[cencio]

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With 4♣ and 4♦ what to bid ?
If i bid ♣. Why the bot doesn't bid ♦. Is it correct to bid 1 nt ?

[DavidKok]

I would respond 1♦ with the North hand, but both styles are somewhat common.
In this case you would have done well to act over 2♠. Since North denies four spades you know the opponents have at least a 9 card fit, and competing to the 3-level is wise. A takeout double would get partner to confess to a minor suit.

Whether to open 1♦ or 1♣ with this hand is a somewhat divisive issue. Both styles see play. Personally I open 1♦, but I would not mind opening 1♣ much either. It's a difficult hand pattern and either opening choice presents problems down the road, so really all you can do is pick your poison.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I prefer 1D with 44 in the minor, always, independ of suit quality.
Deciding according to Suit quality does not work for me.

In the end agree with your p.

1NT is ok as response, again agree with your p.
If you always open 1C with 44 it may make sense to play the 1NT response
as showing 4+ clubs and 8-10.

I am not sure, I would have found the T/O, I guess I shhould, if I had opened 1D,
bidding 3C is easier, the 1NT response tells us, responder has a 4 card minor.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[mike777]

 cencio, on 2026-November-08, 04:55, said:

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With 4♣ and 4♦ what to bid ?
If i bid ♣. Why the bot doesn't bid ♦. Is it correct to bid 1 nt ?

A nightmare hand for North South

Yes I think 1,NT is the correct response to 1minor opening

I only hope the opponents buy it in spades, however I could see myself getting a poor MP score on this one sitting NS.

I also open 1D on this exact shape. That will help a bit on this one

[apollo1201]

Before opening you need to anticipate a bit with your shape, esp what to do over partner s expected 1S:
- rebidding 1NT is not good with such strength (or open 1NT immediately if you wish so)
- bidding 2H with slightly under strength while the sg in partner s suit did not improve your hand will often risk going too high

That leads to pretending we are 54, opening 1D and rebidding 2C.

Here it would have been easy, you can rebid 3C over 2S, knowing partner has at least a 4-cd minor for their 1NT* bid. Ok, you would probably bid the same with a K less, at least you land on a decent spot.

After opening 1C you can X, it used to be penalty but now better players tend to play it as TO with a good hand, which fits nicely your hand here (both in terms of strength and shape). Even after opening 1D it would be a good call to highlight the strength.

* I would have replied 1NT as well, with scattered values and 4333, 1D is understandable but not so useful and allows cheap overcall by 4th hand

[WasWinM]

As a history of bidding, this hand type in the old days would have been opened 1H as 4-card majors were the norm, and the adage was to open in the suit immediately below the singleton. (This was so you would have a cheap rebid.) Now, with almost everyone playing 5-card majors, this hand is harder. You can open 1D if you're concerned about a rebid, or, as many fine players do, open 1C and rebid some number of NT over partner's 1S. There really isn't much agreement as to best approach that I know of.
Personally, I open these hands 1D as I can't shake the old methods of needing a rebid.

[Zelandakh]

WasWinM, on 2026-November-10, 12:30, said:

As a history of bidding, this hand type in the old days would have been opened 1H as 4-card majors were the norm, and the adage was to open in the suit immediately below the singleton. (This was so you would have a cheap rebid.) Now, with almost everyone playing 5-card majors, this hand is harder. You can open 1D if you're concerned about a rebid, or, as many fine players do, open 1C and rebid some number of NT over partner's 1S. There really isn't much agreement as to best approach that I know of.
Personally, I open these hands 1D as I can't shake the old methods of needing a rebid.

Even playing 4 card majors (Acol), South would open 1♦ (the middle suit with a black singleton) and, if no inverted minors, North would have an easy 2♦ raise.