CONVENTIONS TO SEARCH SUITS AFTER 2NT OPEN

After 2NT opening (20-21 hcp balanced) Responder is the captain.
Opener Responder
 2NT      3 <= search for major suit (Stayman/Puppet/Muppet/...)
             3 <= transfer to 3 - Opener bids 4 with 4+ cards
             3 <= transfer to 3 - Opener bids 4 with 4+ cards
             3 <= Stayman for minors
                    Opener bids 3NT = no minors
                    Opener bids 4 = 4+ cards
                    Opener bids 4 = 4+ cards
            3NT <= to play
            4  <= Gerber asking for aces (4=0/4. 4=1, 4=2, 4nt=3)
            4  <= transfer to 4
            4  <= transfer to 4
            4  <= transfer to 5
            4NT <= quantitative - Opener with 21 hcp or 5 cards suit bids 6NT
            5  <= transfer to 5

1-STAYMAN
Tradicional Stayman convention to search major suit after 1nt open is also used in 2nt open.
The Responder bids 3 asking if Opener have a major suit and is he must have a major to bid 3. Opener has only 3 answers:
Opener  Responder
  2NT         3
   ?
3 => no major suit;
3 => 4 means 4 cards and can have also 4 cards ;
3 => 4 means 4 cards and denies 4 cards in ;
3NT => not use anymore, but some partnership still use it to show both majors despite the modern understanding in transfer importance for strong hand receive the lead. So, Responder should not be the declarer and after 3 if Responder bid 3nt then Opener having both majors can bid 4.

SMOLEN
If Opener bid 3 Responder having 5-4 in the majors must bid his 4th card suit to invite Operner be the declarer in his 5th card suit if declarer has 3 cards.
Opener  Responder
   2NT      3       
   3         ?  
               3 = QJxxx Kxxx xx Qx
               3 = Qxxx Kxxxx xx xx
 
Trying slam after a implicit fit is found:
Opener   Responder
  2NT        3  <Stayman
3/3   4/4 <= bidding a minor is a cuebid showing support in the major bided by Opener and 10-11 hcp and slam interest.
In this case Opener must evaluate his hand:
- Opener denies good hand to slam when rebids his suit and transfer to Responder the decision to continue;
- Opener bids another suit take the responsability in slam try accordingly his hand. This is a cooperative auction.

**************************************************************
2-GAROZZO

Used by the Italian Team in 60's, this convention allow to search for major and for a minors at same time, but need some memorization:

Opener  Responder
   2NT      3 => ask for suit distribution
    ?
  3 => shows 1 or 2 majors - denies minor;
  3 => shows 4 and a minor suit;
  3 => shows 4 and a minor suit;
 3NT => shows 1 or 2 minors suit and denies major;

After Opener's second bid Responder can sign-off the bidding in a major game / 3nt / or ask for clarification of the hand bidding a relay (next suit).

Opener  Responder
   2NT     3 => ask suit distribution
   3       3 => relay for clarify distribution
    ?
   3 => 4333 with 4;
  3NT => 3433 with 4;
   4 => 4423 with 4=4=2=3;
   4 => 4432 with 4=4=3=2;

Opener  Responder
  2NT      3 => ask suit distribution
   3       3 => relay ask minor suit
  3NT => means 4-4
   4 => means 4-4 allow open be the declarer
 
 Opener  Responder
   2NT       3 => ask suit distribution
   3        4 => relay ask minor suit
   4=> means 4-4
   4=> means 4-4 with ace
   4=> means 4-4 denies ace

 Opener  Responder
   2NT       3 => ask suit distribution
   3NT       4 => relay ask for the minor suit
   4 => means 3343 with only 4
   4 => means 2344 with 2=3=4=4;
   4 => means 3244 with 3=2=4=4; 
  4NT=> means 3334 with only 4;
   5 => means 5332 with 5;
   5 => means 5332 with 5.

