Stayman

Stayman is the most used relay in bridge. This convention helps find 4-4 fit in a major.

The vanilla Stayman requires 9+ points to 1NT and 6+ points to 2NT in order to safely sign off at the next notrump when no major fit is found. This also implies an exactly 4-card major and denies a 6-card major. Transfer with a 6-card major because a fit is already found.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows no Stayman with 4-3-3-3 below 12 HCP, e.g. ♠AK87 ♥1072 ♦842 ♣Q97 raises 1NT to 3NT.

Stayman is unlimited and gives no information about minors. It is possible that responder pursues 6NT or bids a 5-card minor in later rounds.

Garbage Stayman

As the most frequent rebids are simple ♠, ♥, and ♦, responder can psych a Stayman with a ♠-♥-♦ 3-suiter with insufficient strength. Such a legitimized psych is Garbage Stayman.

Criteria for a 3-suiter are less strict here. The 5-4-3-1 pattern also counts as a 3-suiter, which ironically provides 56% of hands to this convention. However, a 5-card major is unacceptable because a transfer scores more.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows Garbage Stayman on every 0–7 HCP hand with 3–4♠, 3–4♥ and 0–1♣, vulnerable or not, down to 0 HCP. The exception is 6+♦, where responder transfers with 3♣ instead. With 2–3 clubs, responder passes 1NT. 4-4 majors take Garbage Stayman with a singleton or void club, e.g. 4-4-4-1, but usually pass with 2+ clubs. Weak 5-4 majors transfer, and use Stayman only from 6–7 HCP for the invitational 2♥ or 2♠ over 2♦.

A 1NT opening is assumed in the following examples.

• ♠Q83 ♥10984 ♦J10743 ♣2: Off-shape Garbage Stayman.
• ♠QJ52 ♥10975 ♦8632 ♣4: In-shape Garbage Stayman.
• ♠J532 ♥108764 ♦AJ7 ♣7: Bid ♦ to transfer to hearts.

Opener’s rebids

A 5-card major is allowed as a 1NT opener in Wbridge5. Hence, there are 5-card major rebids after 1NT - 2♣.

The notrump response showing majors is French standard but unexpected outside. Therefore, it requires an alert in most countries.

A 2NT opener rarely has a 5-card major and rebids it as a 4-card one. The rebids after 2NT - 3♣ are just one level up from 1NT - 2♣.

Second responses to a 1NT opener

1NT - 2♣ - 2♦

Opener denies a 4-card major. As a consequence, the only possible major fits are 3-5, so a second response should show 5 cards. A 5-card major implies 4 cards in the other major as Stayman requires an exactly 4-card major.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows 2♥ from 7 HCP and 2♠ from 6 HCP. Opener never passes 2♥: it bids 2NT with a doubleton heart, 3♥ with three hearts at 15–16 HCP, or 4♥ with three hearts at any strength. Over 2NT, responder passes at 6–8 HCP and bids 3NT at 7–9 HCP.

1NT - 2♣ - 2♥

Opener’s major rebid denies the other major as in the French system. Responder immediately knows if there is any major fit. Opener can infer exactly 4 cards in the other major from a misfit second response.

Wbridge5 does not use 2♠ here.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 with 4+ cards in opener’s major shows that every Splinter held its singleton or void, and no 4NT held a singleton or void. After 2♥, 4NT came from 27 hands with 14–23 HCP. After 2♠, it came from 18 hands with 15–21 HCP.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that opener answers 4NT as RKCB 0314 in hearts, counting the ♥K, on all 287 boards. For example, ♠A85 ♥KQ65 ♦KQJ7 ♣83 bids 5♠, with 2 keys and the queen.

1NT - 2♣ - 2♠

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows Garbage Stayman passing 2♥ or 2♠ unless it holds 4 cards in opener’s major at 7 HCP, and now and then at 6 HCP. Then it invites with 3♥ or 3♠, or bids game at 7 HCP with 5–6 diamonds. ♠J92 ♥Q986 ♦A7652 ♣8 raises 2♥ to 3♥. A 6-card diamond suit at 6–7 HCP sometimes bids 3♦.

1NT - 2♣ - 2NT

Opener’s notrump rebid shows both majors. As a major fit is found, there is no need to find a minor fit. Minor bids are South African transfers, and the natural major bids are invitational.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows the transfers from 6 HCP up to 20 HCP, while 3♥ and 3♠ take every weaker hand, 0–9 HCP. Garbage Stayman bids 3♥ or 3♠ here on most boards, and transfers only now and then at 6–7 HCP. With 4-4 in majors, responder transfers to hearts or bids 3♥. ♠J943 ♥A653 ♦J654 ♣10 bids 3♥, and ♠Q962 ♥532 ♦KJ543 ♣6 bids 3♠.

1NT - 2♣ - 3♣

Because opener has shown strength, quantitative invitation is no longer needed.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows no RKCB here. Responder bids 4♥ even with 16–20 HCP. Garbage Stayman bids 3♥, or 4♥ with 4 hearts at 6–7 HCP.

1NT - 2♣ - 3♦

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows Garbage Stayman bidding 3♠, or 4♠ with 4 spades at 6–7 HCP (46 of 97 such hands), as over 3♣.

1NT - 2♣ - 3♥

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows Garbage Stayman passing with three hearts up to 5 HCP and raising to 4♥ at 6–7 HCP about half the time. With four hearts, it raises from 4–5 HCP up.

1NT - 2♣ - 3♠

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows Garbage Stayman passing with three spades up to 5 HCP and raising to 4♠ at 6–7 HCP about half the time (20 of 42). With four spades, it raises from 4–5 HCP up (39 of 57 there, all 97 at 6–7 HCP), as over 3♥.

Second responses to a 2NT opener

The 2NT opener has significantly more points, and a vanilla Stayman requires game-forcing strength now. There are some adjustments to reflect this change.

2NT - 3♣ - 3♦

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows that responder seldom invites with 4NT here, unlike a direct response to 2NT.

Probing Wbridge5 5.12 also shows Garbage Stayman over 2NT only at 3–4 HCP. Weaker garbage hands pass 2NT, and 6+♦ transfers with 4♣. After 3♦, these 3–4 HCP hands usually bid 3NT, e.g. ♠Q104 ♥J1064 ♦98765 ♣9. Only 19 of 116 passed, all with 5–6 diamonds.

2NT - 3♣ - 3♥♠

Structure is unchanged from 1NT - 2♣ - 2♥♠.

2NT - 3♣ - 3NT

There is no invitation here. Probing Wbridge5 5.12 shows the South African transfers at any strength, 4–20 HCP, and direct 4♠ only rarely. With 4-4 in majors, responder transfers to hearts.

Not probed

• 2NT - 3♣ - 3♥ or 3♠.
• Opener’s third call other than over 1NT - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♥ and 1NT - 2♣ - 2♥ - 4NT, e.g. the answer to 4NT after 2♠, 3♦, 3♥ or 3♠, or to Smolen.
• 1NT - 2♣ - 3♦ - 4♦ and 2NT - 3♣ - 3NT - 4♥: no board.