ACCUEIL

Stayman with just 5 cards in major and just 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 at once just 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 at once just 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.

At first, for our visitors who have not yet read Digest of majeure précisée, hereafter just the ground principles of system :

The classic opening 1NT is replaced by opening 1. Therefore, opening 1 is balanced and includes 15-17HCP.
With 5 cards in major and at least 8HCP, the responder bids a direct transfer 2 (Transfer to ) or 2 (Transfer to )
With 5 cards in major but less than 8HCP, the responder bids first a relay 1 or 1 then, after obliged completing to 1NT by opener, he bids an indirect transfer 2(Transfer to ) after relay 1 or 2 (Transfer to ) after relay 1

The responder has 8HCP and a balanced hand

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

The same after response 2(Transfer to ) completed to 2 or 3 by opener.

Of course, this auction is valid also for all responder's hand including a major suiter with at least 5 cards and at least 9HCP, with singleton or not, and whith which the responder has no problem for his second bid. But in our context, the responder has just 8HCP and a balanced hand, since he has the 2 following auctions at his disposal :

The responder has 7-8HCP and a singleton.

1	1NT (Transfer to ) *
2 (complete.)	Pass (with 5 or 6) and distress hand

	2 (with 5) and 7-8HCP **
	2 (with 5) and 7-8HCP **

* 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. And if the responder has a very weak hand with 5 or 6, he passes on opening 1.

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.

Knowing that a singleton exists, the opener may ask its color, by means of the technical following auctions :

1	1NT (Transfer to ) *
2 (completing)	2 (with 5) and 7-8HCP **
2 (no fitted ) *

2 (asking singleton ) **
2NT (asking singleton ) **
3 (asking singleton ) **

* The responder must pass.
** All theese biddings show the fit .
If the responder has not the asked singleton he must bid 3. The opener will complete to 3 and will play 3.
If the responder has the asked singleton he must bid 4. The opener will complete to 4 and will play 4

and

1	1NT (Transfer to ) *
2 (completing)	2 (with 5) and 7-8HCP **
2 (no fitted ) *

2NT (asking singleton ) **
3 (asking singleton ) **
3 (asking singleton ) **

NB :
By this context the natural bidding 2NT by opener would not make any sense. There is no talk of playing 2NT when the color of singleton is not known. Therefore this bidding 2NT is used as asking singleton.

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

This promising structure which shows from 9 to 12 support points may incite the opener to game if he is fitted in a major and is not minimum. In order to show this major 54 two-suiter, the responder uses the two following "impossible" auctions :

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

* Completing
** This auction does not exist. If the responder had wanted to show a five-cards suiter in (without 4) and a weak hand, he would have bidded the relay 1, then after completing 1NT, he would have bidded 2 (Transfer to ).

and

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

By any such auction, after 2 or 2 by responder :

If the opener has no fit in major, he completes in the longer responder's major, or bids natural 2NT.
If the opener is fitted in a major but is minimum, he completes in the fitted major.
If the opener is fitted in a major but is maximum, he completes by jump in the fitted major.*

* By simple or double jump, depending on his strenght and if he must play himself the contract or not.