ACBL04B – Notrump: Stayman 8 HCP Exceptions Ward Trumbull
Oct 28, 2008
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When you were taught how to use the Stayman convention when your
partner opened one notrump, you were bombarded with the rule:
“You need 8 HCP to invoke Stayman.”
If you have become proficient in using Stayman, then you’re old enough to
know that the rule really is:
“You need 8 HCP to invoke Stayman, except……”
Why 8 HCP?
If you play no conventions over notrump, with a balanced hand you
respond:
2 NT - with 8-9 HCP or 3 NT – with 10+ HCP
Likewise, if you are using Stayman and don’t find a major fit with the
notrump bidder, you MUST have at least enough HCP to respond 2
notrump at your next bid, i.e., 8 HCP.
8 HCP Exceptions (0-7 HCP Hands)
There are several type distributional hands that the responder might
have which don’t have 8 HCP but still warrant invoking Stayman. That
is because responder knows that:
If there is no major suit fit, the responder can still close out the
bidding by transferring to 2 spades or 3 of a minor and then
passing.
The key point is that the responder is in total control of the hand. The
notrump bidder only follows the instructions of the responder.
ACBL04B – Notrump: Stayman 8 HCP Exceptions Oct 28, 2008
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8 HCP Exceptions (continued)
You need no points to invoke Stayman (via 2 clubs) with any of the
following exceptional type hands. That’s NONE or ZERO HCP !!!!!
The 4-4-4-1 Exception (0-7 HCP)
There are actually two hands covered by this name.
Hand 1 Hand 2
---------- ----------
Spades x x x x x x x x
Hearts x x x x x x x x
Diamonds x x x x x x x x x
Clubs x
With this type hand you gamble a little. After you invoke Stayman, your
partner will respond either 2 diamonds, 2 hearts or 2 spades.
Whichever bid is made, you pass. In the latter two cases
(hearts/spades), partner will play in an 8 card major. In the first case
(2 diamonds) he/she may play with fewer diamonds between both
hands. With hand 1 above, it might be 4 opposite 3, or with hand 2 it
could be 5 opposite 2 trump cards.
In the worst case scenario, if the notrump bidder has only 2 diamonds
and the responder has only 4 diamonds (hand 1), he/she will play in a
2 diamond contract with 4 opposite 2 diamonds. But what the hell, you
don’t have to play the hand.
The 4 Hearts and 5 Spades Exception (0-7 HCP)
Again with this hand you invoke Stayman. If partner responds either
2 hearts or 2 spades, you pass. Partner will play in either an 8 card
heart suit or a nine card spade suit. If he/she responds 2 diamonds:
2. Partner bids two spades and you pass.
ACBL04B – Notrump: Stayman 8 HCP Exceptions Oct 28, 2008
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The 5 Hearts and 5 Spades Exception (0-4 HCP)
You bid this hand the same as explained above using the Stayman-
Transfer technique for the 4/5 hand. However, you would do that only
if the hand has less than 5 HCP. Because with 5+ HCP you should
instead bid 3 diamonds to invoke the Major 5/5 Transfer convention.
What About a 5 Hearts and 4 Spades Hand? (0-7 HCP)
When you hold 5 hearts, 4 spades and less than 8 HCP, the
Stayman-Transfer technique cannot be used because a 2 diamond
response to Stayman by the notrump bidder kills the chance for a
heart transfer at the 2 level.
Example of why Stayman/Transfer won’t work.
spades K 9 7 5
hearts 8 6 4 3 2
diams 10 2
clubs 8 4
You respond 2 clubs and partner gives his/her reply:
2 diams – now to transfer to hearts you would have to bid 3
diamonds and that is too high for your point count
and heart length (5).
2 hearts – this bid you could pass
2 spades – this bid you could pass too
Instead, just bid 2 diamonds to transfer partner to 2 hearts and
then pass.