SimonStocken.com

Simon started playing aged 10, together with his family (Brothers Jack and Zebedee make their living exclusively from teaching bridge), and was soon playing at club, county then national level. Simon represented England as part of the Under 25 squad, partnered with both brothers in turn. On completing a degree in Classics from Trinity College, Oxford, Simon began teaching bridge at the London School of Bridge, and then at The Acol Bridge Club with Andrew Robson. In 1995, Simon started the Andrew Robson Bridge Club in partnership with Andrew, establishing it (with help from brother Zebedee) as the world’s most successful bridge club. Simon left in summer 2000, pending the arrival of his son Max, and now teaches in London, the Cotswolds, and the Caribbean. In 2004 Simon played bridge on top of Kilimanjaro at a height of 19,335 feet.

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Thursday, April 10, 2008 

Regular Stayman


REGULAR STAYMAN


HAND TYPE A:. Precisely 4 cards in ♥s or ♠s (or both), with at least enough points to invite game.

Hand-Type A (see above) is most frequent. The hand below represents the minimum point requirement if partner has opened a weak Notrump (12-14 points). You must have the values to invite game, i.e. eleven or more points.

You must hold PRECISELY 4 CARDS in ♥s or ♠s or both.

♠ A J 6 5
♥ 10 9 5 3
♦ A Q 5
♣ 6 4


POINT REQUIREMENTS for STAYMAN:
a) Partner opens a weak 1NT, 11+ points are required.
b) Partner overcalls 1NT, 8+ points are needed (or a good 7).
c) Partner opens 2NT, 4+ points are required.

If you are playing a strong Notrump, treat it in the same way you would a 1NT overcall - see category b) above.



RESPONSES to STAYMAN 2♣:
a) 2♦ - No 4-card major, partner
b) 2♥ - I have 4 (or 5) hearts and maybe 4 spades too.
c) 2♠ - I have 4 (or 5) spades and not 4 hearts.

THERE ARE NO OTHER RESPONSES.
NEVER RESPOND 2NT.
NEVER RESPOND AT THE 3-LEVEL.



♠ A J 6 5
♥ 10 9 5 3
♦ A Q 5
♣ 6 4

On the hand featured above, respond 2♣ to your partner's Weak Notrump opening.

If she responds 2♦ you bid 2NT, inviting 3NT, if partner holds fourteen points (or a good thirteen).

If she responds 2♥ or 2♠ you can raise to 3♥ or 3♠ inviting game.



Changing the hand slightly:
♠ A J 6 5
♥ 10 9 5
♦ A K Q 5
♣ 6 4

You respond 2♣ looking for a 4-4 ♠ fit.

If partner responds 2♦ you bid 3NT.

If partner responds 2♥ (might also have four ♠s) you also bid 3NT, which partner will convert to 4♠ if she holds four cards in both the majors. (Remember you must have precisely four cards in ♥s or ♠s to use Stayman originally - you didn't support ♥s, so you must have four cards in ♠s.

If partner responds 2♠ you raise to game - 4♠.



Changing the hand again:
♠ A J 6 5 3
♥ 10 9 5 2
♦ A K 5
♣ 6

This time you would like to investigate a potential 4-4 ♥ fit and also the potential eight+ card ♠ fit. As ever we use Stayman to discover whether we have a 4-4 fit.

Respond 2♣ over partner's 1NT opening.

If she bids 2♦ you jump to 3♠ - the bid you would have made if you weren't playing Stayman. This shows five cards in spades and asks partner to choose between 3NT (with only two cards in spades) or 4♠ (holding three cards).

If she bids 2♥ or 2♠ you can raise to 4♥ or 4♠.



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