Which Suit To Open

Wherever possible on this web site I have tried to keep within the general ethos of the EBU system, only suggesting amendments where I think they may be useful. This, however, is the one area where I have a real difficulty with one of their rules. To start with, below is what is stated on the EBU Acol File
With two suits of unequal length, open the longer. No problem
With two suits of equal length, with exactly 4 hearts and 4 spades open 1 ♥, otherwise open the higher ranking suit The first part is sound but I don't like the second
This was the way Bridge was played for many years but it has become fashionable to bid equal length suits upwards so that a rebid in a lower ranking suit means that the first was longer. The logic behind this is simple. If the partnership agreed to bid suits upwards you would rarely miss a fit and it has the added advantage of being able to show shape quicker.
You open 1 ♦ with four Diamonds and four Hearts.
If Partner has four Hearts they will bid them. Suppose they have five Spades and four Hearts. Your rebid can only be in No Trumps (unless you have four Spades as well) otherwise you would have opened 1 No Trump. However weak or strong your partner is they are likely to explore further by a 2♥ rebid or something stronger. There are the rare exceptions.
If Partner has five Clubs, four Hearts and a game going hand, the bidding may go 1 ♦-2 ♣ and then 3NT (16-18 HCP) from you and the heart fit is lost but 3NT (or higher) may well be a superior contract anyway.

The EBU file states “With 4441 shape and a red suit singleton open the suit below the singleton (i.e. singleton heart open 1♦ singleton diamond open 1 ♣ With 4441 shape and a black suit singleton open the middle of the three suits (i.e. singleton spade open 1♦ singleton club open 1♥)” But if you are going to play as suggested above then See 4:4:4;1 Hands

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