After a notrump opening bid, a responder with a 4+ card major wants to look for an 8+ card major suit fit. Responder can use a Jacoby Transfer to show a 5+ card major. A responder with a 4-card major needs a way to find a 4-4 major suit fit. Stayman is an artificial 2♣ response to a 1NT opener which asks opener if they have a 4-card major.
Opener's responses to Stayman follow 2 rules:
- Rebid an artificial 2♦ if you don't have a 4-card major. (no alert required)
- Otherwise rebid your lowest major
Accordingly, the meaning of opener's responses to Stayman are:
2♦ = no 4-card major
2♥ = 4 hearts, may or may not have 4 spades
2♠ = 4 spades, denies 4 hearts (would have bid 2♥ with 4-4 in the majors)
Responder's Rebid after Stayman
Invitational: Responder can naturally bid 2♠, 2NT, or 3 of opener's major to invite game.
Game Forcing:
- 3NT (denies a fit for opener's major)
- 4 of opener's major (guarantees 4+ card support for opener's major)
- 3 of a minor, typically a 5-card or longer suit (denies a fit for opener's major)
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When opener denies a 4-card major (rebids 2♦) and responder has 5+ cards in one major and 4 cards in the other major, responder jumps to 3 of their 4-card major. This allows opener to declare the contract if they have 3-card support for responder’s 5-card major. This agreement is called Smolen and the jump to 3 of responder’s 4-card major is alertable.
Some pairs may prefer the simplicity of natural bidding. If so, responder jumps to 3 of their 5-card major to show a game forcing hand with 5+ cards in the major they bid at the 3-level and 4 cards in the other major.
Slam Try: If responder has a strong hand with slam interest and finds a major suit fit using Stayman, responder bids 3 of the other major to show a fit for opener's major and slam interest. A subsequent 4NT bid is Blackwood. Advanced and expert partnerships wishing to refine their slam bidding may wish to read our article on Reverse Baze slam tries after Stayman.
Jumping to 4NT is a quantitative slam try.
Using Stayman with a Weak Hand:
Responder can use Stayman with a weak hand. The easiest of these is a weak hand with spades, hearts, and diamonds. Responder uses Stayman with the intention of passing opener's rebid. This usage is called Garbage Stayman.
Stayman can also be used with a weak hand with both majors. Responder plans to pass opener's major suit response. If opener rebids 2♦, denying a 4-card major, responder rebids 2♥ to ask opener to choose their better major. If opener is 3-3 in the majors, opener passes 2♥ if their hearts are better. Otherwise opener bids 2♠. If opener is 3-2 in the majors, opener passes 2♥ with 3 hearts or bids 2♠ with 3 spades. This treatment is called Crawling Stayman.
In Competition
Stayman is on after a double.
After a 2♣ overcall, a double by responder is Stayman.
After a 2♦ or higher overcall, Stayman is off. See our Lebensohl article.
Other Stayman Auctions
Stayman can also be used after 1NT overcall, a 2NT opening bid, and a strong 2♣ opener followed by a notrump rebid.
When the 2NT opener denies a 4-card major with a 3♦ rebid as shown below, responder can show a game forcing hand with 5+ cards in one major and 4 cards in the other major by bidding 3 of their 4-card major. This is essentially the Smolen convention after a 2NT opening bid.
| South | West | North | East |
| 2NT | Pass | 3♣ | Pass |
| 3♦ | Pass | ? |
3♥ = Smolen, artificial game force with 5 spades and 4 hearts
3♠ = Smolen, artificial game force with 5 hearts and 4 spades
When the 2NT opener shows a 4-card major, responder can show a fit with slam interest by bidding the other major.
| South | West | North | East |
| 2NT | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 3♠ | Pass | 4♥ |
4♥ = a spade fit with slam interest
Summary of Responder's Rebids
When the notrump opener denies a 4-card major with a 2♦ rebid as shown below, here is a summary of responder's rebids:
| South | West | North | East |
| 1NT | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 2♦ | Pass | ? |
Pass = A weak hand with diamonds and both majors. This is one of the few occasions where responder can use Stayman with a weak hand. This sequence is called Garbage Stayman.
2♥ = weak hand with both majors. Opener is expected to pass if their preferred major is hearts. Otherwise opener bids 2♠. This sequence t is called Crawling Stayman. It is one of the few sequences where responder can use Stayman with a weak hand.
2♠ = invitational with 5 spades and 4 hearts (can also be used with a suit oriented invitational hand with 4-4 in the majors)
2NT = invitational with at least one 4-card major
3♣ = a game forcing hand with a 4-card major and clubs
3♦ = a game forcing hand with a 4-card major and diamonds
3♥ = a game forcing hand with 5 spades and 4 hearts if playing Smolen as recommended. Otherwise a game forcing hand with 5 hearts and 4 spades.
3♠ = a game forcing hand with 5 hearts and 4 spades if playing Smolen as recommended. Otherwise a game forcing hand with 4 hearts and 5 spades
3NT = to play
4♥/♠ = to play (if playing Texas Transfers, responder would bid the suit below their 6+ card major to ask opener to bid their long major)
4NT = invitation to 6NT
When the notrump bidder shows 4 hearts with a 2♥ rebid as shown below, here is a summary of responder's rebids:
| South | West | North | East |
| 1NT | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 2♥ | Pass |
Pass = A weak hand with a heart fit
2♠ = invitational with 4 spades, more suit oriented
2NT = invitational with 4 spades, more notrump oriented
3♣ = a game forcing hand with 4 spades and clubs
3♦ = a game forcing hand with 4 spades and diamonds
3♥ = invitational with 4 hearts
3♠ = an artificial bid showing a heart fit and slam interest (see the Baze article for upgrades to improve your slam bidding)
3NT = to play
4♥ = a game forcing hand with 4 hearts and no slam interest
4NT = invitation to 6NT. To use Roman Keycard Blackwood for hearts, responder would bid 3♠ and then bid 4NT.
When the notrump bidder shows 4 spades and less than 4 hearts with a 2♠ rebid as shown below, here is a summary of responder's rebids:
| South | West | North | East |
| 1NT | Pass | 2♣ | Pass |
| 2♠ | Pass |
Pass = A weak hand with a spade fi
2NT = invitational with 4 hearts
3♣ = a game forcing hand with 4 spades and clubs
3♦ = a game forcing hand with 4 spades and diamonds
3♥ = an artificial bid showing a spade fit and slam interest (see the Baze discussion for upgrades to improve your slam bidding)
3♠ = invitational with 4 spades
3NT = to play
4♠ = a game forcing hand with 4 spades and no slam interest
4NT = invitation to 6NT. To use Roman Keycard Blackwood for spades, responder would bid 3♥ and then bid 4NT.
Related Articles
- "Stayman…What does opener reply if he has both four-card majors?" by Andrew Robson
