Which Minor to Open

[dboxley]

That's because most Americans are stupid.

 

I resemble that remark!

[Finch]

Last weekend I saw all of the following (which all included opening 1C with 4-5+ in the minors):

 

Open 1D with 4 diamonds, otherwise 1C

Open 1C with all weak NTs, including with 5 diamonds, open 1D with 4 diamonds and 18-19 balanced

Open 1C with all balanced hands without a 5-card non-club suit

Open 1D with 4 diamonds, otherwise 1C, but open 1C with 18-19 4-4 minors

Open 1D with 4 diamonds 12-14 balanced, otherwise 1C (but open 1D with 5 of them)

 

there may have been some more minor variants, I may have lost track

[han]

I resemble that remark!

 

I don't understand how you can resemble a remark. Did you mean to say that you resemble most Americans?

[pooltuna]

I don't understand how you can resemble a remark. Did you mean to say that you resemble most Americans?

 

This is a playful reply used instead of the more often expected "I resent that remark"

[dustinst22]

One popular (but minority) variation is sort of the opposite of 'better minor': "if you intend to rebid 1NT, open the suit you don't want led against your notrump contract." It's not quite an agreement to always open your worse minor - you still open the longer if they are unequal - but it's a different way of breaking ties with equal length.

 

Since you will be disclosing this information to your opponents, what advantage does this gain? Now you have announced your weaker suit to the opposition.

[campboy]

Since you will be disclosing this information to your opponents, what advantage does this gain? Now you have announced your weaker suit to the opposition.

It gains because they don't know whether you have equal length -- and if you don't you have opened your better minor.

[andy_h]

We eat kangaroos.

[peachy]

Open your mind peach. There's a whole world of different flavors out there. You can try Italian pasta or English scones. You can even go to Australia and eat whatever it is that they eat there. Just don't get grumpy like the Hog, or lose your sense of humor.

 

Of course there are different flavors here as well as elsewhere. You stated what standard is. I didn't agree it is standard, that's all, trust me you will notice when/if I am grumpy :)

 

PS. For those who play SAYC, the writeup says 4-4 = normally 1D, 3-3 = normally 1C.

[11romeo]

better minor is the way to show partner strength and compostion of the hand

i prefer 1!C even with 2 cards !C to show a 4 cards major

1!D even is showing also a 4 cards major, but i must have 4 cards !D at least to open 1!D

1 !C could be a strong hand (16+) with a singletone in a major or the other minor that unable to open nt

upon agreement with partner, 1!C is always unpassable

1!D is passable with points less than the agreed repondable hand

opening a minor doesnt mean responder must only reply the major like if i open 1!C, responder 1!D means limited hand, propable 1 major suit 4 cards, but not promising game on the usual opener hand (11-14)

[kenberg]

My current f2f partner opens 1C when he is 4-4. I open 1D with the same hand. I realize that partners are suppose to play an agreed upon system but neither of us is prepared to give way on this. I can call Rosenberg/Zia to my defense if arrested. In "Bridge, Zia and me", MR discusses their minor suit openings which, especially on the Zia side, seem very individualistic.

 

Several years ago I played at a rubber bridge club where the bidding system was stipulated. You were required to open (if you opened in a suit and did not have five of anything) with the lowest ranking four card suit. This included majors. It made for a weird game.

[campboy]

The law which covers both partners being required to play the same methods is 40B2a, which says "such a regulation must not restrict style and judgement, only method". I think this is a style difference so ok.

[skjaeran]

The normal thing to do in Norway (where most peaople don't play 5cM) is to open 1♣ with 3-3 and 4-4 and else open the longest.

 

Some open 1♣ on all balanced hand outside their 1NT range, making 1♦ unbalanced and 5+/4441 (a few open 1♣ even on 4441).

 

In one partnership I open all 11-14 balanced hands 1♣, and all 18-19 balanced hands 1♦ (1M with 5cM), making both minor suit openings 2+.