The origin of this variation of the Stayman conventional method is unknown. This designation must not be confused with the identical and older designation of / for Puppet Stayman or with the concept of Puppet Stayman.

Principle of the Concept

The variation has been devised to be employed when the partnership does not include any kind of transfers in the partnership agreement. This conventional method is also not employed after an immediate overcall by an opponent, regardless of the level. The concept is used to find a 5-card Major suit after one partner has opened the auction with 1 No Trump.

The general consensus is that the range of the No Trump should be between 15-17 points, but the concept itself may also be used over weaker No Trump ranges. If this is the case, then the responder must have accordingly increased values since the variation is only used when the responder holds game values.

This variation is initiated by a first response of three Diamonds as shown in the following example:

Example 1
Opener		Responder		Meaning
AJ AK876 K43 J74		K98 QJ53 Q65 KQ9
1 NT		3		Five Card Stayman convention asking for a 5-card Major suit.
3				Shows a 5-card Heart suit.
		4		Responder raises to game.

The responder must have game values and a strong 3-card support for at least one of the Major suits. A strong support is defined as a suit having at least one of the top three honors or two consecutive honors. Ideal is that the responder hold one 3-card Major suit and one 4-card Major suit, although this is not a basic requirement.

Example 2
Opener		Responder		Meaning
AK876 AJ K43 J74		Q109 Q1053 A65 AQ9
1 NT		3		Five Card Stayman convention asking for a 5-card Major suit.
3				Shows a 5-card Spade suit.
		4		Responder raises to game.

In the above example the responder is able to raise to game with only a 3-card support suit in Spades knowing that the No Trump bidder has a 5-card Spade suit. The No Trump bidder may also bid a very strong 4-card Major suit such as AKQ9.

Denial Bid

Opener		Responder		Meaning
K43 AJ6 AK87 J74		QJ109 KQ105 64 AQ9
1 NT		3		Five Card Stayman convention asking for a 5-card Major suit.
3 NT				Denies any 5-card Major suit.

With a denial bid of 3 No Trump the No Trump bidder more or less ends the auction. The responder must either pass or continue the auction with a forcing bid such as an Ace-asking bid or any kind of Blackwood. The responder may not continue to ask about a possible 4-card Major suit, since this would consume too much bidding space if the partnership only has game values.

Competition and Continuations

If there is an immediate overcall by the opponent, then the partnership is required to play systems off. It is a matter of partnership agreement as to what the understanding is. A cuebid of the suit of the opponent may be asking for a stopper or showing a stopper in the suit of the opponent. A double could be employed as penalty or as a Stayman-esque inquiry. A jump to 3 No Trump by the responder would show at least one stopper in the suit of the overcall or in the intended suits of the overcaller. Again, 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.