Bidding After 1NT Opener Responds 2 Diamonds to our Stayman Bid and we have Invitational Values

This post will help practice what to do after our Partner opens 1NT, we respond 2♣ (Stayman) and Partner then responds 2♦ (I do NOT have a 4 card major).

If you are not sure what Stayman is, please check out the previous Stayman posts before reading this one:
Introducing Stayman
Responding to Stayman

Let's practice our responses to Partner's 2♦ Stayman response when we have an invitational hand.

What is an invitational hand you ask? Basically a hand that knows that the partnership MIGHT have a game but is not sure. They need Partner to have 17 HCP rather than 15 HCP. If Partner opened the bidding 1NT these would be fairly balanced hands with about 8 or 9 HCPs.

In order to bid Stayman Partner must have opened the bidding 1NT (or 2NT but we'll do that later). We had a 4 card Major and decided to bid Stayman to see if we could find a 4-4 Major suit fit. In these examples Partner responded 2♦. That says that they do NOT have a 4 card Major and therefore we did NOT find a 4-4 Major suit fit. Now we have to decide what to do from here.

When Partner opened the bidding 1NT we knew they had between 15 and 17 HCP. We know that if we have between 8 and 9 points we MIGHT have enough for a game. It all depends on whether or not Partner had 17 HCP when they opened 1NT. If Partner has 17 HCP then we know that 17+8=25 or 17+9=26. That is enough for a game. However, Partner might have opened 1NT with only 15 HCP. Their 15 points plus our 8 or 9 points is only 23 or 24 points. That is not enough for a game. We have to somehow ask Partner if they are minimum (15) or maximum (17) for their bid.

If you didn't have a 4 card major but had a balanced hand and Partner opened the bidding 1NT you would bid 2NT with 8 or 9 points. Partner knew to bid 3NT if they had 17 HCP and to Pass with only 15 HCP. After going through Stayman and then bidding 2NT after Partner's response is the same idea -- only when you go through Stayman you have guaranteed a 4 card major. Otherwise you wouldn't have bothered bidding Stayman.

So with 8 or 9 points we know we MIGHT have enough for a game. We just didn't know where since we have a 4 card major. But when Partner responded 2♦ we knew we didn't have a major suit fit. Now we know we have to play in NT. We are just not sure if we want to play in game or not. We can now bid 2NT to ask partner if they are minimum for their bid (15 HCP) or maximum for their bid (17 HCP). Partner will Pass with only 15 HCP but should bid game with 17 HCP -- just like they would have if we didn't bid Stayman first.

So on ALL these hands Partner opened the bidding 1NT (15-17). You decided to bid 2♣ (Stayman). Partner then responded with 2♦. That response says that Partner has NO 4 card major. It says nothing else about Partner's hand. With that in mind it is your turn to bid. What will you respond?

Hand 1

♠T742
♥T6
♦K9
♣AQ974



Hand 2

♠AK96
♥Q7
♦873
♣8632



Hand 3

♠A876
♥76
♦T7
♣KQ742



Hand 4

♠T973
♥KQ86
♦J83
♣KT



Hand 5

♠A7
♥QJ65
♦J9872
♣72



Hand 6

♠JT43
♥KJ74
♦A4
♣862



Hand 7

♠J9
♥A875
♦T82
♣A652



Hand 8

♠J963
♥QJ7
♦J985
♣A9



Hand 9

♠A987
♥Q7
♦QT5
♣J954



Hand 10

♠AJT5
♥QJ9
♦J6
♣T974



Hand 11

♠Q532
♥KQ95
♦85
♣JT5



Hand 12

♠T7
♥QJ93
♦KQT74
♣J3



Hand 13

♠T98
♥KT94
♦AJ95
♣J3



Hand 14

♠73
♥K872
♦A763
♣J43



Hand 15

♠8753
♥T9
♦AQJ53
♣J9