Namyats


Namyats is a 4-level preempt in a major made by bidding 4 (where = and = ).

A 4 bid shows a stronger hand than a direct 4 bid.

Responder can try for slam with an appropriate hand or otherwise, sign off in opener's indicated suit.

If opener bids 4 of his major directly, it indicates a weaker, preemptive hand.

While this clarifies things for responder, the down side is that it also clarifies things for defenders. For example, if opener starts with 4 and responder passes, indicating no great strength, it makes the decision to compete with 4 an easier one. 

There are so many variations to Namyats that we've chosen to provide a link to web sites which have some different options. Also shown is a summary of the options from each site:

bridgeguys.com/Conventions/Namyats.html:

The key to deciding whether or not to use a strong 4 or a preemptive 4 is Losing Trick Count. In addition, both weak and strong hands are expected to have 8+ in a major suit. 
To bid 4, the hand should have a LTC of no more than 5.

If responder has no interest in slam, he should bid the indicated major if he thinks that his own hand would play better as declarer or otherwise bid one suit above opener's to allow opener to bid his major and be declarer.

One possible partnership agreement is a more "stringent" requirement that the 4 bidder's hand must not have two quick losers in more than one suit and that it has the trump king. 
Using the stringent agreement, responder's bid one level above opener's ask opener to bid the suit in which he has two quick losers.  
If opener does not have such a suit, then

  • With a *solid trump suit, he bids 4N to ask for aces; otherwise,
  • He just bids his major suit. 
*An 8-card suit need only be topped by the AKJ to be considered "solid". See the link above.

Defense to Namyats:

  • A direct double of 4 or of the response is for takeout.
      E.g.: 4-Dbl and 4-P-4-Dbl are both penalty. 
  • A delayed double is for penalty.
      E.g.: 4-P-4-P, 4-Dbl is penalty.

bridgebum.com/namyats.php

4 shows a "strong" (not necessarily "solid") 7+ card major and 8-9 tricks. 
4 shows a weaker hand than the above. 
2 shows a hand too strong to use Namyats.

[Reponses and rebids are as shown at BridgeGuys site.

larryco.com/bridge-articles/namyats:

Open 4 with 5 KQJT7653 - 54 
Open 4 with - AQJT8762 KQ2 43 
Open 2 with AKQJ8762 AQ A3 2

[Note that the first two hands both have an LTC of 4 and the 3rd hand has an LTC of 3. Ironically, the 1st hand is virtually guaranteed not to lose more than 4 tricks while the 2nd hand could easily lose 5. The 3-loser 3rd hand does seem like a good example of a hand too strong for Namyats.]

An example of a hand with which responder might wish to bid one suit up over 4 is Axxxx-x-AJx-Kxx.

If you use Namyats, you lose the ability to open 4 as a natural preempt. Some pairs counter this by using 3NT to show a 4-of-a-minor preempt. [See Gambling 3N.]

vcbridge.org/Savage%20Conventions/Namyats.pdf

4 shows a one or no-loser (per partnership agreement) major suit in a hand with an LTC of 4-5.

[Responses are as above in the BridgeGuys section.]

Reverse Namyats

A 3N opening bid shows a solid major of 7+ cards with an LTC of 4-5.

Possible responses:

  • Pass to play 3N. 
  • Method 1:
    • 4 asks opener to bid his suit
    • 4 shows 2 aces.
    • 4 shows AK-A. Opener can pass or correct to 4 or make asking bids.
    • 4 shows even more controls. Opener will usually make asking bids. 
  • Method 2:
    • 4 asks partner to bid the suit below his major.
    • 4 asks opener to bid his major (denies having any tenaces)
    • 4 shows 2 aces.
    • 4 shows more controls.

Village Card Club:


This deal is from Aug. 2, 2019. As can be seen, only one pair got to 6, most likely because their south opened 4 while the rest probably opened 1 and west preempted in spades over which north likely jumped to 4.

The south hand had only 7 cards in a non-solid suit but has a 5 LTC hand. Had N-S been playing Namyats, the hand could have been opened 4.

As it was, north had to guess whether south's bid was sound or preemptive. In third seat at favorable vulnerability, it could have been preemptive, but the 4 level seems like overkill, and it could have been a sound hand afraid of getting passed out if the hand were opened 1.

So north took a chance and trotted out RKCB 1430 for the easy slam.

The reasons for showing this hand are to illustrate that

  • Even opposite a passed hand, a slam is still possible and in fact, north's trump support, singleton, and 2 outside aces made it obvious.  
  • Without Namyats, responder had to guess at opener's strength.