review 1 No Trump Openings.

Partner opens with:		1 No Trump
Responder bids:		2
Partner rebids 2 NT:		Shows 4-3-3-3 distribution.
Responder rebids:		3 , a Relay bid to discover 4-card suit.
Partner rebids:		3 / 3 / 3 , showing a 4-card suit.

 

If the Partner is holding a 4-card Club suit, then the partnership must discuss how this is to be handled. Bidding 4 Clubs to show a 4-card suit over a 3 Clubs Relay bid by the responder may put the partnership on a Level too high for the final contract.

Partner opens with:		1 No Trump
Responder bids:		2
Partner rebids 3 :		Shows 2-3-4-4 distribution, showing both Minor suits.

 

If the 1 No Trump bidder holds a Major 4-card suit and a Minor 4-card suit, then after a 2 Diamond response, the 1 No Trump bidder bids the suits in that order.

Partner opens with:		1 No Trump
Responder bids:		2
Partner rebids 2 :		Shows 4-4-3-2 distribution, showing both Major suits.
Responder rebids:		2 , a second Relay bid.
Partner rebids:		2 No Trump, confirming both 4-card Major suits.

 

The illustrations above clearly indicate that the No Trump bidder can actually identity his distribution of a single 4-card suit, and also his holding of two 4-card suits and identify them for his partner.

The following relay bids by the responder ask for a two-step clarification of the holding of the No Trump bidder. The First Step is to determine that the doubleton is lower-ranking than the tripleton as in a distribution of 4-4-3-2.

If the No Trump bidder holds a 5-card Spade/Heart/Club suit, then the No Trump bidder will bid this particular 5-card suit after a response of 2 Diamonds by the responder. After a relay bid by the responder, the No Trump bidder will rebid either 3 Hearts, 3 Spades, or 3 No Trump to show the low, middle, or high ranking doubleton respectively.

In the case that the No Trump bidder holds a 5-card Diamond suit, then the No Trump bidder will rebid 3 Hearts, 3 Spades, or 3 No Trump (Jump Rebids) over the 2 Diamonds response, and shows simultaneously his doubleton, which is Hearts, Spades, or Clubs respectively.

If any rebid by the No Trump bidder is 3 Hearts or lower-ranking, the responder can use any meaningless response to ask the No Trump bidder whether he holds either maximum or minimum values for his No Trump opening.

Note: This concept variation by Mr. Alan Fraser Truscott has been revised over the years and has undergone several minor changes and/or adjustments in showing the location of the doubleton and tripleton. The reader must be made aware of this fact and act correspondingly when adding this version of the Two Way Stayman to his/he partnership agreement.

 

 

If you wish to include this feature, or any other feature, of the game of bridge in your partnership agreement, then please make certain that the concept is understood by both partners. Be aware whether or not the feature is alertable or not and whether an announcement should or must be made. Check with the governing body and/or the bridge district and/or the bridge unit prior to the game to establish the guidelines applied. Please include the particular feature on your convention card in order that your opponents are also aware of this feature during the bidding process, since this information must be made known to them according to the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. We do not always include the procedure regarding Alerts and/or Announcements, since these regulations are changed and revised during time by the governing body. It is our intention only to present the information as concisely and as accurately as possible.