For details of Andrew’s books and flippers, including his new book and DVD The Next Level, go to andrewrobson.co.uk
Unbalanced shapes fall into two categories:
- a) They have a six-card suit or
- b) They have a five-card suit and a four-card suit (or five-five).
Except for one.
The 4441 shape. Luckily 4441 hands are quite rare - less than three per cent. But they are tricky, because you’ll have to break a rule.
There’s no perfect strategy for opening but a simple approach is “Taps” (H and C taps — only opening 1 ♥ or 1♣). With a black-suit singleton,
open 1 ♥; with a red-suit singleton, open 1♣.
Very likely partner will respond in your singleton. What then? Here are my suggestions for telling the littlest lie:
With 13-14 points: rebid your cheapest four-card suit.
With 15 or more points, rebid your cheapest four-card suit at the one-level; possible, rebid notrumps at the appropriate level to show your strength.
There’s a reason I haven’t included 12-point 4441s: don’t open them. Sometimes, you’ll be able to make a take-out double of your singleton suit, thereby showing in one call what you’d have been unable to show in two bids if you’d have opened.
| Hand i) |
Hand ii) |
Hand iii) |
Hand iv) |
♠ K J 8 2
♥ 7
♦ Q J 8 2
♣ A K 3 2 |
♠ 3
♥ K Q 9 2
♦ K 7 5 4
♣ A Q 8 2 |
♠ J
♥ K Q J 3
♦ A Q 4 2
♣ K 9 7 4 |
♠ K 5 3 2
♥ 8
♦ K J 4 2
♣ A J 4 2 |
With the first, open 1♣ and rebid 1♠ over 1♥, lying about the (lack of a) fifth club.
With the second, open 1♥ and rebid 2♣ over 1♠, lying about the (lack of a) fifth heart.
With the third, open 1♥ and rebid 1NT (15-16) over 1♠, lying about the (lack of a) second
spade.
With the fourth, pass.
| |
| ♠ |
A J 3 2 |
| ♥ |
K J 3 |
| ♦ |
6 4 3 |
| ♣ |
A 4 2 |
|
| ♠ |
Q 9 8 4 |
| ♥ |
9 7 |
| ♦ |
Q J 9 |
| ♣ |
Q J 8 5 |
|
|
|
|
| |
| ♠ |
K 10 7 6 |
| ♥ |
10 8 6 4 |
| ♦ |
K 10 2 |
| ♣ |
10 9 |
|
|
| |
| ♠ |
5 |
| ♥ |
A Q 5 2 |
| ♦ |
A 8 7 5 |
| ♣ |
K 7 6 3 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
|
|
1 ♥1 |
| Pass |
1 ♠ |
Pass |
2 ♣2 |
| Pass |
4 ♥3 |
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
|
|
|
- Opening 1 ♥ with a black-suit singleton.
- Lying about the (lack of a) fifth heart, the smallest fib.
- Expecting 5 ♥-4 ♣ shape opposite.
|
Though there were only seven trumps, it takes an opening heart lead to beat 4♥, while 3NT would not have made (on best defence). West naturally led ♦Q — the unbid suit — and declarer had a chance.
Declarer won ♦A and played to score six heart tricks (in addition to his four side-suit tops) by ruffing three spades in hand. At trick two, he crossed to ♠A and ruffed ♠2. He cashed ♣K, crossed to ♣A and ruffed ♠3.
At trick seven, declarer gave up a club. West won and hurriedly switched to ♥9 but declarer won ♥Q, ruffed ♣7 with ♥J, ruffed ♠J with ♥A, dummy’s ♥K later winning his tenth trick
For details of Andrew’s books and flippers, including his new book and DVD The Next Level, go to andrewrobson.co.uk
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| Last updated : 29th May 2019 08:27 GMT |
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