Marker Stayman
Introduction
Marker Stayman was concieved by Dave Marker, bridge partner extrordinaire.
It was play tested in the field with Tom Dressing and after several revisions
and suggested has arrived here in its final form. It uses a combination
of understandings with Forcing, and Non-Forcing Stayman.
The primary difference between the usual treatment of the combination is
that all game forcing single suited or two suited hands start with forcing
Stayman. We treat hands that are simply going to bid game in a major or
game in NT by starting with non-forcing stayman, while hands that have slam
interest or values with majors can be started with forcing stayman.
With our treatment of forcing stayman, you have a difference between the
auction 1N-2C-2D-3N and 1N-2D-2N-3N.
Opening Notrumps
General Style:
NV 1st and 2nd seat, and 3rd favorable show 10-13 HCP's and a balanced hand.
VUL 1st and 2nd seat show 12-14 HCP's. Opener may have a 5 card major if
the hand does not otherwise qualify as an opening bid. Opener could have
a 5 or 6 card minor, and will not usually be 5-4.
3rd and 4th seat NT's show 14+-17 HCP's and a balanced hand. Opener may
have a 5 card major generally if he also holds 3 cards in the other major,
or his hand is so tenaced that 1NT opening is more descriptive and advantaged
over 1NT. Currently we have no methods to discover the 5 card major suit
except in game going auctions. Hands that have small doubletons will also
be opened 1NT.
1NT
There is also a brief discussion of some of the competitive agreements we have.
Non Forcing Stayman
Responder will usually have an invitational hand. There are two types of
strong hands responder may have:
- A hand with a four card major that wishes to play in 3NT or 4M if
opener has a fit (there is no real reason to go through forcing stayman).
- A hand with a four card major that wishes to make a balanced slam
try.
1NT 2C Invitational Stayman
2D Denies 4 card major
- 2H, 2S - Invitational with 5 card major.
- 2NT - Invitational NT, may or may not have 4 card major.
- 3C,3D - Natural and invitational
- 3H, 3S - Invitational with 6 card suit.
- 3NT - To play. Tends to show 4 card major.
- 4C - Gerber, balanced slam try with 4 card major.
1NT 2C Invitational Stayman
2H Shows 4 or more hearts, may have spades.
- 2S - Invitational with 5 spades
- 2NT - Invitational, may still have 4 spades. If opener accepts game
try, then bids 3S on route to 3NT.
- 3C, 3D - Natural and invitational.
- 3H - Invitational, with 4 trump.
- 3S - Invitational with 6 card suit.
- 3NT - To play. Show 4 card spade suit.
- 4C - RKC Gerber, doesn't promise hearts. Balanced slam try with 4
card major.
- 4D - Slam invitation with 4 hearts and a balanced hand.
- 4H - To play.
- 4NT - Slam invitation with 4 spades and a balanced hand.
1NT 2C Invitational Stayman
2S Shows 4 or more spades
- 2NT - Invitational, may or may not have hearts.
- 3C, 3D - Natural and invitational.
- 3H - Invitational with 6 card suit.
- 3S - Invitational, with 4 trump.
- 3NT - To play. Tends to show 4 card major.
- 4C - RKC Gerber, doesn't promise spade fit. Balanced slam try with
4 card major.
- 4D - Slam invitation with 4 spades and a balanced hand.
- 4S - To play.
- 4NT - Slam invitation with 4 hearts and a balanced hand.
Back to the Overview.
Responder will usually have a hand that has a 5 card major that wishes to
investigate possible slam, or a 5 card minor that wishes to investigate
slam.
1NT 2D Game forcing stayman.
2H Four or more hearts
- 2S - 4 or more spades, asks for further description.
2NT Minimum.
- 2NT - Baron. Asks for more information.
3C, 3D - 4 card suit.
3H - 5 card heart suit.
3S - 4 card spade suit.
3NT - 3-4-3-3 distribution.
- 3C, 3D - forcing 5+ card suit.
- 3H - Forcing. Requests QBid.
3NT - No first round controls, maximum
4H - No first round controls, minimum.
- 3S - Splinter, in support of hearts.
- 4C - Splinter, in support of hearts.
- 4D - Splinter, in support of hearts.
- 4H - Mild slam try. (Responder could have used 2C)
1NT 2D Game forcing stayman.
2S Four or more spades.
- 2NT - Baron. Asks for more information.
3C, 3D - 4 card suit.
3H - Very strange, 5-4 in the majors!!!
3S - 5 card spade suit.
3NT - 4-3-3-3 distribution.
- 3C, 3D - forcing 5+ card suit.
- 3H - Sets trump, asks for further description.
- 3NT - Minimum.
- 3S - Forcing. Requests QBid.
- 3NT - No first round controls, maximum
- 4S - No first round controls, minimum.
- 4C - Splinter, in support of spades.
- 4D - Splinter, in support of spades.
- 4H - Splinter, in support of spades.
- 4S - Mild slam try. (Responder could have used 2C)
1NT 2D
2NT No four card major, No five or longer card minor. Responder is exactly
3-3-3-4 or 3-3-4-3
- 3C - Asks shape (for minor suit try)
3D - 4 diamonds.
3H - 4 clubs.
- 3D,3H,3S - Sets trump, asks for QBid.
- 3NT - To play.
- 4C - Gerber. (To set clubs as trump, you relay with 3C first).
- 4H,4S - To play.
1NT 2D
3C - Long unknown minor. Could be 5 cards in length.
- 3D - Asks minor.
3H - Club suit.
3S - Diamond suit.
- 3H - Shows 5 card suit.
3NT - Denies 3 card support for major.
3S,4C,4D - QBid in support of major.
