Stephen Tu, on 2022-October-01, 12:33, said:
FWIW I think opening 1h on 4-4 majors in an ostensibly 5 cd major system is terrible in general, regardless of how good the hearts are (of course different if playing some 4cM system where 1H on 4-4 is systemic). Partner is trained to raise to 2H, or like bid drury, on 4-3 in the majors, or 5-3 in the majors, routinely, missing your much better spade fit. This will happen *a lot*. I don't see any big gains in opening 1H vs your 3cd minor. Perhaps lead direction occasionally, but you'll be on lead frequently, and partner isn't going to take your minor opening in a 5cM system that seriously as a lead director. Occasionally you might pick off the opponents from playing in hearts. But personally I want to find all my 8+ major fits and not play stupid 7 cd fits when I have a 9 cd fit available.
I think it fairly obvious that one doesnt open 1H with 4=4 majors within the context of a method in which 1H shows 5.
If playing such a method, which I certainly do most of the time, Id open 1C (showing 2+ in my usual partnerships). However, I have played methods in which 1S is always 5 but 1H is permitted on a chunky four card suit on a hand that intends to pass 1N or 1S.
When playing such a method, responder doesnt raise hearts on three bad hearts and a balanced hand.
There are gains and losses, as in all systemic design.
Chunky hearts would be, say, AQ109 or equivalent
In real bridge, where LHO often has a good hand when we are minimum in third, this style gets the lead we want (one of the reasons for requiring a good suit) and preempts LHO to a degree.
Also it enables competition when partner has a shapely hand, minimal values, and good hearts, with which he may be shut out should we open 1m (thats rare but not insignificant). And so on
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