Test your knowledge
Stayman after 1NT
- Question 1
(of 12 on this page)
What is a the main point of a "Stayman" bid?
1. To help your relationship blossom
2. To help to choose between either NT or a Major suit
3. To help to get to game successfully after a 1NT opening
4. To confuse yourself and your partner
5. To make things overcomplicated
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- Answer 1
(of 12 on this page)
What is a the main point of a "Stayman" bid?
( 3 ). To help to get to game successfully after a 1NT opening
The main point is to make it easier to get to game. Part of this is to try and find an 8-card Major match if you have one hidden away in the form of two 4-card suits in each hand, and part of it is to assess eachother's exact strength.
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- Question 2
(of 12 on this page)
When can you use a 2 Clubs "Stayman" bid ?
1. After partner has opened 1NT, and you have one (only) Major suit with 4 or more cards.
2. After partner has opened 1NT, and you have one or two Major suits with 4 or more cards.
3. After partner has opened 1NT, and you have one or two Major suits with 4 or more cards, but you do not have a 5-card Major alongside a short Major with 3 or fewer cards.
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- Answer 2
(of 12 on this page)
When can you use a 2 Clubs "Stayman" bid ?
( 3 ). After partner has opened 1NT, and you have one or two Major suits with 4 or more cards, but you do not have a 5-card Major alongside a short Major with 3 or fewer cards.
If you have a 5-card Major, and no other 4 or 5 card Major suit, you would use transfers or bid the Major suit (either directly or via a transfer). As soon as you have either 2 Major suits, or one with 4-cards, then you can use Stayman after a 1 NT opening
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- Question 3
(of 12 on this page)
You partner has opened 1NT, so you know exactly how many HCP he has in his hand.
What is the minimum number of HCP must there be in your comined hands for your to bid a "Stayman" 2 clubs?1. 17
2. 19
3. 21
4. 23
5. 25
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- Answer 3
(of 12 on this page)
You partner has opened 1NT, so you know exactly how many HCP he has in his hand.
( 4 ). 23
What is the minimum number of HCP must there be in your comined hands for your to bid a "Stayman" 2 clubs?
If 23 is the minimum, then you have a chance of there being 25. 25 is what's needed for a game in NT of a Major.
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- Question 4
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
A 10 9 4
K 8 5 4
K Q 4
5 4
What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 4
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 Clubs A 10 9 4 K 8 5 4 K Q 4 5 4
What should you now bid ?
With at least 24 HCP between you (whether your partner opened with either a strong or a weak No Trump), and a good chance of 25+, game is on. You have one 4-card Major. So bid "stayman" 2 clubs to ask your partner to tell you about his 4-card Majors.
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- Question 5
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
K Q 4 5 4 A 10 9 4 K 10 5 4
What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 NT
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- Answer 5
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
( 6 ). 2 NT K Q 4 5 4 A 10 9 4 K 10 5 4
What should you now bid ?
Your hand is the same as the last question, but the cards are in different suits. You have no 4-card Major, your partner almost certainly has no 5-card Major. Your best chance of game is in No Trumps. So bid 2NT to tell your partner that you have 12HCP balanced hand. Depending on the bidding system you use, your partner will interpret your bid as either 11-12HCP, or precisely 12HCP.
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- Question 6
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
A 10 9 4 K 10 5 4 K Q 4 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Spades. What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 NT
3. 3 Spades
4. 3 NT
5. 4 Spades
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- Answer 6
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
( 5 ). 4 Spades A 10 9 4 K 10 5 4 K Q 4 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Spades. What should you now bid ?
You have 24 HCP guaranteed, one short of 25. But now that you have found an 8-card Major match in Spades, you can now add up all your points, including the one for shortage in Clubs. Your Losing Trick Count of 7 also suggests that game is on in the Major. If you bid 3 Spades, there is a danger that you'll miss game if your partner passes, which he's likely to do if he has the minimum 12HCP. Bid 4 Spades.
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- Question 7
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
A 10 9 4 K 10 5 4 K Q 4 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Hearts. What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 NT
3. 3 Hearts
4. 3 Spades
5. 3 NT
6. 4 Hearts
7. 4 Spades
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- Answer 7
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
( 6 ). 4 Hearts A 10 9 4 K 10 5 4 K Q 4 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Hearts. What should you now bid ?
