[Cave_Draco]

Quote

It's easier to give a minimum...

1H-p-2C on

xx-x-Kxxx-Axxxx

Pass 2D/H; bid 2NT over 2S... generally suffer your punishment; good enough to give partner the opportunity of a rebid, before opps mention Spades!

I notice that I did the same as PB, . Try:

xx-x-Kxxxx-Axxxx

or

xx-x-Kxxx-Axxxxx

Lol.

[hrothgar]

I agree with many posters that 4 card majors work well with a 14-16 NT opening. However, I've always used opening structures in which players open 1M with 11-13 balanced.

We played a pretty simple structure in which

1C = Natural or 17-20 balanced
1D = 4+ Diamonds
1H = 4+ Hearts, could have longer minor
1S = 4+ Spades, could have a longer minor
1N = 14-16 balanced
2C = Strong

Worked quite for us. You might want to check out Major Suit Raises, the Scanian Way. This raise structure complements the opening style quite nicely.

[guidocc]

I have recently been playing a 4-card major, weak NT system that dates back to the 30's, devised by S. Garton Churchill. It features very wide-range opening 1-bids[about 9/10 to 22/23 HCP] with a "utility" 1NT response that keeps the bidding open with a little something, but warns opener to tread lightly. Thus responses other than 1NT guarantee good stuff -- fit and/or controls/good suit, etc. From this base, all jump raises and rebids, or even simple changes of suit, are forcing unless responder has made the "utility" 1NT response. The system doesn't use Stayman, Blackwood, or any artificial bids[except the 1NT response], though it employs frequent exploratory[3-card suits] and informative natural bids in an effort to uncover the trick-taking potential of the hands. One example is the "picture jump" which shows AK+ in the suit of the jump and something good in partner's last bid suit. My partner and I have had excellent results at our local duplicate over the last couple of months.
Here's a sample auction which we critiqued afterward to find improvements:

Opener: S/Qxx H/Qxx D/AJ C/AKJ10x
Responder: S/AKJxx H/AKx D/xxx C/Qx

We bid as follows:
1C - 1S - 2NT[game force!] - 6NT
This was above average, though we felt we should have reached the laydown 7NT. My partner realized he missed a chance by not jump-shifting immediately:
1C - 2S[strong] - 4C[picture jump:strong club suit headed by AK+, something good in spades] - 5H[picture jump: AK+ in hearts, something good in clubs - 7NT[13 tricks seem probable!]

I read Churchill's 700-page 1979 book which presents his ideas in detail. This is not a crude system; it may not be artificial, but it is very scientific.
I think you might find it fun. And the nearly-blank convention card is a bonus :-*

[hrothgar]

Out of curiousity, where did you find the Churchill book?
I've been looking for a copy for ages.

[guidocc]

My bridge partner has the book right now -- I can't recall exactly but I think the Bridge World magazine may have offered the book and that's how I bought it.

If I recall more details I'll pass them on.

[guidocc]

I checked with the Bridge World, and got this email address as a possible source for a copy of the Churchill book:

mailto:futilewill@aol.com

Hope this helps