In this tip I have more information about the Stayman Convention and Jacoby transfers. These conventions complement each other and can be used with weak, invitational and strong hands after partner opens 1NT.
Both conventions have similar bids when showing invitational hands. After partner opens 1NT showing 15 to 17 points, you invite partner for a game contract when you have 8 or 9 points.
There are two ways to show invitational strength of 8 or 9 points:
- After the Stayman Convention or a Jacoby transfer, the most common invitation is to bid 2NT. You show any hand with 8 or 9 points and no sure trump fit. Your hand may be balanced or unbalanced.
Example: Partner opens 1NT and your hand is ♠Q63 ♥K742 ♦A932 ♣952. After you respond 2♣, the Stayman Convention, partner replies 2♠ showing four cards in spades. Your second bid is 2NT.
If you play four-suit transfers where a direct response of 2NT to a 1NT opening is a transfer to diamonds, you use the Stayman Convention with invitational hands even if you don’t have a four-card major.
When you rebid 2NT to show 8 or 9 points, partner won’t know if you have a four-card major or not.
2NT is also the usual rebid to show 8 or 9 points after you have made a transfer bid to a major.
Example: Partner opens 1NT and your hand is ♠KQ984 ♥2 ♦K873 ♣952. After you respond 2♥, a transfer showing five or more cards in spades, partner bids 2♠. Your invitational bid to show 8 or 9 points is 2NT.
The mistake many people make after a transfer response is that they assume the 1NT opener has a fit in the transfer suit. This is often not the case as the opener should accept the transfer suit with only two cards in the suit.
Do not raise a suit without a sure trump fit. If you raise partner without sufficient trumps, you may soon be looking for a new partner!
- After the Stayman Convention or a Jacoby transfer, the other invitational response is a raise of the suit shown by the opener or responder to the three level. A raise shows a certain trump fit in the suit.
If partner has shown a four-car major in reply to your Stayman response, you show four cards in the suit as well. Remember to add in shortage points so don’t raise to the three level if you have sufficient strength for a game contract.
Example: Partner opens 1NT and you hand is ♠63 ♥K742 ♦AJ93 ♣95. After you respond 2♣, the Stayman Convention, partner replies 2♥ showing four cards in hearts.
Even after adding in 1 point for your doubleton club, you still have only 9 points, so your second bid is 3♥.
After a transfer bid, a raise of the transfer suit to the three level shows 8 or 9 points with a six-card suit. You will have a trump fit as the opener must have at least a doubleton in your suit to open 1NT.
Example: Partner opens 1NT and you hand is ♠82 ♥Q98742 ♦AQ3 ♣92. After you respond 2♦, a transfer showing five or more cards in hearts, partner bids 2♥. Your invitational bid to show 8 or 9 points with a trump fit is 3♥.
After you show invitational strength, partner should bid for a game with maximum strength of 16 or 17 points. Only with 15 points should partner pass your invitational bid.
© 2022 John Roberts