Don't open 4-4-4-1 hands with 12 or 13 points

[PhilG007]

The title of this topic comes from tip No 7 in Paul Mendelson's excellent book " 100 tips for Better Bridge" He says :-

 

"The problem with hands like these is that as they contain three features,they really need three bids to convey their content.

In systems like Acol,when you can't freely bid two different 4 card suits,a considerable amount of fibbing is then involved.

The result of all this is you frequently end up in 4-3 trump fits(having to ruff in your own hand) and hopeless misfit NT contracts

short on points.

The solution is a simple one DON'T OPEN THE BIDDING WITH THIS DISTRIBUTION WITH ONLY 12 OR 13 POINTS

[hv=pc=n&n=s6haj98dkqj3cj632]133|100[/hv]

 

Let's say you open 1♥and partner responds 1♠(there is no problem if he bids anything else) In Acol you're stuck

If you play strong NT with 5 card majors and open a minor suit and get a 1♠ reply all you can do now is re-bid 1NT

This is a sure way of going down,possibly doubled,whenever partner is weak.

Just pass. If partner bids,you will be back in action. If he bids 1♠ on a minimum opener,you will now stay out

of a dodgy Game you couldn't have avoided had you opened,if he bids anything else you can get excited.

If an opponent opens 1♠,you have an ideal 2nd round double. If they bid anything else then you know that your pass was justified.

In the long run you will find yourself staying out of all these horrid contracts you wish you hadn't been faced with

With 14+ points, if partner bids your singleton you can re-bid NTs without risking so much.

The down side? A few missed part scores. Missing Game is impossible. If partner can't bid,what contract can you possibly miss?"

[Vampyr]

I would always open this hand.

 

I play Acol but with 5-card majors, so I open 1♦. Isn't a 1♦ opening correct when playing 4-card majors? This way you don't imply five cards in hearts.

[PhilG007]

I would always open this hand.

 

I play Acol but with 5-card majors, so I open 1♦. Isn't a 1♦ opening correct when playing 4-card majors? This way you don't imply five cards in hearts.

And over 1♠ response? Did you read the post correctly?

[nullve]

For the purpose of this Policy, a Highly Unusual Method (HUM) means any System that ex­hib­its one or more of the following features, as a matter of partnership agreement:

 

[...]

 

2. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than pass.

[fromageGB]

Always open a 12 count 3-suiter. It is an extremely powerful shape that finds a fit if there is one, and is playable in NT if not. Playing 5-card majors, rather than opening a meaningless club and a meaningless diamond, switch to balanced club and unbalanced diamond. This is a perfect opening 1♦. Of course different methods have different continuations, but whatever yours is, you will have a perfect raise, or a perfect descriptive rebid over any reply including a natural 1♠.

[Vampyr]

And over 1♠ response? Did you read the post correctly?

 

Yeah, playing 4- or 5-card majors open 1♦ and rebid 2♣. I kind of thought that was obvious given the 1♦ opening.

[helene_t]

The diamond suit is so good that the hand doesn't have a rebid problem.

[Cyberyeti]

You open 1♦ and rebid 2♣ playing weak no trump Acol every day of the week unless you agree to open 1N.

 

Playing strong notrump you can happily rebid 1N if you want.

[steve2005]

Always open a 12 count 3-suiter. It is an extremely powerful shape that finds a fit if there is one, and is playable in NT if not. Playing 5-card majors, rather than opening a meaningless club and a meaningless diamond, switch to balanced club and unbalanced diamond. This is a perfect opening 1♦. Of course different methods have different continuations, but whatever yours is, you will have a perfect raise, or a perfect descriptive rebid over any reply including a natural 1♠.

 

Have to agree. I open all 12 counts I don't care how bad they are. I see this on bbo people passing 12 counts then always partner has 10-11 they of course pass along with opponents and you miss a nice part-score.

[Phil]

Passing is an interesting strategy. In most cases when it matters you can reopen with a double. The only real awkward auction is p 1S p 3S/4S (weak) we can manage all other sequences.

[Stephen Tu]

Yeah, playing 4- or 5-card majors open 1♦ and rebid 2♣. I kind of thought that was obvious given the 1♦ opening.

