Agonizing Bids

When partner opens 1 NT and you have a three-suited hand with a singleton or void, depending on your point count, you need to make a decision:

♠ 8   ♥ K 8 6 4   ♦ K J 9 7   ♣ J 10 8 7

You have enough to invite a game, but if your Stayman 2♣ bid does not reveal a heart fit with partner, you must go back to 2 NT - this is not too savory, but you have no other good choice. Just hope partner can cover you singleton, or the opponents won't lead a spade, or if they do, they may block their own suit…….be brave!

But what if you are very weak?

♠  8 6 4 3   ♥ 9   ♦ Q J 6 5   ♣ J 10 8 3

Pass. This is an awful hand to put on the table, but you have no safe place to run. If you bid 2♣ and partner bids 2♥, you are stuck.

But there is an exception to passing with a weak hand and no long suit:

♠ 8 5 4 3   ♥ 8 6 2   ♦ J 10 9 6 5   ♣ 4

With this assortment of junk, still bid 2♣! You will PASS any bid by partner, even 2♦. This is the only distribution (very short in clubs, long in everything else) that you can use Stayman. It's known as "Garbage Stayman".

© 2013 Roberta Salob