Wednesday, October 18, 2006 8:38 AM

NT - 4-4-4-1

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 , I prefer a jump to 4♣ to be KCB with the major agreed. I like a 4♦ jump to show a balanced quantitative bid with the 4-4 fit and a jump to 4NT as quantitative without a fit.

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 (♠’s agreed ).

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

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

Perry held ♠Q10xx ♥Axx ♦AQJ ♣AKx and opened 2NT . I held ♠AKxx ♥K10xx ♦x ♣Qxxx & bid puppet Stayman. 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. 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 ? 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♦ and partner is off to the races.