[dickiegera]

In opening 4 of a major 1st 2nd seat I am having trouble finding info on.

#1 Do you need a 8 card suit? Or could it be less?

#2 What about an outside Ace or King?

#3 HCP can you do this with more than 12 HCP? or should it be less than 12 pts?

#4 Any books on this would be helpful

Thank you

[fromageGB]

As always, it depends on your agreements.

#1 While 8 cards is standard, it is a preempt (as most play it) so it may be more, or fewer, depending on circumstances. For example, with a heart shortage and weak, I may open 4♠ on 7 cards if I feel sure they would find a heart fit had I opened 3♠, especially green v.red.

#2 Irrelevant if you treat it as a preempt - you think going off will be a good score. If you play 4M as constructive and partner may be looking for slam, then you should have an agreement.

#3 Never 11+ (if you treat it as a preempt). Your normal style will have agreed that 1M is 12 hcp and 5 cards, or 11 hcp and 6 cards, for example, and if you ignore that you can easily miss a slam.

#4 sorry, can't help

[P_Marlowe]

#1 No
#2 No
#3 Sure, you can, but if you open 4M with opening values in 1st / 2nd seat, dont ask, why missed bidding 6 or 7,
or went down, vs. nothing
Basically you need to decide, what looks like an normal opening, and what does not, this is a partnership thing.
Suit quality is important for the high level preempt, it is less important for deciding which suit to open, if your suit
is ok, than you will have at most 1King / Ace your suit


#4

There is the rule of 2 and 3 ( or the rule of 2-3-4 )
Klinger suggests using suit quality test
http://bridgeinindia..._07-07-2014.pdf
There was book preempts from A-Z
https://www.amazon.d...n/dp/0963753304

[HardVector]

dickiegera, on 2018-September-20, 07:08, said:

In opening 4 of a major 1st 2nd seat I am having trouble finding info on.

#1 Do you need a 8 card suit? Or could it be less?

#2 What about an outside Ace or King?

#3 HCP can you do this with more than 12 HCP? or should it be less than 12 pts?

#4 Any books on this would be helpful

Thank you

1. No, but with fewer card, you need a better suit (AKQxxxx - KQJT9xx)
Keep in mind, you are sending the message that you don't care what partner has, we are playing in THIS suit
2. Definitely not an ace, K is dependent. If you are allowed to open with KTxxxxxx, having an outside K is not unreasonable
3. This is a WEAK bid. If you have a good 8 card suit and 10+ points, open it normally.
4. I'm not sure of any books, but if you are concerned with differentiating between "good" 4 level bids and "trash" 4 level bids, look up the Namyats convention.

[pescetom]

HardVector, on 2018-September-23, 14:52, said:

4. I'm not sure of any books, but if you are concerned with differentiating between "good" 4 level bids and "trash" 4 level bids, look up the Namyats convention.

I would say between "some slam potential" and "normal weak"... whatever, the real advantage of the convention is in taking the pressure off responder when holding the latter.

[msjennifer]

I am quoting the simple way taught us .The answer is as follows. 1) Open 4C as transfer to hearts and 4D as transfer to spades .The requirements are 10/9/8 WINNERS respectively for unfavourable/equal/favourable vulnerabilities.If the responder visualises /wants to investigate slam possibilities he bids 4D/4H the next step bid to ask for outside Ace.The further bidding has to be developed by the players.We follow cue bids method. Note :the 4C/D bids always have an ace outside the solid trump suit. 2)Open 4H/S when the hand has 9/8/7 WINNERS for the three vulnerabilities as described under 1).The hand CAN, but not necessarily have an outside Ace./King. This method may not be palatable for each and everybody.I do know any book written specifically on this topic.

[yunling]

I play a (maybe)non-mainstream style but I think the method is sound:

1. 4♥needs fewer cards than 4♠. Good suit and 7321 pattern is ok for a NV 1st seat 4♥, but at 2nd seat or open 4♠ is much more serious. 2nd seat 4♠ almost promises 8 card. Often open 4M on 7-4 and 6-5 patterns.


2.Side A or K are both ok. Concentrate on offensive potential thus side cards are properly evaluated.


3.Yes, it is common for 4♥, especially vulnerable, but pretty rare for 4♠. I don't like open 4♥ on trash. This is a good occasion for namyats.


4.Can't think of any more.