Practice on Cuebids
Start from strong 1NT openings and practice choosing whether Stayman, a transfer, or a natural notrump bid fits the hand.
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Systems
Last updated
2026-07-31
What is Stayman?
Stayman is a conventional 2 response to a 1NT opening. It asks opener whether they have a four-card major.
The main goal is to find a 4-4 fit in hearts or spades before committing to notrump.
Basic Stayman auction
- 2 asks for a four-card major.
- 2 shows four hearts and may also have four spades depending on partnership style.
When to use Stayman
Responder normally uses Stayman with at least one four-card major and enough strength to invite game. Opposite a 15-17 1NT, the common baseline is 8-9 HCP for an invitation and 10 or more for a game force. Responder adjusts those ranges opposite a weak notrump.
With one five-card major and no four-card major on the side, responder normally transfers instead. A game-forcing 5-4 major hand is different: many pairs start with Stayman and use Smolen after a 2 response.
Garbage Stayman and Crawling Stayman are separate weak-hand agreements. Garbage Stayman can be played with a hand prepared to pass any response; Crawling Stayman lets a weak hand with both majors rebid 2 over 2 as pass-or-correct. Without one of these agreements, do not improvise Stayman on a weak hand.
Stayman also assumes an uncontested auction. If the opponents overcall the 1NT opening, a plain 2 is usually no longer available or no longer Stayman, and many pairs switch to methods such as a cuebid as Stayman or lebensohl-style structures.
- Use it with a four-card major and enough strength to care about game or strain.
- Use a transfer with a one-suited five-card major; use the agreed Stayman-Smolen route with game-forcing 5-4 majors.
- With 4-4 in the majors, Stayman is usually the starting point.
Opener responses
The standard responses are simple: 2 denies a four-card major, 2 shows hearts, and 2 shows spades. Partnerships must agree how opener responds with both majors.
- 2: no four-card major.
- 2: four hearts, possibly four spades as well.
- 2: four spades; in the common 2-first style it also denies four hearts.
- With both majors, many pairs bid 2 first.
Responder continuations
After opener answers, responder places the contract, invites game, or bids game. The key is to show whether a fit was found and whether the partnership belongs in part-score, game, or slam exploration.
With a fit for opener's major, responder raises to the three level to invite or jumps to game with game values. Without a fit, 2NT invites and 3NT is to play.
- Raise opener's major to three with support and invitational values; bid game with more.
- Without a fit, bid 2NT to invite or 3NT to play.
- After 2, non-jump major rebids need an explicit agreement.
- Crawling Stayman: 2 is weak and pass-or-correct.
- Natural invitations: 2 or 2 shows five cards in the suit bid, typically four cards in the other major, and invitational values.
- Invitational Smolen: the bid keeps the Smolen reversal, so 2 shows four hearts and five spades.
- Game-forcing Smolen: jumps to 3 or 3 show the four-card major and five cards in the other major.
- Do not combine these meanings. A Crawling Stayman partnership in particular needs another route for the invitational five-card-heart hand.
Inviting with a heart fit
- 3 shows four-card heart support and invitational values, around 8-9 HCP opposite a strong notrump.
- Opener passes with a minimum and bids 4 with a maximum.
Responder patterns
Stayman is strongest when responder already knows the next bid. With invitational values, responder can bid 2NT after no fit or raise opener's major to the three level with a fit. With game values, responder can choose between 3NT and four of a major.
Weak Stayman or Garbage Stayman is a separate agreement. Without it, using 2 on a weak hand can leave the partnership too high after opener bids 2.
Inviting after no major
- 2NT invites game after opener denies a four-card major.
- Responder should hold invitational values here, not a purely weak hand.
Garbage Stayman pass
- Playing Garbage Stayman, responder passes 2 with a weak hand and length in diamonds.
- Without this agreement, passing 1NT is safer than improvising 2 on a weak hand.
More Stayman auctions
Most mistakes with Stayman come from knowing the first bid but not the second. These examples show how responder changes the final contract depending on opener's answer.
Game after finding spades
- Responder had game values and four spades.
- Once opener shows spades, responder chooses the major-suit game instead of 3NT.
Game in notrump after no major
- Opener denies a four-card major.
- Responder has enough for game and no reason to keep searching for a major fit.
Choosing hearts with both majors
- Many pairs bid 2 first when opener has both majors.
- Responder raises the known heart fit to game.
Opener corrects with both majors
- Responder's 3NT denies four hearts, so a promissory Stayman bid was based on spades.
- Playing 2 first with both majors, opener converts 3NT to 4 to play the known spade fit.
Example responder hands
The same 2 bid can start invitational, game-going, or special weak auctions. The hand type determines whether responder is asking, inviting, or preparing to place the contract.
Classic game-going Stayman hand
- Responder has game values opposite a strong notrump and both majors are possible.
- Start with Stayman and choose four of a major if opener shows a fit.
Not a Stayman hand
- With a five-card spade suit, a transfer usually describes the hand better.
- Stayman would make it harder to show the five-card major cleanly.
Garbage Stayman shape
- With 3 HCP, short clubs, and support for any reply, responder can bid 2 planning to pass 2, 2, or 2.
- This only works if the partnership has agreed to play Garbage Stayman; otherwise pass 1NT.
Common mistakes
- Using Stayman with no plan after opener bids 2.
- Using Stayman with a one-suited five-card major when a transfer would describe the hand better.
- Forgetting whether 2 or 2 promises only one major when opener has both.
FAQ
How many points do I need for Stayman?
Opposite a 15-17 1NT, standard constructive Stayman commonly starts with 8 HCP: 8-9 invites and 10 or more forces to game. Use higher ranges opposite a weak notrump. Garbage Stayman is a separate weak-hand treatment.
Can Stayman be used over 2NT?
Yes. A 3 response to 2NT is commonly played as Stayman or Puppet Stayman, depending on agreement.