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Non-promissory four-card Stayman

If and when you choose to use the 2NT response (and/or the 2♠ response) for any purpose other than a limit raise (typically as transfers into the minors) you will find that the natural invitational limit raise to 2NT is no longer available.

To replace this bid it will be necessary to incorporate an artificial sequence.

The simplest option to fill the gap is

Non-promissory Stayman

The most common solution is to play that 2♣ followed by a rebid of 2NT from responder is no longer promissory - i.e. the Stayman bid no longer guarantees a four-card major suit.  It might merely be a mechanism to show a limit raise based on eleven or twelve points.

Opener’s first bid

Opener’s rebid

In general you will set out on this route whenever you hold eleven or more points in a balanced hand lacking a five-card major, but exactly the same considerations will apply, particularly in respect of raising on just eleven points, as when considering a natural limit raise to 2NT.

Note that, when playing non-promissory Stayman, your bid of 2♣ still asks partner for four-card majors in the first instance, and partner’s first response will be exactly the same as if playing the promissory version.

Note also that nothing else changes - constructive sequences are still available as when playing four-card promissory Stayman.

Weak hands with both majors can be played as either one of 5-4 or 4-4 shapes as agreed.

It is worth pointing out that if the Stayman enquiry is followed by a jump to 3NT then the sequence is promissory - there would be no point in following the Stayman route otherwise.

This page last revised 6th Apr 2020

Context  -  Partner opened 1NT - RHO passed - intermediate and beyond - variations and extensions - Stayman variations.

Non-promissory Stayman as outlined above will be a component of many methods.

In each case it is likely to be the route to follow when holding one or more four-card majors in a hand of invitational strength or stronger.

It should, though, be noted that extended sequences may differ considerably from method to method.  It should therefore not be assumed that because this would be the first step in showing some particular hand-type in one method it will also be the way in some other method.

For example, the sequence 1NT, 2♣, 2♦, 3♥ when played as part of a Smolen-based system would show a game-going hand with five spades and four hearts, whereas the same sequence when playing Allerton and Jagger would show an invitational non-forcing hand 5-5 in the majors.

Be certain that you have agreed more than just the first bid.

An alternative method of showing an invitational raise is by way of an artificial sequence ‘1NT 2♦ 2♥ 2♠’.