Thursday, April 21, 2016

Bidding After 1NT Opener Responds 2 Hearts to our Stayman Bid and we have Game or Slam Forcing Values

This post will help practice what to do after our Partner opens 1NT, we respond 2♣ (Stayman) and Partner then responds 2 (I have 4 and I MIGHT have 4 ♠).

If you are not sure what Stayman is, please check out the previous Stayman posts before reading this one:
Introducing Stayman
Responding to Stayman

Let's practice our responses to Partner's 2 Stayman response when we have a game forcing or slam forcing hand.

What is a game forcing hand you ask? Basically a hand that just wants to bid game no matter what. If Partner opened the bidding 1NT these would be fairly balanced hands with about 10 to 15 HCPs.

What is a slam forcing hand you ask? Basically a hand that wants to bid a slam no matter what. If Partner opened the bidding 1NT these would be fairly balanced hands with about 18 or 19 HCPs.

In order to bid Stayman Partner must have opened the bidding 1NT (or 2NT but we'll do that later). We had a 4 card Major and decided to bid Stayman to see if we could find a 4-4 Major suit fit. In these examples Partner responded 2. That says "Partner I have a 4 card suit. I MIGHT have a 4 card ♠ suit." Now we have to decide what to do from here.

When Partner opened the bidding 1NT we knew they had between 15 and 17 HCP. We know that if we have between 10 and 15 points we have enough for a game but not enough for a slam. Even if Partner has the lowest point count they could possibly have it is still 15 points. Their 15 points plus our 10 points is 25 points. That is enough for a game. If we have 15 HCP Partner only has 17 at the very most. 15+17=32. We need 33 to make a small slam. Just not enough for a small slam.

If we have 18 or 19 HCP we know we have enough for a small slam. But NOT a grand slam. After all Partner must have 15 points. 15+18 is 33 at the least. That's enough for a small slam. If Partner has 17 HCP even if we had 19 HCP 19+17=36. That is not enough for a grand slam.

So with 10 to 15 points we know we have enough for a game but not a slam. We just didn't know where since we have a 4 card major and wanted to find a fit. But when Partner responded 2 we now know we might have a fit. If you have found a 4-4 fit you need to bid 4. If you did not find a fit you still need to bid game. You can now place the contract in 3NT.

So with 18 or 19 points we know we have enough for a small slam but not a grand slam. We just didn't know where since we have a 4 card major. But when Partner responded 2 we now know we might have a fit. If you have found a 4-4 fit you need to bid 6.

So on ALL these hands Partner opened the bidding 1NT (15-17). You decided to bid 2♣ (Stayman). Partner then responded with 2. That response says that Partner has a 4 card suit. They also MIGHT have a 4 card ♠ suit. It says nothing else about Partner's hand. With that in mind it is your turn to bid. What will you respond?

Hand 1

♠AT7
Q942
QT
♣AK62



Hand 2

♠AJT5
KT
32
♣AK983



Hand 3

♠K873
QJ4
KQ54
♣82



Hand 4

♠KJ54
AK54
K7
♣A72



Hand 5

♠AT9
A852
92
♣KQJ4



Hand 6

♠A73
J432
AQ52
♣A2



Hand 7

♠AKT4
8652
K76
♣Q2



Hand 8

♠AJ7
AJ85
KQ97
♣A8



Hand 9

♠83
9873
AK54
♣AK4



Hand 10

♠KJ87
A974
KT4
♣T4



Hand 11

♠Q72
AQ87
AKT7
♣A9



Hand 12

♠A2
KJ73
53
♣AQJ96



Hand 13

♠A9
AKQ6
Q4
♣AT764



Hand 14

♠A5
J983
K86
♣AK73



Hand 15

♠KQ92
7543
KT9
♣A3



Hand 16

♠AK8
K942
A7
♣KQT2



Hand 17

♠J8
J652
KT4
♣AQJ9



Hand 18

♠QJ62
KQT
J7
♣K853



Hand 19

♠AT
AJT7
AJ
♣AJT94



Hand 20

♠AK74
954
K975
♣K3



Hand 21

♠KJ53
KJ92
K3
♣AKJ



Hand 22

♠KT
KT84
QT5
♣QT98



Hand 23

♠J2
KQ65
JT5
♣A872



Hand 24

♠KJ6
AK86
A7
♣K976



Hand 25

♠K532
T94
KQT4
♣K4



Hand 26

♠A7
AQ83
AJ86
♣A54



Hand 27

♠QJ64
43
64
♣AK942



Hand 28

♠AK54
T3
T3
♣AK962



Hand 29

♠A986
AKQ8
A4
♣Q42



Hand 30

♠98
JT42
A93
♣AJ73



Hand 31

♠KQT5
J97
A732
♣KT



Hand 32

♠KT6
KQ87
A985
♣AQ



Hand 33

♠JT84
A4
AJ976
♣83



Hand 34

♠A86
Q632
A974
♣J2



Hand 35

♠A5
J753
K42
♣KJ72



Hand 36

♠K643
AJ42
A4
♣AQ2



Hand 37

♠65
J872
AKQ9
♣Q92



Hand 38

♠J5
Q973
A82
♣A985



Hand 39

♠KT73
KT6
AT
♣KJ73



Hand 40

♠AJ73
Q3
J963
♣A83



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