Stayman auction with 1NT Opener bidding 2 Hearts and Responder then bids 2NT

Take a look at this hand:

♠KJ84
♥AK42
♦A84
♣Q5

Nice hand. 17 HCP. Balanced. The correct opening bid on this hand is 1NT.

Now Partner bids 2♣. You are playing Stayman. That bid asks you to bid a four card major. With four card suits you bid them up the line. You respond 2♥ telling Partner that you have four ♥ in your hand. This does not deny having four ♠ (which you have) but it also does not guarantee having four ♠.

Over your 2♥ bid Partner says 2NT. What do you think you should do now?

Let's try and figure out what Partner is showing. Hmmmm. They didn't bid game so they don't have 10 HCP. Normally they would need 8 or 9 HCP to bid 2NT. I think they have 8 or 9 HCP. If I had opened 1NT and Partner bid 2NT I would have raised to 3NT. Perhaps that is the correct bid on this hand.

Close. You got to game. You just got to the wrong game. Partner does have 8 or 9 points. Correct. But Partner also has a four card Major. They bid Stayman. They must. You showed them you have four ♥. They were not interested. They don't have four ♥. If they have a four card Major and it is not ♥ then they must have four ♠. Partner has about 8 or 9 HCP with a four card ♠ suit. With that in mind what is your bid over 2NT?

That's right. 4♠. You are willing to accept the game try and bid game. The game to be in is 4♠ because you have a 4-4 ♠ fit.

So over Partner's 2NT bid you need to first figure out if you have a 4-4 ♠ fit and then figure out whether or not you want to accept the game try. Pressure is on. It is all up to you. Partner will Pass whatever you bid.

So, if after bidding Stayman, Partner bids 2NT do not think of this as a sign off bid. This just says Partner has an invitational hand (about 8 or 9 HCP) and didn't find a Major suit fit. If you have four ♠ you should change the contract to ♠. If you have the values for game you need to bid game.

Opener bids:	Partner responds:
1NT	2♣
2♥	2NT
If Opener bids Pass	Pass says "Partner I have fewer than four ♠ and I only have 15 HCP"
If Opener instead bids 3♠	3♠ says "Partner I have four ♠ also but only minimum values"
If Opener instead bids 3NT	3NT says "Partner I have fewer than four ♠ but I have 17 HCP and can accept your game try"
If Opener instead bids 4♠	4♠ says "Partner I have four ♠ also and maximum values so I can accept your game try"

Let's do some examples.

On all these hands you opened the bidding 1NT. Partner bids 2♣ (Stayman). You responded 2♥. Partner now bids 2NT. What will you bid on your hand?

First figure out if you have a 4-4 ♠ fit and then figure out whether or not you want to accept the game try.

Hand 1

♠K84
♥AK42
♦A874
♣QJ



Hand 2

♠QJ75
♥AJ96
♦AKJ
♣J8



Hand 3

♠T52
♥AK65
♦K6
♣KQT6



Hand 4

♠T76
♥AK73
♦AK
♣K654



Hand 5

♠A862
♥KT76
♦QJ
♣KQ5



Hand 6

♠KQ4
♥AKT5
♦Q653
♣KT



Hand 7

♠JT87
♥AK96
♦KT2
♣A3



Hand 8

♠84
♥K832
♦AK75
♣AK5



Hand 9

♠73
♥A763
♦KQ8
♣AQ83



Hand 10

♠K862
♥AJT7
♦K97
♣A4



Hand 11

♠AK83
♥Q543
♦K6
♣AJ9



Hand 12

♠96
♥KJ63
♦Q82
♣AKQ7



Hand 13

♠AT72
♥AKT7
♦KQT
♣J8



Hand 14

♠AJ
♥AQ63
♦Q75
♣Q862



Hand 15

♠AJ63
♥AQ95
♦98
♣AT8



Hand 16

♠AJT
♥A743
♦Q95
♣KQJ



Hand 17

♠AK82
♥J543
♦AQJ
♣65



Hand 18

♠AT6
♥AK43
♦AT6
♣632



Hand 19

♠Q53
♥AJ84
♦Q5
♣AQT3



Hand 20

♠QJ84
♥AKT7
♦Q65
♣AJ



Hand 21

♠QJ3
♥K943
♦KJ
♣AK95



Hand 22

♠T92
♥AK54
♦AJ9
♣K93



Hand 23

♠AQJ9
♥KT62
♦JT5
♣A8



Hand 24

♠AK2
♥AT86
♦A732
♣Q7



Hand 25

♠K63
♥AQT9
♦QT4
♣AQ8



Hand 26

♠QJ98
♥AQ32
♦A3
♣KJ8



Hand 27

♠AK3
♥T532
♦AQ74
♣Q9



Hand 28

♠KQT2
♥Q987
♦A2
♣A74



Hand 29

♠732
♥AQ64
♦AT7
♣AK3



Hand 30

♠952
♥AT97
♦AK4
♣KJ6



Hand 31

♠QT52
♥AK32
♦A7
♣KJT



Hand 32

♠AK5
♥JT63
♦K92
♣KJ3



Hand 33

♠KQ6
♥QJ74
♦Q84
♣KQ8



Hand 34

♠K62
♥AT86
♦AT82
♣AQ



Hand 35

♠AK73
♥Q632
♦QT5
♣A7



Hand 36

♠K74
♥AT76
♦J2
♣AK62



Hand 37

♠K874
♥AK43
♦J84
♣A5



Hand 38

♠KQ94
♥AJ43
♦KQ2
♣83



Hand 39

♠AKJ
♥AT64
♦97
♣AJ64



Hand 40

♠AQJ8
♥AJT8
♦AT9
♣J5