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

If you are not sure what Stayman is, please check out the previous Stayman posts before reading this one:
Introducing Stayman (Easier)
Responding to Stayman (Easier)
Stayman auction with 1NT Opener bidding 2 Hearts and Responder then bids 3NT (Easier)

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 a good 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 so they must have at least one four card major. 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. Also don't think Partner wants to play in NT only. This just says Partner has an invitational hand (about 8 or 9 HCP) and didn't find a Major suit fit when you bid ♥. 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 so I don't want to get higher"
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

Stayman auction with 1NT Opener bidding 2 Hearts and Responder then bids 3NT (Easier)

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

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 four ♠.

Over your 2♥ bid Partner says 3NT. What do you think you should do now?

Don't Pass just because you are in game. You are in game and you need to be in game. But you are in the WRONG game. You should be playing in 4♠. The correct bid over 3NT is to bid 4♠.

Why is that? How do we know Partner has four ♠?

Partner MUST have four ♠ on this auction. They bid Stayman. They took the time and trouble to go through Stayman to look for a 4-4 Major suit fit. They only bid 3NT because they didn't believe they found one. You showed four ♥. You didn't promise anything else. Partner doesn't have four ♥ or they would have bid 4♥. But they have a four card Major otherwise they wouldn't have bid Stayman. There is only one other Major suit they can have. Yep. They have four ♠.

So over Partner's 3NT bid you need to bid 4♠. This is on you. Partner doesn't know you have a fit. You do. Partner wants to be in game. Change the game to 4♠.

So if, after bidding Stayman, Partner bids 3NT do not think of this as a sign off bid. This just says Partner wants to play in game but didn't find a Major suit fit. If you have four ♠ you should change the game to 4♠. If you only have two ♠ or three ♠ then you do not have a fit. Just Pass 3NT.

Opener bids:	Partner responds:
1NT	2♣
2♥	3NT
If Opener bids Pass	Pass says "Partner I have fewer than four ♠"
If Opener instead bids 4♠	4♠ says "Partner I also have four ♠"

Let's do some examples.

On all these hands you opened the bidding 1NT. Partner bids 2♣ (Stayman). You responded 2♥. Partner now bids 3NT. What will you bid on your hand?

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

Bidding After 1NT Opener Responds 2 Spades to our Stayman Bid (Easier)

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 do NOT have 4 ♥).

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

This post combines several posts together. To look at the different responses individually, read the following posts:
Bidding After 1NT Opener Responds 2 Spades to our Stayman Bid and we have Invitational Values (Easier)
Bidding After 1NT Opener Responds 2 Spades to our Stayman Bid and we have Game or Slam Forcing Values (Easier)

Summary that states some possible responses when Partner responds 2♠ to your 2♣ Stayman bid:

Bid	What the bid means
2NT	Partner I have about 8 or 9 points and I have 4 ♥. I do NOT have 4 ♠.
3♠	Partner I have about 8 or 9 points and we have found a ♠ fit.
3NT	Partner I have about 10 to 15 points and I have 4 ♥. I do NOT have 4 ♠.
4♠	Partner I have about 10 to 15 points and we have found a ♠ fit.
6♠	Partner I have about 18 or 19 points and we have found a ♠ fit.
6NT	Partner I have about 18 or 19 points and I have 4 ♥.

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 4 ♠ and they do NOT have 4 ♥. It says nothing else about Partner's hand. With that in mind it is your turn to bid. What will you respond?

Hand 1

♠K873
♥QJ4
♦KQ54
♣82



Hand 2

♠K643
♥AJ42
♦A4
♣AQ2



Hand 3

♠AJT5
♥QJ9
♦J6
♣T974



Hand 4

♠A5
♥J753
♦K42
♣KJ72



Hand 5

♠KT73
♥KT6
♦AT
♣KJ73



Hand 6

♠A986
♥AKQ8
♦A4
♣Q42



Hand 7

♠A7
♥QJ65
♦J9872
♣72



Hand 8

♠J2
♥KQ65
♦JT5
♣A872



Hand 9

♠KQT5
♥J97
♦A732
♣KT



Hand 10

♠QJ62
♥KQT
♦J7
♣K853



Hand 11

♠8753
♥T9
♦AQJ53
♣J9



Hand 12

♠A2
♥KJ73
♦53
♣AQJ96



Hand 13

♠KT
♥KT84
♦QT5
♣QT98



Hand 14

♠JT84
♥A4
♦AJ976
♣83



Hand 15

♠A73
♥J432
♦AQ52
♣A2



Hand 16

♠AJ7
♥AJ85
♦KQ97
♣A8



Hand 17

♠J963
♥QJ7
♦J985
♣A9



Hand 18

♠98
♥JT42
♦A93
♣AJ73



Hand 19

♠65
♥J872
♦AKQ9
♣Q92



Hand 20

♠AT9
♥A852
♦92
♣KQJ4



Hand 21

♠AKT6
♥A53
♦AK42
♣J2



Hand 22

♠AT
♥AJT7
♦AJ
♣AJT94



Hand 23

♠KJ87
♥A974
♦KT4
♣T4



Hand 24

♠KJ6
♥AK86
♦A7
♣K976



Hand 25

♠AK74
♥954
♦K975
♣K3



Hand 26

♠T98
♥KT94
♦AJ95
♣J3



Hand 27

♠Q72
♥AQ87
♦AKT7
♣A9



Hand 28

♠AK83
♥A6
♦965
♣AKJ8



Hand 29

♠AK8
♥K942
♦A7
♣KQT2



Hand 30

♠J8
♥J652
♦KT4
♣AQJ9



Hand 31

♠AT7
♥Q942
♦QT
♣AK62



Hand 32

♠73
♥K872
♦A763
♣Q43



Hand 33

♠J5
♥Q973
♦A82
♣A985



Hand 34

♠AK96
♥Q7
♦873
♣8632



Hand 35

♠A9
♥AKQ6
♦Q4
♣AT764



Hand 36

♠Q532
♥KQ95
♦85
♣JT5



Hand 37

♠KJ54
♥AK54
♦K7
♣A72



Hand 38

♠KJ53
♥KJ92
♦K3
♣AKJ



Hand 39

♠T7
♥QJ93
♦KQT74
♣J3



Hand 40

♠83
♥9873
♦AK54
♣AK4



Hand 41

♠AQJT
♥A7
♦A62
♣AT94



Hand 42

♠T742
♥T6
♦K9
♣AQ974



Hand 43

♠AK54
♥T3
♦T3
♣AK962



Hand 44

♠QJ64
♥43
♦64
♣AK942



Hand 45

♠AJT5
♥KT
♦32
♣AK983



Hand 46

♠K532
♥T94
♦KQT4
♣K4



Hand 47

♠A5
♥J983
♦K86
♣AK73



Hand 48

♠KT6
♥KQ87
♦A985
♣AQ



Hand 49

♠AK83
♥K95
♦A9
♣A943



Hand 50

♠J9
♥A875
♦T82
♣A652



Hand 51

♠KQ92
♥7543
♦KT9
♣A3



Hand 52

♠A987
♥Q7
♦QT5
♣J954



Hand 53

♠A86
♥Q632
♦A974
♣J2



Hand 54

♠A876
♥76
♦T7
♣KQ742



Hand 55

♠AJ73
♥Q3
♦J963
♣A83



Hand 56

♠T973
♥KQ86
♦J83
♣KT



Hand 57

♠A7
♥AQ83
♦AJ86
♣A54



Hand 58

♠AKT4
♥8652
♦K76
♣Q2



Hand 59

♠JT43
♥KJ74
♦A4
♣862