Strong 4441 hands

So how do you handle the strong 4441 hands in your system?

They are frequently the hardest hands to bid as most systems assume 5 card suits in a lot of sequences.

There are proponents of Roman 2♦ (showing any 4441 or 4450 with 16-24 HCP)

I’ve heard some people suggest you should just bid the hand as balanced;

Any way you treat it – it’s a hard hand to bid – especially with a singleton black suit:

You hold:

♠	AQ62
♥	KQ75
♦	AJ53
♣	9

 

You	Partner
1♦	2♣
??

 

You hold:

♠	9
♥	KQ75
♦	AJ53
♣	AQ62

 

You	Partner
1♣ or 1♦	1♠
??

 

You hold:

♠	9
♥	KQ75
♦	AJ53
♣	AQ62

 

You	Partner
1NT	2♥*
2♠	2NT
??

Feeling good?

Does Forcing Club solve this problem?  Not at all – in some ways it makes it worse as you have less options; but in others it can make it easier.

Roman 2♦

Let’s talk about Roman 2♦ first – there are definitely some strong proponents of it and we are going to introduce it as the Blue Team 2♦; so it shows:

4441 (any singleton) with 16-24 HCP.

There’s tons of bidding / sequences over it; but I’m not going to get into it.  Here’s my thoughts on the advantages / disadvantages of it.

Advantages:

• This is a really hard hand to bid and this gets it out of the way in one bid
• Without interference it’s going to be easier to find the right suit and contract immediately

Disadvantages:

• Partner MUST bid even with a yarborough; which usually means playing at the 3 level; possibly with 16 opposite 0
• You have made the defense to the hand a lot easier as they know exactly what opener has
• Over interference it can be hard to find the right strain as you don’t know what opener’s singleton is – 2♦ – 3♠ – ??  Singleton ♠?  Probably – but not 100%.  What if you are holding a singleton ♠?
• You lose other, probably more advantageous 2♦ bids like Precision, Multi, Weak 2, Weak Majors, etc, etc. 

Bottom line for me: this hand doesn’t come up often enough to warrant taking away a useful – relatively – low level bid.  I love Precision 2♣ and 2♦ as they show such specific hands we have some great fast auctions.  We’ve had the auction: 2♣ – 2M – 5♣ at least 3 times and the 2♦ opening bid got us to some great contracts very quickly – including 7NT (see Linda’s blog).

Wei-Sender Method (~modified)

The key to this system is that responder is not allowed to pass over 1♣ – 1♦ – 1M

Quick aside: what if the auction goes: 1♣ – 1M (or 2m) and partner bids your singleton? – just show NT and let partner cater to the fact that you might have a singleton in their suit – you are in a game forcing auction so it’s easier.

With 16-19 HCP and 4441 we do the following:

With 4 spades you response 1♠, with a singleton ♠ we respond 1♥.

Over 1♥: (promises 2+♥) – Partner is forced to bid 1♠

1NT = 20-21 Balanced (a whole level lower than the opponents!)
2♣ = 4+♥ and 4+♣ (could be 1-4-4-4) (not forcing)
2♦ = 5+♥ and 4+♦ (not forcing)
2♥ = 6+♥ (not forcing)
2♠ = 5+♥ and 4+♠ (not forcing)
2NT = 24-25 Balanced
3♣ / 3♦ = 5+♥ & 5+minor (forcing)

Over 1♠ (promises 4+♠)

1NT = 0-5 HCP, < 4 spades – any hand
2♣ = 6-7 HCP, < 3 spades – any shape
2♦ = 6-7 HCP, 3 spades – GF except over 2♠
2♥ = 6-7 HCP, 5+ hearts – not forcing
2♠ = 0-5 HCP, 4 spades, not forcing (implies no shortness; but could be done with < 2 HCP)
2NT = 3-5 HCP, 4+spades, shortness (3♣ asks – bid in steps)
3m/3♥ = fit jump (6+ with concentrated honours)
3♠ = 6-7 HCP; 4+ Spades no shortness
3NT = 6-7 HCP; 4+ spades; shortness (4♣ asks – bid in steps)
4m/4♥ = 4+ spades, 5+ with A / K in suit bid
4♠ = 6-7 HCP, 4+ spades, no controls.

One of the advantages of this method is you are likely to be able to continue bidding uncontested (since both opponents have already passed) – which makes some of this stuff easier.

With >19 HCP we have a specialized jump response

2♠ = 4441 with 20+ HCP

2NT asks

3 level – 20-23 – bid 1 below your shortness
3NT / 4 level – 24+ bid 1 below your shortness (3NT = ♣)