[cherdano]

Say all red, LHO opens 2♠, partner bids 2NT, you hold
♠Tx ♥K98x ♦AQTx ♣xxx. You can either bid Stayman with 3♠, or bid 3N.

What do you do? Generally, when would you investigate for the 4-4 fit in this position?

Do you think it is worthwhile to be able to offer a choice of games after stayman?

[paulg]

I would always use Stayman on this hand (Puppet, as played by many, might wrongside 4♥ and that is not so attractive).

A 2NT overcall of a weak 2 is not the same as a 1NT overcall of an opening bid. It is wider range and sometimes you are forced into the action on less appropriate hands. The danger of a single spade stop in a good hand means that investigation seems right.

Paul

[helene_t]

Stayman wtp. I might not use stayman if I had a partial ♠ stopper in a balanced hand and bad hearts - after all the preempt increases the chance that hearts split badly.

Maybe 4m after opener's 3♥ response would be cog. But below 3NT there is already a shortage of bidding space for more important issues - how to differentiate between 3♥ to play and a gf with five hearts? I think I would give up the option to end in 3♣. PS plus 3♦->hearts and 3♠=minor suit stayman or some such would be better I think.

[655321]

For me the main factor in whether or not to Stayman is my length in the opponent's suit. I use the same criteria over a 1NT overcall as over a 2NT overcall.

Here, with a doubleton spade I would always Stayman. With spade length, I would generally just bid 3NT, for fear of defensive ruffs against a suit contract.

Don't know about choice of games, I have never played a scheme that included it.

[dburn]

If playing 3♣ as Stayman, I imagine that one could bid 3♣ followed by 3NT even over 3♥ to offer a choice of games - what else would that sequence mean?

Playing 3♠ as Stayman one does not have this option, and on the given hand I would certainly bid 3NT. If partner has four hearts and one spade stopper, he will sometimes double 2♠ for takeout rather than overcalling 2NT; when he overcalls 2NT, either his spades are robust or he is not particularly interested in playing in 4♥ facing four cards.

I should add that there is a considerable difference between a 1NT overcall of a one-level opening bid and a 2NT overcall of a weak two bid. In the former case, a stopper such as Axx or Kxx will often not be adequate, because a one-level opener will have an entry to his long suit. In the latter case, such a stopper will often be adequate because there will be no entry to the long suit. One is in general more fearful of a bad trump break in 4♥ than the opener being able to establish and cash his spades.

[Walddk]

Mr. Bartlett said something useful. You don't know who Bartlett is? You will by the end of January

Roland

[mtvesuvius]

I like stayman here... and I agree with Helene, is a 3m signoff really that important? I'd like to play Puppet Stayman, transfers and 3♠ as MSS.

[Fluffy]

Walddk, on Dec 25 2008, 01:41 PM, said:

Mr. Bartlett said something useful. You don't know who Bartlett is? You will by the end of January

Damn, now I am intrigued


About the hand, I find stayman mandatory with good 4 cards. Trumps are there for something more than stopping spades.

[andy_h]

Agree that it depends on the length of my LHO's suit, so put me down for 3C.

3C stayman then bid 3NT over partner's 3H is nice for COG, never thought about it.