allias

Two points: (1)3S is a splinter(double jump, as is standard practice) (2)If a major is not supported immediately it implies no support e.g. 1H 3H, 1H 1S 2S, 1S 2NT(jacoby),1NT 2D 3H, 1S 4c etc.

The reason this particular hand is difficult is south at his second bid (the sequence shown would deny 4 hearts at this point) As 1S is 4th suit force 2S would show first round spade control and agree hearts and initiate a cue bid sequence North would now bid 3C to show 1 first round control. Now an ace enquiry would reveal whether north held the heart ace (with a robot it may not help as it might show the ace it had already cue bid for all I know)

Much of what I've read here seems to be intuitive and incorrect If my math is correct on average your RHO would have 13.5 points and you would have 12.5 points and the other 2 hands would have 7 points each [i stress on average] Every time you bid you take the risk that the outcome could be a disaster so what is different here? On the other hand you have the advantage that if you or partner become declarer of knowing where many of the ops points are. I agree with another reply that that you could be well advised to have a comprehensive rescue system in place if say the ops come in with a double. Perhaps less controversial is to pass and allow partner to protect [after all protection is all about calling on fewer points because you think p may have a reasonable hand that does not conform to direct seat rules] and that the hand belongs to you. Finally what value has the comments of "what the better players do" have? Players are not neccessarily the best system designers,as a pilot is unlikely to be an expert in aerodynamics

I agree like you that "tend to deny 4 hearts" is wrong,and that it would absolutely deny a fit However as I understand it 4 cards up the line is responders perogative not openers Also as say in sayc 1D 1H 2C would definitely show 5/4 or better, why not at the 1 level too? [yes I understand that major fits can be missed-as could be the case opening the same hand a weak NT as say in acol] [and that again major fits can be missed opening a strong NT] On the other side of the coin playing sayc 1C 1H 1S and opener has 5C and 4S and responder holds 4H and 4C and opts for 1NT instead of 2C would often lead to a poor result

Never open any 4441 hand in a major If you have both minors open 1D and raise partners 1H bid or bid 1S, if partner bids 1S raise or bid 2C, if partner bids 1NT raise his C suit,and if he bids clubs just raise [assuming 12/15] If you have both majors open the minor you have and bid as above, if necessary rebid the minor When it comes to points treat it as 12/15 or 16+[it is possible with 15 points and having found a major fit you could treat it as a 16 count,look at your losers,so a major fit and 15 points and a 6 loser then treat it as 16 count] With a 16+ count and say a singleton S [1D 1S you could now reverse into 2H] Also with a 16+ hand you can jump raise lets say a singleton D [1C 1S 3S] When you bid 2 suits you are saying you are a minimum 5 in the first and a minimum 4 in the second So if you bid say: 1H 1S 2C partner may put you into 4H or even 6H on a 4.3 fit[not recommended] [in all cases its better to lie about the minor suit than about a major] So I reiterate don't open a 4441 hand with a major After all playing 5 card majors[Americans,French,Germans etc.] they always open with the minor Some of you may like to rebid NT when partner bids your singleton and you hold the correct point range Personally its not my style as partner will expect 2/3 and may be annoyed to see a singleton, and also you can only do this when you have the correct point count,but some leeway has to be given to these hands as opener is forced to mislead partner whatever he does Sorry to the fairer sex: it,s just that I'm too lazy to keep typing he/she

in the 3 following unopposed auctions: 1C 1D 1H 1C 1H 1S 1D 1H 1S does the rebid by opener show a 5.4 hand? i.e would opener rebid NT with a 4432 shape? in the last example opener would not have 4H, but if he was e.g 4S 2H 4D 3C would he not bid either 1 or 2NT depending on his strength? rather than 1S

Pass = weak 5+C[12/15]I can only rebid suit,[this could in this sequence be 5c+ and 4H or 5C+ and 4D] Rebid suit = 16+ and 5+[no second suit or could have reversed] X = NT without a stop[which is what you have] NT = NT with a stop New suit as normal i.e reverses show 16+[here with this sequence you can only reverse,but you don't have a second suit]