♠AQ65
♥92
♦KJ32
♣Q83
I have 12 HCP. I have a balanced hand. I would respond 3NT. We have the values for a game and not a slam. I would simply place the contract where it belongs.
What if Partner had:
♠KJ92
♥86
♦AQ87
♣AK5
Right away the Opponents take the first 5 ♥ tricks! We are down in our contract.
Let's look to see what went wrong so we can improve our bridge in the future.
Hmmmmm. Partner sure had their opening 1NT bid. Can't blame them. I had a balanced hand and we have enough values for game. Not my fault.
This is strange. We have the values for game. We must make some game contract. Oh. I notice now that Partner and I have a 4-4 major suit fit. If we were to play in 4♠ the Opponents would only be able to take 2 tricks in ♥ because after that either one of our hands could trump. We needed to find our 4-4 ♠ fit.
So now I know to blame our bidding system. Partner and I need a way to discover a 4-4 major suit fit after one of us opens the bidding 1NT. We need to play the Stayman convention.
When partner opens 1NT you know they hold either 15, 16 or 17 HCP (High Card Points) with a balanced hand. Balanced hands can include one or even two 4 card Majors. If you have at least one 4 card Major you should see if you can find a 4-4 Major suit fit. This fit tends to play better than NT does. If you cannot find a fit and you hold a balanced hand also you want to play in NT. All that is left to determine is whether or not you want to play in a part-score, game or slam. Add your points to partner's to determine where you want to play. Remember there is no point in bidding any higher than 1NT if you know you cannot make a game.
Stayman is a perfect way to find a 4-4 Major suit fit once Partner has opened the bidding 1NT. I bid 2♣ (Stayman) to ask my Partner "Do you have a 4 card Major?". 2♣ says NOTHING about my ♣ suit. I could have a good ♣ suit, I could have a bad ♣ suit, no one knows (but me). In order to bid Stayman I should have at least 8 HCP and at least one 4 card major. If I have a balanced hand with less than 8 HCP we want to stay low in the bidding because we don't have enough for a game. If I do not have a 4 card major there is no point in bidding Stayman. Since I don't have a 4 card major we will not find a 4-4 major suit fit.
To make game in 3NT you need between 25 and 32 HCP.
To make 6NT you need between 33 and 36 HCP
To make 7NT you need between 37 and 40 HCP
Responding to 1NT opening bids with a fairly balanced hand playing Stayman:
| Bid | Points | What this says to your Partner |
| Pass | 0 to 7 | We do not have the values for game so we are staying low. |
| 2♣ | 8 or more | Partner, do you have a 4 card major? |
| 2NT | 8 or 9 | Partner, I am inviting game. I can't quite bid it on my own or I would. I need you to have 17 points. If you do please bid 3NT. With only 15 points we don't have enough for a game. Please Pass. |
| 3NT | 10 to 15 | Partner, we have enough for a game even if you have only 15 points. If you have 17 points we still do not have enough for a slam. Please trust me and Pass. |
| 4NT | 16 or 17 | Partner, I am inviting a small slam. I can't quite bid it on my own or I would. I need you to have 17 points. If you do please bid 6NT. With only 15 points we don't have enough for a small slam. Please Pass. |
| 5NT | 20 or 21 | Partner, we are going to a slam! I'm not sure whether or not we have enough for just a small slam or a grand slam. With only 15 points we just have enough for a small slam. Please bid 6NT. With 17 points we have enough for a grand slam. Please bid 7NT. Whatever you do, DO NOT PASS! We will have missed bidding a slam if you do! |
| 6NT | 18 or 19 | Partner, we have enough for a small slam even if you have only 15 points. If you have 17 points we still only have enough for a small slam. Please trust me and Pass. |
| 7NT | 22 or more | Partner, I know you have at least 15 points so I know we have enough for a grand slam. Good luck! |
Playing Stayman, what would you respond with each of the following hands if Partner opened the bidding 1NT (15 to 17 HCP)?
