What kind of hands are opened 4M?

[Antrax]

Not much to add beyond the title. I'm guessing it requires a self-sufficient suit (so probably a solid 6 / good 7 or better), but are there any other distribution considerations? What about HCP?

How does it change between first and third seats?

[ggwhiz]

The answer to this question is longer than an elastic.

 

1st seat (or 2nd) is generally gambling in nature. If you've got me covered, I'll make it. If not I hope it's a good dive. I deny an opener cause I hate to miss slam. Eight card suit or equivalent (7-4 or 6 good ones with a 4 or 5 poor ones on the side).

 

3rd seat as above or any hand that thinks it will make but has no slam interest, ie ♠AKJTxxx, ♥Kx, ♦QJT9, ♣nobody home. Still slightly gambling but partner will never bid with only the crumbs I need to make.

 

4th seat as in the occasional 3rd seat one that thinks it might make.

 

Vulnerability comes into it in a big way, say white vs red, all bets are off. Matchpoints vs imps matters too.

 

Personal preference has a more to do with it than right or wrong.

[Quantumcat]

In first seat you do it with almost anything. The point is to make the opponents guess whether you think you are making or not. Your partner has to guess too, but you get to pre-empt 2 opponents with only a small chance of missing slam so it's worth doing it with a HUGE range of hands.

 

In third seat you bid it when you need only a convenient king or so with your partner to make. 3rd seat is less pre-emptive, your 4th seat opponent already knows he has a passed partner and is much less likely to bid over you. You don't want to be going one off when the rest of the room is flat in 2/3M making 140.

 

In fourth seat, mostly the same as third seat except you really, really know you're making. At least in spades. If hearts, you can bid it with just a fairly reasonable guess you will make, in an effort to prevent them finding their spade fit and sacrificing/making over you, which might happen if you open with a delicate, girly 1♥.

 

Second seat is a bit iffy, you don't want to have too good of a hand cause you could pre-empt your partner out of the auction and out of slam. But at the same time, the opponent knows they have a passed partner and are unlikely to bid with a questionable hand (thus you want to be making, not -50 against a flat 140 around the room). So, make it solid, but don't have a hand where two aces or an ace and a convenient singleton or queen or the like would make slam laydown.

 

All the above advice doesn't take away from the fact that if you are fairly sure this is an automatic 4M opener for 75% of the room, forget the seat and vulnerability and bid it. If it's going down you will have company (i.e. not -50 against flat 140 around the room), and it it makes (especially in a Butler or Teams event!!) you don't want to be the lone soul with 170 on their scorecard.

 

Oh and another plus to opening 4M with any hand, is you may get friendly defence and make more tricks than others who went something like 1♥(1♠)2♥(3♣)4♥ because the opponents have not the slightest clue as to their partner's distribution or point count.