This bid is used after an opening bid of 2NT showing 20-22 points where it can have a 5 card major. It’s used to find a 5-3 or 4-4 fit in the majors.
3♣ is puppet Stayman with the following responses.
| Bid | Meaning |
| 3♦ | I have at least one 4 card Major |
| 3♥ | I have a 5 card heart suit |
| 3♠ | I have a 5 card spade suit |
| 3NT | I don’t have a 4 or 5 card major. |
Continuation after 3♦
| Bid | Meaning |
| 3♥ | I have a 4 card spade suit (this is not a mis-print) |
| 3♠ | I have a 4 card heart suit |
| 3NT | To play |
| 4♣ | Both majors with slam interest |
| 4♦ | Both majors no slam interest |
| 4♥ | Slam Try in Clubs |
| 4♠ | Slam Try in Diamonds |
For most people that’s enough information for you to use the system to find the right game contract. If you want to know more then read on…
Let’s look at the continuations to possible slam…
Continuations after 4♣
| Bid | Meaning |
| 4♦ | RKCB in hearts |
| 4♥ | To play – bottom end of your hand |
| 4♠ | To play – bottom end of your hand |
| 4NT | RKCB in spades |
Continuations after opener has a 5 card heart suit
| Bid | Meaning |
| 3♠ | Slam try in hearts (Could play this as RKCB in hearts!) |
| 4♣ | Natural Slam try in Clubs |
| 4♦ | Natural Slam try in diamonds |
| 4♥ | To play |
| 4♠ | Splinter |
| 4NT | RKCB for hearts or quantitative in hearts (make sure you agree) |
Continuations after opener has a 5 card spade suit
| Bid | Meaning |
| 3NT | To Play |
| 4♣ | Natural Slam try in Clubs |
| 4♦ | Natural Slam try in diamonds |
| 4♥ | Slam try in spades (Could play this as RKCB in spades) |
| 4♠ | To play |
| 4NT | RKCB for spades or quantitative in spades (make sure you agree) |
After a 3NT response
| Bid | Meaning |
| 4♣ | Natural Slam try in Clubs |
| 4♦ | Natural Slam try in diamonds |
| 4♥ | 5/5 in the majors no slam try |
| 4♠ | 5/5 in the majors slam try? |
Opener bids 4NT to sign off or bids 4♦ over 4♣ to look for slam in clubs. Responder bids a major to show interest in slam in diamonds or bids 4NT to sign off.
It’s really critical you discuss this as a lot of people play this the wrong way and as soon as they hear 4NT they start answering RKCB. You shouldn’t play it this way in the minors…use the majors to agree a minor slam interest.
Take a look at this puppet stayman video to see it in action.
Also when you’ve mastered puppet stayman….take a look at muppet stayman which is a more advanced system.