[jillybean]

ACOL players, here at least, are taught to open the "suit below the singleton"

So with 4144, they open 1♦

---

Why not open your 4 card major, and pass a 1NT response.
Please could someone explain the rationale?

In general, is it best to open your lowest 4 card suit, or a 4 card major?

[nullve]

jillybean, on 2021-July-11, 16:10, said:

Why not open your 4 card major

---

[jillybean]

2H being 10-12. I don't see a problem rebinding 2NT, with that agreement.

[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2021-July-12, 00:24, said:

2H being 10-12. I don't see a problem rebinding 2NT, with that agreement.

Because 2N is GF 15+ because you opened a weak NT on 13, the whole structure of the system falls apart if you rebid 2N

[Stephen Tu]

1. If they are playing weak NT, 2nt for many will be 15+ and forcing.
2. Even if playing strong NT, in a non-2/1 GF context it can be nice to have 2nt = 15+, especially if you are allowed to not open 1nt holding 5cd major in range.
3. It's kind of nice for a random 6 bagger heart suit to be able to count on small doubleton support for 2nt, so that can jump to game, especially when rebidding 3H is going to be NF.
4. Singletons are good for suit play. Give yourself at least 2 chances to find a fit rather than just one by passing 1nt?

P.S. it's "Acol" not "ACOL", as it's a name, not an acronym.

[jillybean]

Thanks.
So a 1S, 4-5 card, 12-14 Acol opening does not exist, it will be 15+ or 6 cards?
And with 4441, you open 1H?

[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2021-July-12, 01:54, said:

Thanks.
So a 1S, 4-5 card, 12-14 Acol opening does not exist, it will be 15+ or 6 cards?
And with 4441, you open 1H?

A 1♠ 4 card opener does not exist in Acol with < 15.

A 1♠ 5 card minimum-ish opener 51(34) or similar rebids 2♠ over 2♥ which does not show 6, most people open 1N with a minimum 5332.

Traditionally you open 1♥ when 4441, we actually open 1♦ (and yes we have to rebid 2♦ over 2♣).

[PeterAlan]

Suit below the singleton was the traditional mantra, but now, for example, the EBU's teaching material has to open 1♥ with a singleton ♣, 1♣ with a singleton ♦ and 1♦ with a major suit singleton: your hand would therefore open 1♦. I'm not expressing a view one way or the other on the merits of this approach, but it has moved on from "suit below".

[LBengtsson]

I like Fantunes where this awkward 4441 with 12-13 points is opened 1NT. maybe Acol should use it also...

[Douglas43]

LBengtsson, on 2021-July-12, 05:26, said:

I like Fantunes where this awkward 4441 with 12-13 points is opened 1NT. maybe Acol should use it also...

Opening 1NT with a singleton would be allowed under EBU rules as long as it is properly disclosed. So yes, it's an option. Personally I've never been wild about the concept but I'd be interested to hear from people who've tried it?

[Tramticket]

Cyberyeti, on 2021-July-12, 02:05, said:

Traditionally you open 1♥ when 4441, we actually open 1♦ (and yes we have to rebid 2♦ over 2♣).

Yes, we also open 1♦ with this shape. I never have understood the EBU advice to open 1♥ - it risks having to rebid diamonds and promise a five-card heart suit.

But we would happily pass a 12-count with this shape, we might open 1NT with this shape and a singleton ace or king and we might choose to rebid 2NT with a 14-count. So it is pretty rare that we are forced to rebid 2♦ and I have never yet been left to play in a 4-2 (or even 4-1) two diamond contract.

[Gilithin]

If you read very old (1960s) Acol books they will tell you to open the suit below the singleton. Then sometime around the 1970 they changed to suggesting a 1♥ opening with 4441 (singleton ♣). Move on to the 80s and the majority have switched to opening the suit below a red singleton or the middle suit from a black singleton. Finally, in the mid-80s a minority position appeared in some Acol books for opening 4441 hands 1♦, meaning a 1♦ opening with any (4441) hand containing 4 diamonds and 1♣ with 4414.

Also, another minority position exists for opening 1♣ for any red suit singleton; this is usually in conjunction with up-the-line rather than shape rebids. I am not sure of the origin of this one as I think it might come from continental Europe. It does not, as far as I know, turn up in the influential Acol "Master Series" books (I do not have all of them though).

In truth if you look back to 1950s bidding you will find plenty of pairs that would always open a 4 card major and would indeed open 1♠ with 4144 but experience and practice has shown that this is less effective overall than opening a minor, with 1♦ being the more popular choice (at least with a minimum hand) because of the potential rebid issue if LHO overcalls 1♠ and partner doubles to show hearts.