August 2010 - 40

Jerry Helms

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www.jerryhelms.com

Dear Jerry,
My partner and I recently began
playing Puppet Stayman after 2NT
opening bids. We do not play it
over 1NT opening bids because
we do not open 1NT with a fivecard major. One of my partners,
however, said that you play Puppet Stayman over 1NT but not
over 2NT. Which one of us has this
backwards?
Kay R., Chapel Hill NC
Hi, Kay,
Perhaps neither, perhaps both. Let
me explain. For starters, I think there
are many hands that you must open
1NT with a five-card major; otherwise,
you will face awkward rebid problems. I remind you of this Jerry-ism:

Always plan a
second bid before
choosing the first
As dealer, you hold:

1NT to suggest 12-14 HCP is an underbid. Jumping to 2NT, suggesting
18-19 HCP is an overbid. Rebidding
any number of hearts is wrong on the
number of hearts held. Manufacturing a 2 rebid on a three-card suit
is possible, but feels a little odd. The
simple solution is to open 1NT. Immediately, you will have announced both
your shape and your values, placing
partner in a reasonable position to
continue the bidding somewhat intelligently. Take note that the only time
I think you should open 1NT with a
five-card major is specifically when
holding a five-card major, one doubleton and two three-card suits. If this
hand were changed so that you held
a four-card side suit with your fivecard major, opening 1NT would be
unnecessary because the second suit
provides a rebid option.
After 1NT, most partnerships play
Stayman and Jacoby transfers at the
two level. Without delving into issues
like four-suit transfers and defining
the meaning of all three-level replies
to 1NT, I strongly prefer to play 3
over 1NT as Puppet Stayman to find
out if opener has a five-card major.
Responder would use Puppet Stayman holding game-going values with
exactly three cards in one major suit,
along with four or fewer cards in the
other major. A typical hand for responder:

Q 7 K Q J 7 3 A J 4 Q J 5

7 2 A 10 2 K 7 6 5 K 4 3 2

If you open 1, would it be a surprise if partner responded 1? I think
not. What rebid did you have planned
for this likely response? With 16 HCP
plus a good five-card suit, rebidding

If opener held the hand above, and
correctly (in my opinion) opened 1NT,
you would still reach the far superior
contract of 4. Yes, I am aware that
if you opened 1, there would be no

40 Bridge Bulletin August 2010

problem on this layout, but I, along
with many experienced players, would
open 1NT, creating a problem unless
Puppet Stayman were an option.
r

East hands for the
Month Bidding Box
Bid these hands with a partner.
The West hands are on page 57. The
North-South players are silent unless otherwise noted. Scores on page
31-33.
Problem 1. North deals. None vul.
J 8 7 4 2 A 7 5 Q 5 2 A 5
Problem 2. East deals. N-S vul.
North bids 3 (preemptive) if
possible.
Q 8 J 6 4 A 8 4 A Q 10 8 4
Problem 3. South deals. E-W vul.
South opens 1. North bids 2 if
possible.
9 3 6 4 2 8 3 A J 8 6 5 3
Problem 4. West deals. Both vul.
A Q J 9 10 8 6 Q J 6 A 3 2
Problem 5. North deals. None vul.
K Q K J A Q 8 5 4 2 K 7 3
Problem 6. East deals. E-W vul.
Q 9 2 A K 7 2 A K 10 8 3 6
Problem 7. South deals. N-S vul.
South opens 2, weak.
10 8 7 6 4 A Q J 9 Q 10 7 5
Problem 8. West deals. Both vul.
A K Q 8 4 J K Q J 8 3 J 4
http://www.jerryhelms.com
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