|
Puppet Stayman is a variant of the Stayman Convention that is used by many pairs over 2NT and by some pairs over 1NT.
This article is not an explanation of Puppet; but, briefly, opener is free to bid NT holding a 5-card major but an otherwise balanced hand. Responder bids 3C over 2NT holding one or two 3+ card majors with game certain in 3NT or 4 of a major. Responder bids 2C over 1NT with one or two 3+ card majors and an invitational+ hand. In both cases, when opener has no 5-card major, the reponder may end up being the first to bid either major. In that case, responder bids the opposite major from the one being mentioned, so the strong hand is hidden when the major suit is chosen. It is confusing at first, but eventually the partnership gets it right and all 3-5, 5-3, and 4-4 major fits are found quickly if one exists.
Curiously, more local players play a sort of Puppet over 0NT than over 1NT or 2NT! In the so-called "Montreal Club", a 1C bid indicates an opening hand with no 5-card major and (presumably) one or two 3+ card majors, and asks partner whether he has a 5-card major. Responder can pass, but a bid of a major indicates "Yes, here it is, and I have 6+ HCP." A bid of 1D means "No, but I have one or two 4 card majors and 6+ HCP." A 1NT bid means "No, I don't have either a 4- or a 5-card major, but I do have 6-9 HCP." (Some play the 1D response means ONLY that partner has no 5-card major.) But, in the case of Puppet over 0NT, local players seem to have decided not to embellish the basics with additional bids, even though there is plenty of room. Moreover, no players that I know of use the "opposite" bidding protocol of Puppet -- that is, where the weak hand bids the opposite major from the one being referred to. There may be good reasons for this. This article is not an explanation of that system, either.
Several pairs play a "Big Club" system, where a 1C opening shows a fairly big hand and says nothing about clubs. These pairs also play a weak 1NT, since the strong NT hand is opened 1C. What would it take to use 1C as an asking bid similar to Puppet Stayman? It would be similar to the Montreal Club, but would absolutely be forcing -- responder must bid even with a 0-point flat hand. Over 2NT, Puppet is forcing to 3NT or 4 of a major. Over 1NT, Puppet is forcing to 2NT or 3 of a major. Presumably, then, over 0NT, Puppet would be forcing to 1NT or 2 of a major. How big a hand is that, and what shape?
Strong NT'ers are in a similar position -- a 1NT bid is forcing to 1NT (duh!) or 2 of a major. (Most pairs cannot play in 2 of a minor over 1NT.) Most play this as requiring 15 HCP to open, and risk going down when partner has a flat yarborough. But it is difficult for the opponents to score a decisive victory on such hands because they may well have been able to make a game instead of setting the opener. On balance, most would agree that opening 1NT with 15 is safe. Furthermore, it has a slight preemptive value.
Opening a forcing 1C with 15, on the other hand, is surely equally safe, but lacks the preemptive component. So how do we offest the value of the preempt with the 1C bid? First, there is no upper limit -- which should give opponents reason to be cautious. Second, we can add some defensive bids (Lebensohl?) if opponents overcall the 1C opener, and still remain at a low level of bidding and risk. Third, we can add a weak 1NT to provide preemption. Let's keep going and see what develops.
Before we go on, please leave your comments below, so we don't get too far down the road with serious errors! Maybe somebody already developed such a system! If not, we'll continue next week.
{easycomments}
|
Misc 
Puppet Big Club 
