[cnszsun]

Such a sequence:
2NT-3C
3M-?

3C is stayman, may i know your agreements here?

1. If you have found fit, how to set that suit as trump and show slam interest ?
2. If you have no fit, how to invite to slam? Is 4nt still quantitative?

[skjaeran]

I play Puppet Stayman, not regular Stayman.
For me 3NT or 4M would be sign off (of course).
A new suit below 4M would be a cuebid agreeing the bid major as trumps.
A jump in a new suit would be Exclusion BW.
4NT would be quantitative.

[helene_t]

I'm with Harald, regardless of I'm playing Stayman or Puppet Stayman.

[Fluffy]

I would take minors as natural.

After 3♠ you can use 4♥ to show a good hand with ♠ fit, not sure about 3♠ after 3♥.

[jdonn]

Yes the standard way (only in US?) is to bid 3♠ over 3♥ or 4♥ over 3♠ as a slam try in partner's major. A minor suit would have to be natural. I have seen players before use a minor suit as a cuebid, but I have no idea what they would do with something like 1435 and slam interest after 2NT 3♣ 3♠.

[kenrexford]

One of the benefits of the Puppet version I like to use is that it facilitates a lot more in the way of constructive slam sequences where they are otherwise rather difficult.

2NT-P-3♣ asks for major-suit clarification:

3NT by Opener shows 44 in the majors. You will probably use transfers here, to right-side contracts, so little is available in the way of slam exploration. You could, however, opt for South African transfers, allowing one-up as a super-accept, and make 4M by Responder flags for the minors. Options exist.

3♠ shows five spades. You probably only have 4♥ as a general slam try.

3♥ shows 4-5 hearts. If Responder bids 3♠ to inquire about the heart length, Opener can super-accept with five. Responder might ask about length even with four himself, for informational purposes. When Opener declines (3NT), you must decide whether further calls by Responder are natural or agree hearts anyway.

3♦ shows 2-3 hearts and 2-4 spades. This gets complicated.

1. If Responder wants to know the heart length, he bids 3♠. This allows Opener to super-accept hearts. You will not need calls after 3NT (two hearts) as cues in support of hearts.

2. If Responder wants to know about spade length, he bids 3♥.

a. If Opener has four spades, he bids above 3NT and can super-accept.

b. If Opener has two spades, he bids 3NT, and you will not need spade-agreement super-accepts.

c. If Opener has three spades, he bids 3♠. Again, you will probably want 4Min as natural, but 4♥ as a general spade-agreement slam try works.

This structure leaves 5♥/4♠. You transfer to earts and then bid either 3♠ (normal method) or 3NT (3♠ is then a relay), depending upon style. The transfer style loses for lead-directors (or lack thereof) and memory, but it gains with right-siding and in allowing a relay, then a new suit, to mean something different than an immediate new suit. All in all, I think I like the double-transfer method, if the memory of pard is up to it.

This structure also leaves out 5♠/3♥ (difficult after 3♥ response to Puppet). With that, Responder transfers to the spades (can be super-accepted), with Opener allowed to decline the transfer (and bid 3NT) with 5♥/2♠. Or, you just give up on handling 5♠/3♥ to find the possible 3-5 heart fit (most miss that anyway).

This Puppet Structure allows handling all patterns, right-sides everything, and allows more tools for slam exploration. I strongly suggest considering this as a tool for 2NT sequences, 2♣...2NT sequences, Kokish-2NT sequences, and even 1NT-P-3♣ sequences.

[P_Marlowe]

Fluffy, on Nov 3 2007, 10:07 AM, said:

I would take minors as natural.

After 3♠ you can use 4♥ to show a good hand with ♠ fit, not sure about 3♠ after 3♥.

Hi,

yes 3S over 3H, because with both mayors
you can bid 3NT.

3NT as an answer is possible, because you wont
use 3C as a tool for a cheap sign off.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

cnszsun, on Nov 3 2007, 08:55 AM, said:

Such a sequence:
2NT-3C
3M-?

3C is stayman, may i know your agreements here?