Hand 1
♠KQT4
♥AJT2
♦KQ
♣Q96
Hand 2
♠KJ64
♥AK95
♦K82
♣AT
Hand 3
♠AJT7
♥QJ3
♦AJ
♣AQ85
Hand 4
♠AK3
♥J3
♦QJ76
♣KQ53
Hand 5
♠KJ87
♥KQT7
♦K62
♣A2
Hand 6
♠AK73
♥T964
♦Q8
♣876
Hand 7
♠JT6
♥KJT3
♦84
♣A765
Hand 8
♠QJ87
♥KT
♦T76
♣T874
Hand 9
♠AKJ7
♥A643
♦KT9
♣97
Hand 10
♠A96
♥KQ93
♦A4
♣K763
Hand 11
♠KQ9
♥Q43
♦AQJ6
♣K75
Hand 12
♠AK54
♥T87
♦K932
♣A4
Hand 13
♠J976
♥KJ84
♦K3
♣AK4
Hand 14
♠K3
♥QJT3
♦J64
♣AT85
Hand 15
♠AQ5
♥A5
♦J642
♣K952
Hand 16
♠AQJ5
♥QJ2
♦QT43
♣Q7
Hand 17
♠Q98
♥AJ54
♦AT
♣KQ72
Hand 18
♠T985
♥42
♦AKJ87
♣K5
Hand 19
♠KQ6
♥KQ7
♦K964
♣AQ7
Hand 20
♠T86
♥K5
♦KT95
♣KQ53
Hand 21
♠AQ87
♥Q8
♦KT96
♣AJ8
Hand 22
♠AT3
♥AT52
♦K8
♣J432
Hand 23
♠KT95
♥76
♦865
♣KJT3
Hand 24
♠AKQ
♥AQ4
♦KJT52
♣42
Hand 25
♠AKT3
♥A86
♦Q5
♣JT53
Hand 26
♠AQT4
♥KT53
♦AQ5
♣94
Hand 27
♠QJ94
♥JT5
♦QT42
♣AJ
Hand 28
♠976
♥K5
♦A876
♣Q532
Hand 29
♠KQ92
♥A6
♦KQ3
♣QJ96
Hand 30
♠QJ7
♥QT32
♦AQJ7
♣93
Hand 31
♠T2
♥AKQT
♦A84
♣QJT5
Hand 32
♠KJ
♥AJ84
♦AQJ5
♣Q98
Hand 33
♠AQ4
♥Q9
♦T432
♣K953
Hand 34
♠J6
♥A65
♦KJ63
♣KQJ8
Hand 35
♠A4
♥KQ65
♦865
♣A762
Hand 36
♠T952
♥A5
♦J72
♣A654
Hand 37
♠KQ42
♥KJ5
♦A842
♣J9
Hand 38
♠Q5
♥AJT7
♦KT52
♣AJ4
Hand 39
♠A53
♥AQ7
♦QJ73
♣KJ9
Hand 40
♠AKT4
♥Q742
♦QJ
♣QJ8
Hand 41
♠Q5
♥AQJ8
♦J87
♣AJ83
Hand 42
♠T632
♥T9
♦Q96
♣QJ83
Hand 43
♠A53
♥QT92
♦K5
♣KQ73
Hand 44
♠AJ86
♥Q853
♦64
♣J52
Hand 45
♠654
♥975
♦AK32
♣A32
Hand 46
♠KQ87
♥K73
♦K752
♣AJ
Hand 47
♠J85
♥J986
♦A8
♣AJ73
Hand 48
♠962
♥76
♦AJ943
♣KJ3
Hand 49
♠KQ85
♥A6
♦Q942
♣A42
Hand 50
♠J7
♥A985
♦AJT9
♣A87
Hand 51
♠AQ87
♥K7
♦K53
♣KJ97
Hand 52
♠764
♥AQT
♦K3
♣AQJT8
Hand 53
♠T87
♥A8
♦AKJ6
♣Q763
Hand 54
♠T6
♥Q432
♦Q82
♣KQJ2
Hand 55
♠J542
♥953
♦AJ92
♣T9
Hand 56
♠A43
♥KQJ8
♦KT62
♣J3
Hand 57
♠92
♥KQJ9
♦KJ863
♣63
Hand 58
♠AJ65
♥52
♦Q76
♣KT85
Hand 59
♠964
♥KT65
♦A987
♣82
Hand 60
♠KJT3
♥K9
♦A96
♣9542
Hand 61
♠Q82
♥QJ8
♦KJ2
♣KQT3
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