 

Rebidding 2♣ isn't fantastic since it is very wide ranging. You lose the heart suit if partner has less than a GF, if you aren't playing responder's reverse Flannery. Partner may take a false preference to 2d on a doubleton to avoid missing games when you are stronger. When partner has only 3 diamonds, 1nt may well have been a better contract.

 

Kaplan-Sheinwold recommends opening 1h and rebidding 1nt over 1s, but it plays this particular sequence as 12-14 instead of strong, unlike when opening a minor. Acol leaves you awkward choices when 1nt rebid is strong.

[ahydra]

With 1444 I don't mind 1D-1S-2C; partner should be aware that this might show 4-4. The more interesting case is where you open 1D with 4441 (singleton club), and partner responds 2C. Now you're somewhat screwed (unless you have enough to fake a 15-19 BAL).

 

I've found there is some merit in not opening 4441s with 11 or fewer points (very good intermediates notwithstanding), but with 12 I'd always open as it's too easy to miss game otherwise.

 

ahydra

[Vampyr]

Rebidding 2♣ isn't fantastic since it is very wide ranging. You lose the heart suit if partner has less than a GF, if you aren't playing responder's reverse Flannery. Partner may take a false preference to 2d on a doubleton to avoid missing games when you are stronger. When partner has only 3 diamonds, 1nt may well have been a better contract.

 

It is true that rebidding 2♣ isn't wonderful, but it is better than passing initially.

[nige1]

Holding a typical 4441 12 count, in 1st 2 seats, I agree with PhilG007 and Phil that it's OK to pass, hoping to double for take-out, later. 2 argument for passing are:

1. You have an awkward rebid if partner replies iin your short-suit.
2. Although a 4441-shape is a good in attack, it is usually excellent for defence. All suits are likely to break badly for opponents

[Zelandakh]

Let's say you open 1♥

The closest thing to a standard in modern Acol is to open the middle suit from 4441 hands with a black singleton. There are very few that still open the suit below the singleton with short spades. There are more, myself included, who open 1♦ with a short club but 1♥ is still the mainstream way for that shape.

 

And the advice not to open borderline 4441 hands is not bad at all. As always though, blindly following such a ("never") rule leads to bad bridge. It is good if you are starting to question such rules and perhaps shows a little development, bad if you opened the thread to try to teach us. Which was it?

[nullve]

So everyone else thinks it's legal to pass with 12-13* hcp and 1444 while opening, say, 1♣ with 11 hcp and 4414? (I'm not talking about A-QJ32-QJ32-QJ32 vs. AT98-AT98-x-KT98.)

 

* why not 12-20? Or 12-34?

[johnu]

"The problem with hands like these is that as they contain three features,they really need three bids to convey their content.

 

What better way is there to show all 3 features than to start with Pass? This is such a great idea, I extend the point range for pass up to 17 HCP. :)

[rmnka447]

12 HCP and 2 QTs are enough to open this hand. ♣ are a bit scrawny, but both ♦ and ♥ are decent holdings.

 

Playing Standard American or 2/1 this hand is no problem. You'd open 1 ♦ and rebid 2 ♣. Bidding the 4 card ♦ suit first isn't that big a problem, as with something like ♠ x ♥ AJx ♦ KQJx ♣ Jxxxx you'd open 1 ♦ to avoid having to rebid 2 ♣ over a 1 ♠ response on Jxxxx.

 

My favorite partner and I play our version of updated Kaplan-Sheinwold. This is our big problem hand as we reserve a 1 ♦ opening followed by a 2 ♣ rebid for hands with reversing values. One possible solution is to play Mini-Roman which some of our K-S teammates do. But we have had so many good results reserving a 2 ♦ opening for Flannery that we just never find enough incentive to switch. Our solution is simply to rebid 2 ♦ over 1 ♠ which defines the hand as a minimum range unbalanced hand with ♦.

[Vampyr]

So everyone else thinks it's legal to pass with 12-13* hcp and 1444 while opening, say, 1♣ with 11 hcp and 4414? (I'm not talking about A-QJ32-QJ32-QJ32 vs. AT98-AT98-x-KT98.)

