Odds and Ends

Scoring Laws Famous Names

Stayman

While balanced hands are played most frequently in no-trumps, you soon discover that it is often safer to play with a trump suit, and in particular that a 4-4 trump fit not only offers extra control, and therefore safety, but often allows you to make extra tricks.

Sam Stayman was an American bridge player who, after a one no-trump opening bid from partner, developed a method of asking partner if she held a four-card major suit.  This is effected by making the response of two clubs.       This is artificial (and said to be conventional). It says nothing about your club holding. It merely asks the question  " Partner, do you have a four-card major? "

 After 1NT- 2C, the responses are as follows:-

• 2D   I do not hold four cards or more in either major. My bid says nothing about my diamond holding. This bid is also artificial and conventional.
• 2H   I hold a heart suit with four or more cards in it. I like your hairstyle
• 2S   I hold a spade suit with four or more spades in it. I don't like your tie.

Note that :-

• The partnership should agree some way of showing both majors, although this crops up only rarely. This is usually by bidding two hearts, which then becomes ambiguous.
• No particular strength is required for Stayman, but it is vital that the user has a sensible course of action open to him whatever partners' reply.
• To make a weakness takeout in clubs, you must bid 2C and whatever the reply, bid 3C.
• Responders second  bid has the same meaning as if it had been used immediately.
• Stayman can be used over a 2NT opening in precisely the same way.

The following examples show various bidding sequences involving Stayman

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