Stayman answer with 5 cards in major, 8HCP

By classical bidding system

After opening 1NT many players use the Styaman respons 2 when they have a major suiter of 5 cards and just 8HCP. And this, for one of theese 3 following reasons, to discuss and agree with partner.

In order to show at once just 8HCP and 5 cards in a major, without any other detail about responder's hand.
The interest is to show just 8HCP right now, contrary to transfer bidding, and to dissuade the opener to overreach the level 2 if he has not a maxi hand.
In order to show 7-8HCP and 5 cards in a major, with an undetermined singleton.
The interest is that with such a hand, if the respnder bids a transfer to his major, he has no valid second bid at his disposal after completing 2 or 2 by opener : He is too weak to show his second suiter of 4 cards. He cannot bid 2NT because of his singleton.
In order to show 7-8HCP and a major two-suiter 54.

Theese 3 reasons and meanings are different, and each is good. But as drawback, one must choose and agree about one meaning, one only, and forget the 2 others, when each of theese would require a specific auction.

By playing "majeure précisee"

The responder has at his disposal a specific auction for each of theese 3 different conventions.
When the opener has not the fit in responder' major suiter that does not get a big change : The contract will result in 2 ou 2, sometimes in 2NT. But when he has the fit, the accurate informations supplied by responder's response enable the opener to aim at game, even if he has not a maximum hand.

First, for players who come in this site for the first time, it is necessary to tell that, in 'majeure precisee', the opening 1 substitutes the classical opening 1NT. Therefore the opening 1 is balanced, do not include 5 cards in any major, and includes 15-17HCP. It this the basis of our system.

The responder has just 8HCP and no singleton

1	2 (Transfer to ) and 8HCP *
2 (with 3) 15HCP
2NT (with 2) 15HCP
3 (with 3) 16-17HCP
3NT (avec 2) 16-17HCP

and

1	2 (Transfer to ) and 8HCP *
2 (with 3) and 15HCP
2NT (with 2) and 15HCP
3 (with 3) and 16-17HCP
3NY (with 2) and 16-17HCP

* Of course, this auction is valid also for all responder's hand including a 5 cards major suiter and at least 9HCP, with singleton or not and whith which the responder has no problem for his second bid.

The responder has 7-8HCP and a singleton *

* With at least 9HCP and with a singleton or not, the reponder must always use one of theese 2 above auctions.

The responder must bid 1NT as first answer, then after obliged completing 2 by opener, he bids his 5 cards major-suiter by transfer.

1	1NT (Transfer ) *
2 (completing)	Pass (with 5 or 6) very weak

	2 (with 5) 7-8HCP and 1 singleton
	2 (with 5) 7-8H and 1 singleton

* Obliged completing to 2. This response 1NT presumes a very weak hand with a six-cards suiter in in order to let play 2 by opener instead of 1NT. The opener must complete to 2, then the responder passes.

But if instead of Pass, the responder makes any bid after 2, he has a quite other hand, the strenght of structure of which is showed in this 2° bid. By this context, the responder shows a five-cards major suiter with 7-8HCP and 1 singleton whose color is undeterminated.

When the opener is fitted in the major but has a weakness in a color (3 weak cards), if the singleton has this same color it is as useful as gold, if not it is not useful and has nearly no interest.

Searching the color of responder's singleton

If the opener is fitted in responder's 5 cards major-suiter, he must do an interrogative bidding about the color of singleton. If not he must complete in the 5 cards major-suiter :

1	1NT (Transfer )
2 (completing)	2 (with 5) 7-8HCP and singleton
2 (no fit )
2 (Fit ) What ?	2SA(singleton )
	3 (singleton )
	3 (singleton )

* What is color of your singleton

and

1	1NT (Transfer )
2 (completing)	2 (with 5) 7-8HCP and singleton
2 (no fit )
2NT(Fit ) What ? *	3(singleton )
	3 (singleton )
	3 (singleton )

* What is color of your singleton

It is onvious that que biddinds 2NT by opener or responder are not natural : Each time 2NT is bidded, each player knows that the 5 cards major suiter of responder is fitted. Therefore no question to play NT. Anyhow, the opener could not bid 2NT in order to play NT, because he would not know the color of singleton.

When he knows the color of singleton the opener comes to the decision : He closes to major game if the singleton is favourable. If not, he completes in fitted major at level 3. The contract in major, no fitted at level 2 or fitted at level 3 or 4, will be always played by opener.

NB :

Theese auctions are quite different from classical biddings which begin by a Stayman 2 :

1NT	2 (Stayman)
2 (no 4 cards in majors)	2) and just 8HCP
	2 (with 5) and just 8HCP

Theese classical auctions do not precise if the 5 cards major suiter include a singleton or not, force the responder to play the contract in major, and do not allow the searching of singleton.

The responder has a major 54 two-suiter and 7-8HCP *

* The following auctions require either 7H or just 8H with a singleto, or just 8H without singleton. If the responder has a major 54 two-suiter and at least 9HCP he must use the Stayman answer 2 .

The rsponder use the 'impossible' following auction :

1	1 (relay)
1NT *	2 (with 5 4) and 7-8HCP **

* Completing relay.
** This auction has theoretically no sense. If the responder wanted show a weak hand with a 5 suiter he would have used the relay 1 then after 1NT he would have bidded 2 (Transfer to 2)..

This unusual auction is 'impossible' indeed. That dénies the responder's weakness, and conventionally defines 5 4 and 7-8HCP.

and

1	1 (relay)
1NT *	2 (with 5 4) and 7-8HCP **

* Completing relay.
** This auction has theoretically no sense. If the responder wanted show a weak hand with a 5 suiter, he would have used the relay 1 then after 1NT he would have bidded 2 (Transfer to 2).

This unusual auction is 'impossible' indeed. That denies the responder's weakness, and conventionally defines 5 4 and 7-8HCP.

Choice of mode Read or Print

* Chose mode "Read" is more convenient for reading, but the printing result is then poor.
** Choose mode "Print" is necessary for perfect printing. This mode may also be used for full scren reading. Once mode "Print" has been selected, use the command Print of your computer