 

* why not 12-20? Or 12-34?

 

Few jurisdictions play under WBF regulations, although a lot of places have regulations similar to the one you quoted.

 

Anyway I think that regulations such as this are meant to refer to hand of the same shape -- eg would you open a particular hand but pass if you added a king to it. They are really intended to prohibit forcing pass systems, which of course is a pity.

[Stephen Tu]

So everyone else thinks it's legal to pass with 12-13* hcp and 1444 while opening, say, 1♣ with 11 hcp and 4414? (I'm not talking about A-QJ32-QJ32-QJ32 vs. AT98-AT98-x-KT98.)

 

* why not 12-20? Or 12-34?

 

Nullve, you are misreading the HUM regulations. "Opening at the 1 level is weaker than pass" is referring to forcing pass or intermediate pass systems, where pass guarantees a certain minimum strength greater than at least one of your one openings. E.g. Pass = 13+, 1d = 0-7, or pass=8-12, 1d = 0-7.

 

The discussed strategy here, passing some borderline hands because of rebid issues, but opening some lighter hands without, is perfectly fine, because pass can still be a yarborough and none of your actual openings guarantees a weaker hand than a pass would.

 

If you wanted to pass with all 4414s, that'd be crazy, but it'd be totally legal as long as your pass wasn't forcing and you aren't playing a fert.

[helene_t]

So everyone else thinks it's legal to pass with 12-13* hcp and 1444 while opening, say, 1♣ with 11 hcp and 4414?

I think the way to read it is that lack of strength is not allowed to be a reason for opening as the 1-level rather than passing. There are some pairs that play an 8-11 1NT opening while not opening many unbalanced 10-counts. That's ok. If they passed with balanced 12-counts, though, it would be a HUM.

[nullve]

So the following system,

 

1st and 2nd seat:

 

P = normal or 0-17 bal.

1♣ = 5+ C, unbal. or 4S4C(41)

1♦ = 5+ D, unbal. or 4H4D(41)

1M = 5+ M, unbal.

1N = 18-20 bal.

2♣+ = normal stuff

 

3rd and 4th seat

 

P = 0-7, unsuitable for 2♣+

1♣ = 8-9, any / Precision 1♣

1♦ = 10-15, no 5c major

1M, 1N = Precision

2m = 0-7, Asptro with at least 4-4

2M = 0-7, 5+M3-OM

2N = 0-7, 5+m4+Om

3♣+ = 0-7, PRE,

 

is not HUM?

 

Thx for the cognitive dissonance!

Edited May 19, 2016 by nullve

[mike777]

Passing this hand in first or second seat seems fine, of course Pard should know and agree, but I dont see a lot of issues coming up by passing.

 

OTOH if your style is to open 99% of 11-12 point hands then fine.

[nige1]

So the following system,

1st and 2nd seat:

• P = normal or 0-17 bal.
• 1♣ = 5+ C, unbal. or 4S4C(41)
• 1♦ = 5+ D, unbal. or 4H4D(41)
• 1M = 5+ M, unbal.
• 1N = 18-20 bal.
• 2♣+ = normal stuff

3rd and 4th seat

• P = 0-7, unsuitable for 2♣+
• 1♣ = 8-9, any / Precision 1♣
• 1♦ = 10-15, no 5c major
• 1M, 1N = Precision
• 2m = 0-7, Asptro with at least 4-4
• 2M = 0-7, 5+M3-OM
• 2N = 0-7, 5+m4+Om
• 3♣+ = 0-7, PRE,

is not HUM? Thx for the cognitive dissonance!

System regulations vary. But opponents are unlikely to complain when, as opener, nullve passes with 17 HCP and his partner also passes with 7 HCP :)

[msjennifer]

12 HCP,2 Defence tricks and 7 losers .Whats the big point ? Open 1D and over 1S rebid 2Club. Interchange the minor suit holdings and then open 1C and rebid 1NT over partners 1S.If partner bids 1NT over 1C ,then he has 4 cards in clubs and so just sign of in 2 C. If bid with these principles then at least one gets the wanted lead when opponents (LHO)buy the contract.