4H - Shows 3 card support, minimum.
- 3S - Shows 5 card suit.
3NT - Denies 3 card support for major.
4C,4D,4H - QBid in support of major.
4S - Shows 3 card support, minimum.
- 3NT - To play.
- 4C - Gerber
- 4H, 4S - To play.
1NT 2D
3D 2-3-4-4 or 3-2-4-4
- 3H Natural, 5+ card suit.
3NT Denies 3 card support for major.
3S,4C,4D QBid in support of major.
4H Shows 3 card support, minimum.
- 3S Shows 5 card suit.
3NT Denies 3 card support for major.
4C,4D,4H QBid in support of major.
4S Shows 3 card support, minimum.
- 3NT To play.
- 4C, 4D Natural, forcing.
- 4H, 4S To play.
Back to the Overview.
The transfer responses are one of several types of hands. Opener has no
choice but to accept the transfer as opener has no idea as to the type of
hand responder holds.
- A simple preemptive call. Responder has a 6 card suit and wishes to
preempt the opponents.
- A general slam try with scattered values. Shows only a 5 card suit.
Not available in clubs.
- A slam try with prime controls. Opener will transfer and then cuebid
an Ace. This sequence still shows at least a 6 card suit. Two suited hands
are handled with Forcing Stayman.
- A Brozel type hand with specifically 5-5 holding in two suits. This
bid will be invitational only.
Club Transfers
1NT-2NT is a transfer to clubs. It will either be a weak hand with clubs,
or a Brozel invitational bid. May or may not show clubs.
1NT - 2NT
3C Manditory acceptance of transfer.
- P Weak hand with clubs.
- 3D Invitational hand with Diamonds and Hearts
- 3H Invitational hand with Hearts and Spades
- 3S Invitational hand with Spades and Clubs
- 3NT Invitational hand with Diamonds and Clubs, willing to play 3NT
- 4C Invitational hand with Diamonds and Clubs, unwilling to play 3NT
Diamond Transfers
1NT-3C is a transfer to diamonds or a Brozel shaped hand. It is used to
show non-touching major-minor combinations.
1NT-3C
3D Manditory acceptance of transfer
- P Weak hand with diamonds
- 3H Invitational with Hearts and Clubs 3
- S Invitational with Spades and Diamonds
- 3NT Slam hand with 6 card diamond suit.
Heart Transfers
1NT-3D is a transfer to hearts, either weak or slamish.
1NT - 3D
3H Manditory acceptance of transfer
- P Weak hand with hearts
- 3NT Slam hand with 6 card heart suit.
- 4C Cuebid, shows 6 card heart suit and slam values.
- 4D Cuebid, shows 6 card heart suit and slam values.
- 4H Slammish hand with 7 card heart suit. (Texas like.)
Spade Transfers
1NT-3H is a transfer to spades, either weak or slammish.
1NT - 3H
3S Manditory acceptance of transfer
- P Weak hand with spades
- 3NT Slam hand with 6 card spade suit.
- 4C Cuebid, shows 6 card spade suit and slam values.
- 4D Cuebid, shows 6 card spade suit and slam values.
- 4H Cuebid, shows 6 card spade suit and slam values.
- 4S Slammish hand with 7 card spade suit.
Back to the Overview.
1NT-3S is Minor Suit Stayman, that suggests that the hand be played in a
minor if a fit is found, or can be played in 3NT. Subsequent bids beyond
3NT, show 5-5 minor suited hands that must be played in 5 of a minor, or
6 of a minor with less than 5-5 distribution.
3S Minor Suit Stayman
- 3NT - No 4 card minor, may be passed.
4C - 5-5 in the minors, game in minor only.
4D - 5-5 in the minors, slam interest.
- 4C - At least 4 clubs, possible interest in slam in clubs.
4H - 5-5 in the minors with heart shortness.
4S - 5-5 in the minors with spade shortness.
4NT Roman Keycard Blackwood in clubs.
- 4D At least 4 diamonds, possible interest in slam in diamonds.
4H 5-5 in the minors with heart shortness.
4S 5-5 in the minors with spade shortness.
4NT Roman Keycard Blackwood in diamonds.
Back to the Overview.
1NT-3NT To Play
1NT-4C Regular Gerber.
1NT-4D Texas Transfer to spades.
1NT-4H Texas Transfer to hearts.
1NT-4NT Quantitative (20-21 HCP's)
1NT-5NT Quantitative (22-23 HCP's) and forces 6NT invites 7NT.
Back to the Overview.
Simple Runouts
Systems which use pass forces redouble with both strong and weak hands have
a major weakness in that opener may not venture a penalty double on an auction
that begins 1NT-Pass-2X since responder may have absolutely nothing. Another
difficulty is that sometimes the best contract is 1NT-Dbl and this can not
be reached. The follwing system is very simple.
1NT-(Dbl)
- Pass - Expresses doubt, not strong enough to redouble, no clear suit
to bid. Responder should be 4-3-3-3, or 4-4-3-2. Pass is not forcing but
it requests help from opener.
With a five card suit opener should bid it.
With a 4-3-3-3 hand opener should pass.
With 4-4-3-2 opener should redouble inviting responder to bid four card
suits up the line.
- RD - Strong, desires to play 1NT-** or double the opponent if possible.
If the opponents reenter the auction Lebensohl applies (even after partner
doubles)
- 2X - Natural, to play, ususally five cards but on desperate hands
this may be a four card suit.
- 3C - Preemptive
- 3D - Preemptive
- 3H - Preemptive
- 3S - Preemptive
- 4D - Transfer to hearts
- 4H - Transfer to spades
Back to the Overview.