Toying with Stayman

[Free]

Just some thoughts about 1NT responses. I'd like to hear some second opinions.

 

Suppose you want to include any invite with 5♠ into 2♣. This frees up 1NT-2♥-2♠-2NT for a retransfer to 3♣ which makes sure we can show more hand types, set trumps at lower levels,...

 

Now the problem becomes: invites with 4♠. After an auction 1NT-2♣-2♥, you can use 2♠ as invite with 5♠ and 2NT as invite with 4♠ (or the other way around). This creates a problem for invitational hands without a 4 card Major. I know that some think an invite is unnecessary, but I'd like to have it available. One way is to use 1NT-2♠ as a min/max ask, but I'd like to have that bid available for other purposes.

 

I'm wondering if it's playable to use 1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ as invite with 4-5♠?

And also the best way opener should react, especially with 3♠s?

[MickyB]

Suggest 1N:2S as range ask, can get a lot of other hands through there still. Otherwise maybe 1N:2D, 2H:2S as the range-ask. Mixing 4- and 5-card invites is one of the main flaws in Keri.

[benlessard]

I dont like 4 or 5 lenght bids. Instead of having 4or5 and 6+ the cutoff should be 4 or 5+.

 

 

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=22302

 

This is perfect for

 

1- facing a passed hand when slam is unlikely

2- facing a wide ranging Nt.

3 facing a pretty weak Nt.

4- If you frequently open 1Nt with 5M

 

If you want to keep transfers then i think

 

2C----2H----2S should be forcing and deny spades.

2C----2H----2Nt should show 4 or 5.

 

The problem with

 

2C---2H----2S showing 4 or 5 is that responder cannot pass holding 3S and no ruffing power. 3433 will represent 35+% of the hands. Having 2S as a range check over 2H is pretty valuable.

[inquiry]

Take a look at some of glen ashton's stuff on his www.bridgematters.com web site. He uses 2♣ with game invite hands with 5♠'s, he handles balanced hands game try bundled in his 2♦ (jacoby transfer) even when lacking as many as 4♥'s.

[awm]

I've had some very bad experiences playing methods where 2♦ is either a transfer to hearts or various invites that need not include hearts. It seems like opponents sometimes bid over the 2♦ call and sorting out the alternatives becomes a total nightmare.

 

I'd recommend that responses to 1NT should generally guarantee length in a particular suit, or guarantee invitational values... and to stay away from calls that are "either/or." But to each his own.

 

In any case, perhaps one solution to the problem is to add a 2NT response to stayman, showing a minimum with both majors. Now:

 

1NT - 2♣ - 2♥ (4+♥ denies spades) - 2NT can be with 4♠ or no major

 

1NT - 2♣ - 2NT (4/4 majors min) and we can play 3♦/3♥ transfer to a major (to play there or raise to game or start a slam auction in the suit) and 3♣ as a game-forcing relay

 

Removing the 4-4 major hands also might let you use 3♣ as GF relay in other auctions after a stayman response

 

The only loss is that on "garbage stayman" hands you play at the three-level when opener has both majors and a min, but in this case opponents have a huge minor suit fit anyway and concealing the nature of responder's hand will probably shut them out of the bidding.

[kgr]

Just some thoughts about 1NT responses. I'd like to hear some second opinions.

 

Suppose you want to include any invite with 5♠ into 2♣. This frees up 1NT-2♥-2♠-2NT for a retransfer to 3♣ which makes sure we can show more hand types, set trumps at lower levels,...

 

Now the problem becomes: invites with 4♠. After an auction 1NT-2♣-2♥, you can use 2♠ as invite with 5♠ and 2NT as invite with 4♠ (or the other way around). This creates a problem for invitational hands without a 4 card Major. I know that some think an invite is unnecessary, but I'd like to have it available. One way is to use 1NT-2♠ as a min/max ask, but I'd like to have that bid available for other purposes.

 

I'm wondering if it's playable to use 1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ as invite with 4-5♠?

And also the best way opener should react, especially with 3♠s?

See http://freebridge.blogspot.com/2006/11/heeman-after-1nt.html :)