The first two paragraphs below are based on an article written by Ron Klinger in the magazine " Bridge ". The remainder of the memo is concerned with " extra " uses of Stayman, and revolve around a weak 12-14 opening no trump (which is what the majority of our club members use ).

Basically speaking, Klinger stresses that there is more than one way of using Stayman and you and your partner are free to choose any one way. However, after the sequence of 1NT followed by partner's 2C, you must be prepared to give opponents a proper explanation if and when they ask.

Many members in our club play a simple Stayman, with a minimum of 11 Honour points (HP's) for a bid of 2C by partner after the next opponent has passed. The 2C bid always shows at least one four card major suit. There are though, many variations to this, all of which are perfectly legal, but are not touched upon in this short article.

Some partnerships play a system involving Stayman which occurs when your opponent has opened one of a minor and partner overcalls 1NT (16+ HP's). If the next opponent passes, then a 2C bid from you is Stayman. ie. the bidding starts :-

A common use of Stayman is when your partner opens 1NT and the next opponent passes and you, yourself, have very few points but possess a five card and a four card major. You reckon that a penalty double is sure to follow if you pass, so you bid 2C as Stayman. If the next opponent bids, then your side breathes a sigh of relief and does not bid again. If the next opponent passes, then partner bids a four card major if he has one and you pass. If partner bids 2D, then you bid your five card major suit and partner does not bid again. A typical hand on which to bid 2C could be :-

J 8 6 4 2 - K 8 7 5 - 6 - J 5 2

Many pairs play Stayman as the start of a rescue bid when they have a long club suit and little else. The bidding goes :-

A typical hand for this could be :-

9 6 - J 8 4 - 5 - Q 9 8 5 4 3 2

If partner's opening 1NT is doubled and you have very few points but have a five card suit, many partnerships bid the five card suit as a rescue bid. eg.

Partner -- E1 -- you -- E2

& it is not Stayman)

your hand could be :-

9 4 - Q J 6 - 9 5 2 - J 9 7 6 4

It may well be that in any of the last three paragraph examples you will still be doubled, but to bid as shown will be preferable to staying in 1NT doubled.

An alternative to the example in the last paragraph is to agree that when partner's opening 1NT is doubled, you will bid as before if you have a five card suit, but not if the suit is clubs. If you bid 2C then this is reserved as a rescue convention bid asking partner to bid his four card suits upwards. The 2C bid is not Stayman. Suppose partner is doubled after opening 1NT and you hold : J 8 4 - Q 9 8 4 - J 9 8 6 - 7 4

you bid 2C and hope that partner will respond with a four card suit, either 2D or 2H. If partner happens to bid 2S, then this shows that you cannot win all the time!!!