***************************************************************

3-PUPPET STAYMAN

An opening in 1nt or in 2nt normally don't give a simple way to Responder search for 5 cards in a major suit (5-3-3-2). Thus, the "puppet Stayman convention" was develop to resolve this problem.

This convention was published in April/1977 in the Bridge World where Christopher Woolsey and Steve W. Robinson talk about the idea of Neil Silvermanna from New York in use a Stayman for search 5 cards major suit after a nt open (Five Card Stayman).

In 1978 Jeff Rubens, Bridge Word's editor, in a complementary publication used the name Puppet (doll that is manipulated by hands or strings - marionette) for this convention.

So this convention can be used after 1nt or 2nt opening, but is usually used only in 2nt opening to search for a 5 cards major.

Puppet Stayman after 1NT open
 

Opener  Responder  1ST      2 <= puppet Stayman    ?  2  <= 1 or 2  majors  2  <= has 5   2  <= has 5 3NT <= no major ...... ......

Opener  Responder  1ST      2 <= puppet Stayman  2         ?  2 <= has 4 (transfer) 8-9 HCP  2 <= has 4 (transfer) 8-9 HCP 2NT<= has both majors  8-9 HCP  3 <= has 4 (transfer) GF 10+ HCP  3 <= has 4 (transfer) GF 10+ HCP 3NT<= has both majors 10+ HCP Note: some partnership use puppet with 3 GF and use 2 to find a fit for sign-off.

Opener  Responder  1ST      2 <= puppet Stayman  2        2 <= 4 mínimo   ?  2   <= sign-off  2NT <= sign-off (Opener 4)  4   <= maximum

Opener  Responder  1ST       2 <=puppet stayman  2         2 <= 4 mínimum   ?  2ST <= sign-off (Opener 4)  3  <= sign-off  4  <= maximum

Searching for a good sign-off:
Considering Opener has only 3 bids possible (2/2/2) the Responder having a very weak hand with a distribution type: 5-4-3-1 or
 5-4-3-1 or ideally 5-4-4, 6-4-3, 6-4-3 should bid Stayman and pass in Opener second bid.

Puppet Stayman after 2ST Open

Opener  Responder 2NT        3 <= puppet stayman   ?  3  <= 1 or 2 majors 4 cards  3  <= has 5  3  <= has 5 3NT < = denies major

Opener  Responder  2ST        3 <= puppet stayman   3          ?   .....        3  <= has 4 GF   .....        3  <= has 4 GF   .....        4  <= has 4+4 GF   .....       3NT <= denies major

Note: Some partnership adopt that a non accept transfer from his partner means that the Opener have a 5th card major in the other major suit:

Opener  Responder 2NT         3 <= transfer for 3NT   <= 5=2=3=3

Opener  Responder 2ST         3 <= transfer para 3ST   <= 2=5=3=3

In principle, after the Opener clarify his hand, the captain to bid the final contract is the Responder;

==================================================

4-MUPPET
As we see in Puppet convention there are no room to Responder shows a hand with 5-4 in the majors like in Stayman conventions we use the Smolen convention, thus Muppet is a modern Puppet modification develop to allow Smolen:

Opener Responder
 2NT      3 <= Mupet
  ?
 3 <= one or two majors
 3 <= no majors,
            then Responder bids 3 to show his 5 cards asking for 3 and
            If Opener bids 3nt that denies 3 support now Responder knowing
            that Opener has 3 may bid 4 with 5+ cards,
 3 <= 5 cards - Responder with 3+ bids 4 or cuebid for try slam
3NT <= 5 cards - Responder with 3+ bids 4 or cuebid for try slam 

Example:
Opener: ♠Ax ♥AJx ♦KQJx ♣AQ74
Responder: ♠Qxxxx ♥Kxxxx ♦xx ♣x
Opener Responder
2NT        3♣ <= Muppet Stayman
  ?
 3♥ <= no major
 ………… 3♠ ask for support of 3 cards
3NT <= doubleton in Spades
…………. 4♥ sign-off - Opener will receive the lead
pass

Bottom Line: Muppet is the modern convention to be used after 2NT opening

/ / /