Responding to Two Notrump

It is appropriate to open 2 with a five-card major.  It is equally desirable to detect any 5-3 major fit, so Puppet Stayman is a popular choice.  Unfortunately, the standard setup for that convention is flawed; the hunt for the 4-4 major is space-wasteful, and handling 5-4 majors in responder's hand is awkward.  Fortunately, these limitations are surmountable.

This matrix combines the following methods:

• Puppet Stayman
• Four-Suit Transfers
• Smolen
• Walsh Relay for Minors
• South African Texas
• Color-Coded Baron (new)

Some stealth mechanisms are operative; that is, in certain cases the ultimate declarer is able to withhold distributional information that would be revealed to the defenders by more traditional methods.  Of course, the system also can be used after  2 – 2/ – 2.

Details

Notes / Memory Aids

Opener's 3 rebid shows zero or two majors.  This is the underlying key to the entire structure.

When opener shows a major with  3/3/3, responder's 4-level patterns are parallel (excluding the Alternate Setup):

• 4 and 4 show that minor and the other major.
• Four of opener's major is signoff.
• Four of the other major is a super-raise.
• 4 is a Key-Card ask in opener's suit.

Slam tries with a 4-card major and a 5+ minor: if anyone has bid 3, the major is spades; otherwise, it is hearts (allows opener to declare by bidding the major at the 4-level).

Color Baron calls always have some 4-4-3-2 pattern.  Responder never actually bids either of his suits (allowing opener to declare).

Puppet Stayman
Four suit transfers
Walsh relay
Smolen