Five-Card Puppet Stayman

When opening 2NT there is a reasonable prospect that opener may have a five-card major. Five-card Puppet Stayman enables responder to investigate for both possible 4-4 major fits and 5-3 major fits. The bid is game-forcing. The ‘puppet’ method enables the stronger hand to be declarer (i.e. concealed). (Don’t confuse with transfers in which the responder may have a 5-card major).

Responder uses the 3♣ bid if:

1. he has a hand containing a four card major – and would prefer to play in the 4-4 major fit if it exists (e.g. ♠K74 ♥Q832 ♦98 ♣J764).
   

   
   

2. he has a hand containing at least one three card major and would prefer to play in a 5-3 major fit if one exists (e.g. ♠K74 ♥Q83 ♦98 ♣J7642).

The basic method is (there are more complicated methods):

3♣ primarily asks opener for either 4- or 5-card majors, with the 2NT opener then responding:

3♦ - no five-card major, but at least one four-card major.

The responder (i.e. the original Stayman bidder) then bids:

3♥ - denies four hearts, but shows four spades. Opener then bids 3NT or 4♠.

3♠ - denies four spades, but shows four hearts. Opener then bids 3NT or 4♥.

4♣ - 4-4 in both majors. Opener then bids his better 4-card major (4♥ or 4♠).

3NT – no 4-card major (i.e. the original 3♣ bid was an attempt to find a 5-card major). Opener will pass.

3♥ - shows 5 hearts.

3♠ - shows 5 spades.

3NT - denies a four or five-card major.

Examples:

a)♠ AKJ93b)♠ AKJc)♠ AKJd)♠ AK63e)♠ AK6

♥ A7♥ AK7♥ AK7♥ AKJ♥ AKJ7

♦ AJ4♦ J84♦ J84♦ J84♦ Q84

♣ K82♣ KJ83♣ KJ83♣ KJ8♣ K83

♠ Q74♠ Q74♠ Q74♠ Q74♠ Q4

♥ K83♥ Q83♥ Q832♥ Q832♥ Q832

♦ Q7652♦ Q7652♦ Q7652♦ Q7652♦ J7652

♣ 94♣ 94♣ 9♣ 9♣ 9

f)♠ AK3g)♠ AKJ93h)♠ AK3

♥ AKJ7♥ A7♥ AKJ

♦ Q84♦ AJ4♦ J84

♣ K83♣ K82♣ KJ83

♠ Q742♠ Q7♠ Q7642

♥ Q832♥ K832♥ Q83

♦ J765♦ Q7652♦ Q765

♣ 9♣ 94♣ 9

a)   2NT - 3♣ - 3♠ - 4♠.   Responder would prefer a 5-3 major game on account of the fragile club suit, so bids 3♣. 3♠ from opener shows a five-card spade suit.

b)   2NT - 3♣ - 3NT - pass.   As (a), but 3NT from opener denies a four-card or a five-card major.

c)   2NT - 3♣ - 3NT - pass.   Responder would prefer to play in hearts if opener can support - 3NT from opener shows he can't.

d)   2NT - 3♣ - 3♦ - 3♠ - 3NT - pass.   Responder would prefer to play in hearts so bids 3♠. Opener shows at least one four-card major. South denies four spades (and hence shows four hearts), but North can't support.

e)   2NT - 3♣ - 3♦ - 3♠ - 4♥ - pass.   Responder would prefer to play in hearts so bids 3♠. Opener shows at least one four-card major. South denies four spades (and hence shows four hearts), but now North can support hearts.

f)   2NT - 3♣ - 3♦ - 4♣ - 4♥ - pass.   4♣ from responder shows both majors; North supports hearts.

g)   2NT - 3♣ - 3♠ - 4♠ - pass.   Responder would like to find a 4-4 heart fit, but when opener shows the five card spade suit, he could bid either 4♠ or 3NT.Despite being only a doubleton spade, the poor club suit would probably persuade me to bid 4♠, hoping for a possible club ruff before defenders can draw trumps.

h)   2NT - 3♥ - 3♠ - 3NT - 4♠ - pass.   Not 5-card Stayman - an ordinary transfer sequence when responder has the 5-card major.

AFH