Wednesday, October 18, 2006 8:38 AM

Hand Evaluation - 4-4-4-1 Stayman ( other major )

PITBULLS:

4-4-4-1 hands are notoriously hard to describe after partner opens 1NT . It is best to describe your singleton when you have found your major fit after a Stayman auction. How is this done ? In rubber Bridge it is simple , after finding your major fit , jump in your stiff. In modern bidding , you want to reserve the jump to the 4 level for something else. With my partners , they prefer a jump to 4♣ to be KCB with the major agreed. They like a 4♦ jump to show a balanced quantitative bid with the 4-4 fit , a jump to 4NT as quantitative without a fit.

Kantar like the singleton to be shown by a jump to the 4 level by responder. This gives an option for declarer to answer answers with the appropriate hand. See his article on that subject.

How do you show a stiff then ? An idle bid after you have found a fit via Stayman is the other major. This bid means I have slam interest & I could have a stiff somewhere. Partner must ask for the stiff with a spade bid (♠’s agreed ) or a NT bid with ( ♥’s agreed. ) Another way of thinking is next suit up from the other major asks for the stiff.

1NT-P-2♣-P

2♠-P-3♥(1)–P (1) slam interest

3♠(2)-P-4♦(3) (2) do you have a stiff ?

(3) In diamonds

Tom & I had an auction recently which won us 9 IMPS for stayng out of a bad slam . I opened 1NT & Tom held ♠Axxx ♥QJxx ♦A10987 ♣void . He bid 2♣ & I responded 2♥. Tom bid 2♠ which confirms hearts & says I may have shortness somewhere. I have the option of asking where his shortness is so I bid 2NT. This query hits horrible duplication of value ( 3♣) so I sign off in 4♥.

Playing Puppet Stayman over 2NT , it is easy to show your stiff when you are 4-4 or 5-4 in the majors & opener responds 3♦. All 4 level bids imply a major fit so are systemic. A jump to 4♥ after a 3♦ response is a coded stiff in clubs with both majors. A direct bid of 4♦ shows both majors with a stiff diamond. A bid of 4♣ shows 5-4 in the majors & partner asks for the shape with 4♦ Smolen style. Opener knows the location of the stiff via Smolen.

Perry held ♠Q10xx ♥Axx ♦AQJ ♣AKx & opened 2NT . I held ♠AKxx ♥K10xx ♦x ♣Qxxx & bid puppet Stayman. Perry bid 3♦ & I bid 4♦ which shows both majors with a stiff diamond. Perry signs off in 4♠ & I either grit my teeth & pass or bash into 6♠ anyway. A grand slam of course is out of the question with severe diamond duplication. . What if Perry held the same hand but reverse the red suits ? A grand slam is cold.

What if you do not have both majors but you have found your major suit fit after puppet Stayman? The cheapest suit is an unspecified slam try and any other bid other than the cheapest suit is defined to be a splinter.

♠AQxx ♥Ax ♦Axx ♣AQxx opposite ♠J1087 ♥KJx ♦x ♣KJ10xx You bid Stayman & partner bids 3♦. You bid 3♥ and partner confirms the fit with 3♠. The cheapest suit is clubs so 4♦ or 4♥ is defined to be a splinter. You bid 4♦ so partner is off to the races.