You have 24 HCP guaranteed, one short of 25. But now that you have found an 8-card Major match in Hearts, you can now add up all your points, including the one for shortage in Clubs. Your Losing Trick Count of 7 also suggests that game is on in the Major. If you bid 3 Hearts, there is a danger that you'll miss game if your partner passes, which he's likely to do if he has the minimum 12HCP. Bid 4 Hearts.
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- Question 8
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
A 10 9 4 K 10 4 K Q 4 8 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Hearts. What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 NT
3. 3 Hearts
4. 3 Spades
5. 3 NT
6. 4 Hearts
7. 4 Spades
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- Answer 8
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 12-HCP 7-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 NT A 10 9 4 K 10 4 K Q 4 8 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Hearts. What should you now bid ?
You might have a Major match in Spades, you might not. All you know is that your partner has at least one 4-card Major in Hearts - but he has not denied having one in Spades. His bid of 2 Hearts does not clarify. You'll have to bid NT to tell him that yours is NOT in Hearts. If he has one in Spades aswell, he'll come back in Spades.
With 12HCP you are not strong quite strong enough for game if he is on minimum points, so you'll have to bid 2NT not 3NT.
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- Question 9
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 14-HCP 7-loser hand
K Q 4 A 10 9 4 K Q 4 8 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Spades. What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 NT
3. 3 Hearts
4. 3 Spades
5. 3 NT
6. 4 Hearts
7. 4 Spades
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- Answer 9
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 14-HCP 7-loser hand
( 5 ). 3 NT K Q 4 A 10 9 4 K Q 4 8 5 4
You replied with 2 Clubs, a Stayman bid. Your partner replies with 2 Spades. What should you now bid ?
There is no chance of an 8-card Major fit. Your partner has only one 4-card Major, in Spades. So you need to go back to NT with your balanced hand. With 26 HCP guaranteed, you can bid game straight away - 3NT.
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- Question 10
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 11-HCP 8-loser hand
A 10 9 4 2 K 10 4 K J 4 8 5
What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 Spades
8. 4 Spades
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- Answer 10
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 11-HCP 8-loser hand
( 4 ). 2 Hearts A 10 9 4 2 K 10 4 K J 4 8 5
What should you now bid ?
With a 5-card Major you should not use Stayman. If you use transfers, then bid Hearts, to tell you partner you have a 5-card Major in Spades.
If you don't use transfers, bid 2 Spades directly. You can't bid more than 2 Spades, since neither length nor strength comes up to minimum game standard.
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- Question 11
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
A 10 9 4 2 K J 5 4 K 10 8 5
What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 Spades
8. 4 Spades
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- Answer 11
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 11-HCP 7-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 Clubs A 10 9 4 2 K J 5 4 K 10 8 5
What should you now bid ?
Whenever you have 2 Majors and a game is in prospect, you should bid Stayman after 1 NT opening. This includes the situation where one of the suits is a 5-card suit.
Only use transfers when there is no ambiguity - i.e. when you have a single 5-card suit.
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- Question 12
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 6-HCP 8.5-loser hand
9 4 Q 10 5 A 10 9 8 4 2 8 5
What should you now bid ?1. pass
2. 2 Clubs
3. 2 Diamonds
4. 2 Hearts
5. 2 Spades
6. 2 NT
7. 3 Diamonds
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- Answer 12
(of 12 on this page)
Your partner opened 1NT. You have this 6-HCP 8.5-loser hand
( 2 ). 2 Clubs 9 4 Q 10 5 A 10 9 8 4 2 8 5
What should you now bid ?
You are weak, and NT is a dangerous suit to be in. Best to get out of it.
If you use Stayman and Transfers, do not bid diamonds! (2 diamonds is a transfer to a 5-card Heart suit. 3 diamonds is strong, and shows a long diamond suit with interest in game).
With a 6-card minor, as here, you can effect a weakness takeout into 3 of a minor suit by using Stayman. If your partner replies 2 diamonds, you can pass if you're trying to get into diamonds. With any other reply, you can correct to 3 clubs or diamonds as required.
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