This Week in Bridge
(560) Range Stayman
© AiB Robert S. Todd
Level: 5 of 10 robert@advinbridge.com
General
A balancing 1NT bid can be a wide-ranging action, about 11-15/16 points. This 5-point range is much larger than most notrump bids and leaves partner with a more difficult bidding situation. Range Stayman is a tool that can help Advancer better determine the values of our hand and if game is a possibility. Let’s see how this works.
Advancer’s Bids -- Range Stayman (2-Way)
After a balancing 1NT bid, Advancer normally continues the auction playing Systems On, using similar bids as though partner had overcalled 1NT in the direct seat. Of course, since partner has promised fewer values for a balancing 1NT, Advancer needs to have more values to explore game.
Range Stayman is a method of rebids after Stayman where the 1NT bidder shows both the strength of their hand as well as answers the Stayman question. Bids at the 2-level are traditional answers to Stayman, but also show a minimum hand for a balancing 1NT. With a maximum hand, Opener answers Stayman at the 3-level.
Example – 2-Way Range Stayman
1♦ P P 1NT
P 2♣ P __
Minimum Answers
2♦ Minimum, 11 to a bad 13 points, no 4-card Major
2♥ Minimum, 11 to a bad 13 points, 4-5 card ♥
2♠ Minimum, 11 to a bad 13 points, 4-5 card ♠
Maximum Answers
3♣ Maximum, Good 13 to 15 points, 4-5 ♣, no 4-card Major
3♦ Maximum, Good 13 to 15 points, 4-5 ♦, no 4-card Major
3♥ Maximum, Good 13 to 15 points, 4-5 ♥
3♠ Maximum, Good 13 to 15 points, 4-5 ♠
Note: We can also agree to use 2NT as a hand to show a maximum and Responder can then bid 3♣ if they want to know about our Major suit holding. This has the advantage of not giving away the NT bidder’s Major suit shape if they are a maximum.
3-Way Range Stayman
Some partnerships choose to play a 3-way Range Stayman (usually when they play an even wider ranging 1NT bid, say 11-16+/17- points).
In this case, there are three buckets:
11 to 13- 2-level bids are minimum hands with Stayman answers.
13+ to 15- 2NT is all medium hands with 3♣ as “re-Stayman”.
15+ to 17- 3-level bids are natural and show maximum hands.
Conclusion
When partner balances with a 1NT bid, this is a wide-ranging action and can leave Advancer guessing as to the values of their hand. Range Stayman is a gadget that helps narrow the values of partner’s hand and leaves us in a better position to judge what to do after this wide-ranging 1NT bid. Add this to your hand if partner likes to make balancing 1NT bids with a wide variety of hand strengths.