[maris oren]

My partner bids 1NT. opponents pass. I hold 4 ♠ and 5 ♥/ 10 points. How do I bid?

[Cyberyeti]

maris oren, on 2021-January-23, 07:15, said:

My partner bids 1NT. opponents pass. I hold 4 ♠ and 5 ♥/ 10 points. How do I bid?

Weak or strong NT ?

Are you playing garbage stayman ?

My inclination opposite a weak NT is to use stayman and bid 2♥ over 2♦, raise 2♠ to 3 unless it's a really bad 10, and view my hand as to whether to raise 2♥ to 3 or pass.

[nige1]

maris oren, on 2021-January-23, 07:15, said:

My partner bids 1NT. opponents pass. I hold 4 ♠ and 5 ♥/ 10 points. How do I bid?

Opposite a weak notrump, agree with CyberYeti:
Bid 2♣ (Stayman) and over partner's 2♦ rebid 2♥.
Opposite a strong notrump, with 54 in the majors and game values,

• Using 2/1, Gib recommends Smolen: bid 2♣ (Stayman), then jump in your 4 card major (G/F)
• Without Smolen, transfer to your longer major and rebid the other (G/F).

[Stephen Tu]

nige1, on 2021-January-23, 08:01, said:

Opposite a strong notrump, with 54 in the majors and game values,

• Using 2/1, Gib recommends Smolen: bid 2♣ (Stayman), then jump in your 4 card major (G/F)
• Without Smolen, transfer to your longer major and rebid the other (G/F).

Without Smolen, the standard approach in the US is still to bid Stayman. Then over 2d response jump in your FIVE card major (over major response to stayman obv just raise major). Transfer then bidding other major is used for 55 shapes; showing hearts then bidding 2s is inv, showing spades then 3h is GF.

[ali quarg]

vs a 15-17 NT

with a good 10 transfer into the 5 card suit and bid the 4 card suit at the 3 level.

Good/bad 10 5-5: transfer into ♥ & bid 2♠ following the transfer. Subsequent bidding decides contract/level

with a bad 10 Stayman 2♣ and then a Quest Transfer (i.e. transfer into the 5 card suit at the 3 level) after 2♦. Opener selects game if maximum otherwise chooses contract

[morecharac]

ali quarg, on 2021-February-08, 02:34, said:

vs a 15-17 NT

with a good 10 transfer into the 5 card suit and bid the 4 card suit at the 3 level.

We play that sequence as showing two five-card suits.

Stayman then bid unnamed major shows 5-4.

[AL78]

morecharac, on 2021-February-08, 15:42, said:

We play that sequence as showing two five-card suits.

Stayman then bid unnamed major shows 5-4.

Need to discuss with partner.

I've heard people transfer to spades then bid hearts shows 5-4, and I've also heard any hand with a four card major goes through Stayman, in which case transferring to one major then bidding the other shows at least 5-5.

[pescetom]

AL78, on 2021-February-08, 17:53, said:

Need to discuss with partner.

I've heard people transfer to spades then bid hearts shows 5-4, and I've also heard any hand with a four card major goes through Stayman, in which case transferring to one major then bidding the other shows at least 5-5.

There are also people who mix both approaches to be able to differentiate both 5-4 vs 5-5 and slam interest vs not.
I found it to be a headache to remember and fitted all of them into Stayman instead.