Practice 1J01
Main
The Stayman Convention
by Richard Pavlicek
West
North
East
South
1. N deals
J 10 7 6
TT=6
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
Pass
1 NT
None vul
K Q 6 5
1. W
9!
5
3
10
Pass
2
Pass
2
7 4 3
2. S
A
7
6
4
Pass
4
!
AP
A 2
3. S
2
8
Q
4!
A 9 2
8 5 4
4. N
6!
5
Q
A
9 9
10 11
5 6
16 16
9
8 7
4 3
5. W
4
A
7
3
K 10 8
J 9 6 5
6. N
7
8
K
2
Q 10 5 4
K J 7 6
7. S
3
9
10
5
Bidding
Stayman convention
K Q 3
8. N
J
6
2!
5
Play
Draw trumps early
A J 10 2
9. N
3
9
Q
K
Go after sure trick
A Q 2
10. W
10
2
K
8
Defense
Leading trumps
9 8 3
Win the rest
Discard signal
4
South
Made 4 +420
West
North
East
South
2. E deals
Q 10
TT=6
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
1 NT
Pass
N-S vul
8 7 6 5
1. S
K
2
5
3!
2
Pass
2
Pass
K 5 4
2. S
3!
2
Q
K
3 NT!
AP
Q J 9 7
3. E
J
6
2
K
A 6 4 2
K 8 5
4. N
6
A
4
4
10 12
8 8
16 16
6 8
2
A J 3
Cash 7 more winners
A Q 9 8 2
J 10 3
10 8 4
A K 3 2
J 9 7 3
Bidding
Stayman convention
K
Q 10 9 4
Play
Holdup play
7 6
Finessing technique
6 5
Defense
Attitude signal
3 NT East
Made 3 +400
West
North
East
South
3. S deals
K 9 6 4
TT=8
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
E-W vul
K 6
1. E
5
9
10!
K
Pass
1 NT
Pass
2
A K 3 2
2. N
4!
5
A
3
Pass
2
Pass
3
!
A 10 7
3. S
2
10
K
J
Pass
4
AP
10 3
Q J 5
4. N
A
!
4
6
J
Q 10 8 7 4
J 9 5
5. N
2
7
7
4
6 7
17 18
9 10
8 9
J 10
Q 8 7
5
4
6. S
2
7
K
5
Q J 9 8
K 6
7. N
3
8
8
8
Bidding
Stayman convention
A 8 7 2
Win 3 more tricks
Play
Leave high trump out
A 3 2
Ruffing with 4-4 fit
9 6
Defense
Choose lead at suit
5 4 3 2
Third-hand play
4
North
Made 4 +420
West
North
East
South
4. W deals
10 2
TT=6
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
1 NT
Pass
2
Pass
Both vul
9 8
1. N
7
6!
K
A
2
Pass
2 NT
Pass
A Q 9 6
2. W
3
2
A
6
Pass!
Pass
Q 9 8
7
2
3. E
3!
2
J
Q
K Q 4 3
A 8 5
4. N
Q
J
5
3
16 16
8 10
9 9
7 8
K 4 3
A 6 5 2
5. N
9
2
7
10
K J
10 5 4 3
6. W
K!
A
4
8
A 10 4 3
J 6
7. N
8
5
7
4
J 9 7 6
8. N
2
5
10
3
Bidding
Stayman convention
Q J 10 7
Win the rest
Play
Play to trick one
8 7 2
Go after sure trick
K 5
Defense
Choose lead at notrump
2 NT West
Made 2 +120
Practice 1J05
Main
Finding a 4-4 Trump Fit
Top
by Richard Pavlicek
West
North
East
South
1. N deals
K Q J 3
TT=7
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
1 NT
Pass
None vul
10 9 4
1. S
K
5
8
A
2
Pass
2
Pass
8 3
2. E
3
5
K
4
3
Pass
Pass!
Pass
J 10 8 3
3. W
2
9
A
6
7 2
A 9 5
4. E
Q
4
7
10
8 9
7 8
16 16
9 10
K J 7 2
A Q 8 3
5. E
2!
J
6
3
10 7 6 5
A 4 2
6. S
6
2
J
A
A 7 2
Q 6 4
7. E
4!
Q
7
3
10 8 6 4
8. S
8
7
Q
5
6 5
9. N
J
Q
K
A
Bidding
Stayman convention
K
Q J 9
10. W
10
3
4
9
Play
Draw trumps early
K 9 5
11. W
2
10
6
5
Lead toward honor
3
East
Made 3 +140
Crossruff the rest
West
North
East
South
2. E deals
A 9 5 3
TT=8
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
1 NT
N-S vul
K 9 7 3
1. W
6
10
2
K
!
Pass
2
Pass
2
Q J 10
2. S
K
2
3
7
Pass
4
!
AP
6 2
3. S
4
10
A
Q
J 10 2
Q 7
4. N
3!
6
A
4
8 10
10 11
6 7
16 17
Q 8 5 4
J 10 6
5. S
2
5
K
10
6
9 8 7 5 4 2
6. N
7
J
6
8
A J 9 4 3
K 8
7. S
3
3
J
4
K 8 6 4
8. N
9
5
8
Q
Bidding
Stayman convention
A 2
Lose 3 tricks
Play
Unblocking play
A K 3
Ruffing with 4-4 fit
Q 10 7 5
Defense
Try for a ruff
4
South
Made 4 +620
West
North
East
South
3. S deals
Q
J 10 5
TT=9
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
E-W vul
A 5
1. N
Q
6
2
A
2 NT
Pass
3
Pass
Q 6 3
2. W
2!