1. If you have found fit, how to set that suit as trump and show slam interest ?
2. If you have no fit, how to invite to slam? Is 4nt still quantitative?

Q1:

3S over 3H
4H over 3S

are forcing raises of the mayor, showing slam interest

4C over 3NT sets hearts
4D over 3NT sets spades

Q2: 4NT is quantitative, because of Q1 you have a
way to set trumps

With kind regards
Marlowe.

[helene_t]

The Dutch variant of Puppet Stayman, "Niemeijer", is here: http://homepage.mac.com/bridgeguys/LittleK...YCThygesen.html

(It's three and a half year ago I wrote thgat document, considering how little I knew then maybe I shouldn't embarrass myself posting the link ....)

[pclayton]

jdonn, on Nov 3 2007, 07:29 AM, said:

Yes the standard way (only in US?) is to bid 3♠ over 3♥ or 4♥ over 3♠ as a slam try in partner's major. A minor suit would have to be natural. I have seen players before use a minor suit as a cuebid, but I have no idea what they would do with something like 1435 and slam interest after 2NT 3♣ 3♠.

Agree. Bidding the other major is 'impossible' in context so it shows a slam try. You need 4 of a minor to be natural.

4N is quantitative and 5♣ is the G-word.

[neilkaz]

pclayton, on Nov 3 2007, 08:18 PM, said:

jdonn, on Nov 3 2007, 07:29 AM, said:

Yes the standard way (only in US?) is to bid 3♠ over 3♥ or 4♥ over 3♠ as a slam try in partner's major. A minor suit would have to be natural. I have seen players before use a minor suit as a cuebid, but I have no idea what they would do with something like 1435 and slam interest after 2NT 3♣ 3♠.

Agree. Bidding the other major is 'impossible' in context so it shows a slam try. You need 4 of a minor to be natural.

4N is quantitative and 5♣ is the G-word.

Yes..this is rather standard in my part of the US as well.

[andy_h]

Yeap, bidding the other major to agree the major with slam try. 4m would just be natural, with 4N quant.

[Bende]

I play Modern Efos after a 2NT-opening:

2NT-
3♣ = Stayman (answer 3NT with both majors)
3♦ = Transfer
3♥ = Transfer
3♠ = Slam invitational with balanced hand
4m = 5-4 in minors (5c in bid minor)

2NT-3♣; 3♦/3M-
3M = 5-4 in majors
4m = 6+ minor, not necessarily any major

2NT-3♣; 3NT-
4♣ = 6+♣
4♦/♥ = Transfer
4♠ = 6+♦

2NT-3♦/♥; 3♥/♠-
4m = Natural with at least 5-4
bid in oM = slaminvitational with long major

2NT-3♠ asks for 5c-suit (after which 4NT shows dubbelton in that suit and a bid on the 5-level shows number of aces according to 1430 or whichever you prefer). Without a 5c suit opener bids 3NT which starts showing of 4c suits from both opener and responder. 4NT is used if no fit is found. With a found fit the number of keycards is shown with a bid at the 5-level.

[helene_t]

Right, playing regular Stayman, 4m must be natural. My bad.

[Walddk]

Jlall, on Nov 4 2007, 03:01 AM, said:

I play what jdonn plays.

I play what jlall and jdonn play unless I play Puppet; then I can do both. 3♣ followed by 4mi will always be natural (longer minor than major, usually 4-5). However, I may have a balanced hand with a 5-card minor, just checking for a 5-card major with opener first.

If opener hits my 3-card suit, I'll continue with 3♠/4♥ respectively to show slam interest.

Roland

[easy]

Jlall Posted on Nov 4 2007, 04:01 AM
I play what jdonn plays.


Well since you are from Dallas, Texas (home of Bobby Goldman , may he rest in piece) I would expect you to play as jDonn plays..... the Goldman Slam Try. Let's give bobby his due. He was a great theorist, player and most of all person.

Bobby wrote aces scientific, (i would guess) 25 years ago and there are still many good treatments to be learned from that "tome"