[supes]

I sometimes see here on BBO that a hand with opening count - or better (and w 8 cards in a suit) will open bidding with 4 of that suit. Isn't a 4 opener supposed to be preemptive? I've seen it played both ways. Which is correct? Thanks once again.

[blackshoe]

Correct is whatever you've agreed with your partner.

Ron Andersen in Preempts From A to Z made the comment that at his mother's afternoon bridge game, an opening preempt meant "I'm at most one trick short of my contract".

That said, for most people, an opening 4 level bid in first or second seat is preemptive, although folks who play Namyats will open 4m with a hand at the top end of preemptive/bottom of "opening" range (and the corresponding major suit). Playing Namyats, then, a 4M preempt is generally a narrower range than not playing it.

[manudude03]

It also depends what seat you're in. You can open 4M on some very heavy hands in third seat when there's only a small chance of slam (say AKQJxxx KQx JTx void). In first or second seat though, pre-empts should be fairly weak.