[creatbid]

http://tinyurl.com/zzeh69r
Reasonable and detailed explanation will be extremely appreciated.

[Cyberyeti]

Slightly depends on the rest of the system. 4441 hands are difficult for many which is why people find ways of addressing them specifically, often via the 2♦ bid whether as Roman or multi.

I don't have a 5 card suit, stiff K is often a stop at trick 1 so 2N for me (which would be 22-23 balanced, I downgrade because of the stiff K)

[mcphee]

Massive temptation to bid NT via 2!C as for me there is no point in downgrading. However if we open a !C and survive we are in really good shape and will likely reach the making game of 5C. If partner is unable to bid over 1C we might not even get any higher if they do not balance. And they may not. This would be a fun board to follow in a pairs game.

[Cyberyeti]

While 5♣ can be made, it's a horrible contract and might not make single dummy. The danger is 2N= vs 1♣+3 at MPs.

[billw55]

4441 hands are a chronic nuisance, and strong ones especially so.

For sure, you must use your forcing opening on this hand.

I think I would just rebid 2NT and take my chances with the diamonds. There are several ways this can work: maybe partner has a half stopper, or we can find a major suit contract, or LHO won't lead the suit, or will lead away from the ace.

[rmnka447]

2 NT for me also. If one spot card from one of the other suits were a ♦, you'd bid 2 NT in a flash. So you're telling the truth about your strength, but making only a small fib about your shape. Also, if you bid 2 NT, you're unlikely to lose any major fit because partner is likely to use Stayman or transfer with a major holding.

[Zelandakh]

With a singleton king, the most common answer to these is to rebid 2NT with a result of 7-9 tricks in NT. Some players, mainly at lower levels, dislike bidding NT with a singleton at all, even a king, and prefer either to rebid the cheapest 4 card suit (here 2♥) or to open 1 of a minor. One further solution is to have a specific sequence for strong 3-suited hands. That probably gets you to the best DD strain but also makes the defence a lot easier.

As for 2NT= vs 1♣+3, the latter strikes me as most unlikely unless East falls asleep during the bidding or South takes half an hour counting their points.

[Cyberyeti]

 Zelandakh, on 2016-March-16, 08:19, said:

As for 2NT= vs 1♣+3, the latter strikes me as most unlikely unless East falls asleep during the bidding or South takes half an hour counting their points.

I was talking from a 2 hands visible perspective, swap E's Q♦ with W's small club for example.

[SteveMoe]

Would handle this with Kokish 2♥ then 2NT. Expect to play in 3NT.

In one precision partnership we play 1♣ - 2♠ as some 4441, 19+ HCP. We'd reach 5 ♣ and lose the 2 obvious tricks.

[PrecisionL]

1♥, if partner can't respond then we have no game.

With my regular 2/1 partners I open 2♦ strong, any 4441 or diamonds primary and 20+ hcp.

[chasetb]

I can understand the temptation of opening this 2♣, but I don't really see any other bid than 1♣. Our hand is too suit-oriented for 2NT (22-24), and any other bid after 2♣ is asinine. Someone will likely bid after 1♣ (maybe even partner!), and then we can bid and bid some more to show this. If it gets passed out, we are likely in a really good spot, but if not it won't be a disaster.