Minor Suit Stayman
After a 2NT or 3NT opening (or 2♣ - 2x; 2NT or 3NT), a minimum bid in spades asks opener to bid a 4-card minor. It is used to find minor suit games or slams. Responder does not promise both minors to use MSS any more than he would promise both majors to use Stayman.
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
2NT |
Pass |
3♠ |
| Pass |
? |
|
|
| 3NT |
No 4+ minor |
| 4♣ |
4+ clubs |
| 4♦ |
4+ diamonds |
| 4♥ |
2=3=4=4 |
| 4♠ |
3=2=4=4 |
Opener doesn’t have a minor,
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
2NT |
Pass |
3♠ |
| Pass |
3NT |
|
? |
| 4♣ |
5+ clubs |
| 4♦ |
5+ diamonds |
4♥ and 4♠ can be used for all sorts of things in a regular partnership, for example:
| 4♥ |
5-5 or more, game values |
| 4♠ |
5-5 or more, pick a slam |
| 4♥ |
Asks opener to bid 5♣ |
| 4♠ |
Asks opener to bid 5♦ |
I haven’t picked one of these here because frankly, remembering all this is tough for a bid that comes up so seldom. I suggest you don’t use 4♥ and 4♠ unless you and your partner have firm understandings.
After Opener Shows a Minor
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
2NT |
Pass |
3♠ |
| Pass |
4♣ |
|
? |
| 4♦ |
5+ diamonds, denies club support |
| 4♥ |
Club raise, heart control |
| 4♠ |
Club raise, spade control, no heart control |
| 4NT |
To play, no club fit |
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
| |
2NT |
Pass |
3♠ |
| Pass |
4♦ |
|
? |
| 4♥ |
Diamond raise, heart control |
| 4♠ |
Diamond raise, spade control, no heart control |
| 4NT |
To play, no diamond fit |
Note: Assume on all these auctions that 4NT is an attempt to play there rather than Blackwood. The reasoning is twofold. Responder might not have both minors, so if opener bids the other minor, 4NT is the fall back contract. Also, Blackwood isn’t all that good a tool when your suit is a minor, because most of the responses go past your game level!