5
6
10
3
Pass
4
!
AP
8 6 4 3
3. S
10
A
!
3
2
A 4 3
K 6
4. W
4!
A
3
Q
21 21
9 10
5 6
5 6
9 7 4 2
J 8 6 3
5. N
5
K
7
3
A K J
5 4 2
6. E
2
5
A
3
A K Q
J 10 9 2
7. W
K
4
9
7
9 8 7 2
8. W
Q
6
10
K
Bidding
Opening 2 NT & response
K Q 10
9. S
7
K
6
4
Stayman convention
10 9 8 7
10. W
4
10
8
8
Play
Draw trumps early
7 5
11. E
J
8
J
8
Shun finesse
4
West
Made 4 +620
Claim the rest
West
North
East
South
4. W deals
9 5
TT=8
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
1 NT
Pass
2
Both vul
A J 3
1. E
Q
3
2
A
Pass
2
Pass
3 NT!
K J 4 2
2. N
6!
J
5
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
A K 7 6
3. E
10
A
3
2
K Q 7 6
A 8 4
4. S
Q
5
4
9
5 7
16 17
9 10
10 11
6 5
Q 10 9 4
5. S
10
6
7
8
8 7 6 5 3
10 9
6. S
2
5
A
!
4
4 2
Q
J 9 8
Cash 4 more winners
J 10 3 2
K 8 7 2
Bidding
Stayman convention
A Q
Play
Read enemy lead
10 5 3
Lead toward honor
3 NT North
Made 3 +600
Practice 1J09
Main
Minor Predicaments
Top
by Richard Pavlicek
West
North
East
South
1. N deals
A J 10 3
TT=7
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
1 NT
Pass
3
None vul
A J 3
1. W
K
A
5
2
Pass
Pass!
Pass
A 7 6 3
2. N
J
6
4!
Q
Q 3
3. W
Q
A
7
6
11 11
16 17
10 11
3 5
K
Q 9 7 4
8 6 5
4. N
10
8
8
4
Q 2
K 10 9 7 5
5. N
3
4
J
K
J 10 4
K 9 8
6. W
2
3
9
5
K 8 2
A 4
7. S
6
2
Q
A
2
8. E
K
9
!
7
J
Bidding
Weak jump response
8 6 4
9. S
10
8
3
5
Play
Loser-on-loser play
Q 5 2
10. S
2
4
A
8
Avert overruff
J 10 9 7 6 5
11. N
6
9
Q
!
10
Defense
Try for an overruff
3
South
Made 3 +110
Win the high trump
West
North
East
South
2. E deals
10 8 6 3
TT=6
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
2 NT
Pass
N-S vul
J 7
1. S
10
2
7
K
3 NT!
Pass
Pass
Pass
J 6 4 3
2. E
K
!
8
4
3!
A J 3
3. E
2
7
10
J
7 8
7 7
21 22
5 6
J 4
A K 9 5
4. N
J
Q
6
4
A 4 2
K Q 5 3
5. E
5!
Q
4
3
10 2
A Q 7
6. S
8
A
3
3
Q 10 9 6 5 4
K 2
7. W
5
A
5
2
Bidding
Opening 2 NT & response
Q 7 2
8. N
4
A
!
5
2
Play
Create extra entry
10
9 8 6
9. E
9!
7
J
6
Shun finesse
K 9 8 5
Cash 3 more winners
Defense
Duck to deny entry
8 7
Return partner’s suit
3 NT East
Made 3 +400
West
North
East
South
3. S deals
Q 10 5
TT=10
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
E-W vul
A
8 7 6 2
1. N
A
4
J!
3
1 NT
Pass
2
Pass
Q 7
2. N
6
9
K
Q
2
Pass
3
!
Pass
J 7 2
3. S
4
A
2
3
4
Pass
5
AP
K 4 2
A J
4. W
2
7
K
3
16 16
9 9
9 11
6 9
Q 3
9 4
5. E
8!
5
A
Q
A 6 5 3 2
K J 10 9 8 4
6. W
2
5
J
!
6
Bidding
Stayman convention
A K 10
8 6 3
7. E
A
7
4
10
Choose best game
9 8 7 6 3
Win the rest
Play
Unblocking play
K J 10 5
Finessing technique
—
Defense
Choose lead at suit
Q 9 5 4
Attitude signal
5
West
Made 5 +600
West
North
East
South
4. W deals
K 4 2
TT=8
Lead
2nd
3rd
4th
Pass
1 NT
Pass
2
Both vul
A K Q 6
1. E
3
4
J
A
Pass
2
Pass
3
!
A 10 9 8
2. N
10!
Q
4
5
Pass
3 NT
AP
8 2
3. E
7!
10
J
2
Q J 10 9
8 5
4. W
Q
K
5
3
8 9
16 17
5 7
11 13
10 7
9 8 5 4
5. N
9
K
6
6
J 6 5
K Q 7
3
2
6. E
3
Q
K
8
K J 9 5
7 3
7. W
J
2
8
A
A 7 6 3
8. S
A
5
4
2
Bidding
Stayman convention
J 3 2
9. S
J
7
6
4
Rebid by responder
4
Claim the rest
Play
Go after sure trick
A Q 10 6 4
Defense
Shift to another suit
3 NT North
Made 3 +600
Practice 1J01-1J09
Main
Top
12 Practice Deals
© 1994 Richard Pavlicek
by Richard Pavlicek by Richard Pavlicek