[Cascade]

In the thread Assign the Blame there was a raise of the 4th suit.

I have never been happy with responding to 4th suit when I have nothing to tell.

What are the standard responses when you have an awkward hand with nothing extra - typically 5422 5431 with no stopper in the fourth suit and singleton or doubleton support for partner.

[luke warm]

i'm not sure bout this, i'll check my books, but i think g. rosenkrantz says to bid nt with a stopper in 4th suit, support pard's first with a doubleton honor, else rebid yours with 5

[inquiry]

Here is what mishovnbg and I are playing...

Misho's method

Note, this link includes what to bid with nothing else to tell and with good stuff..

ben

[helene_t]

If your first suit is a 5-card while it might have been a 4-card, you do have something to tell.

Otherwise, here in the Netherlands there are two competing schools of thought. One says you should always lie about the length of a minor suit rather than about something else. Another says that you may repeat your second suit since your second suit is unlikelily to be a 5-card anyway. For example,
W E
1♦-1♥
1♠-2♣*
2♠

Here West does not show a 5-card spades since he would probably have opened 1♠ in that case. 2♠ is more likely to mean that he has nothing to tell. East can ask for clarification with 3♣ (I'm not sure if that is standard, that a repeat 4th suit is stil FSF). If you don't like the ambiguity of 2♠, you can agreee that West, with a 5-6, should have rebid spades with a jump either immediately or now, depending on his strength, or he should have opened 1♠.

Raising the 4th suit should not be a checkback-relay but should be natural, a 3-suited hand. However,
1♠-2♣
2♦-2♥*
3♥
In this case, West has 5341 without a heart stop since he would have rebid hearts with 5440. I think with 5242 without the A/K of hearts he would usually have bid 3♣ now, but maybe he could repeat spades with a very good suit.

[Free]

quite standard methods work well enough imo:

NT = stopper
repeat 2nd suit = 5 card 2nd suit
support p's suit = 3+ card
support 4th suit = 3+ card no stopper
repeat 1st bid suit = none of the above
repeating 1st or second suit can be swapped, because it depends if you already denied a 5 card (like a Major) or not.

Example:

1♠ - 2♣
2♦ - 2♥*
?

2NT = stopper
3♣ = 3+ card, so 5-1-4-3 or 5-0-4-4
3♦ = 5+♦ (usually doesn't have a stopper)
3♥ = 5-3-4-1, no stopper
2♠ = none of the above
3♠ = should be 6 card and maximum hand (otherwise no 2♦ bid)

[1eyedjack]

I think there is something to be said for first step response (excluding NT) includes the option of having nothing to say. There should be a subsequent enquiry method to clarify. It depends to some extent what is the minimum strength required of 4th suit. Some play it as GF, others not.

[Fluffy]

Here we play that rebiding the 5+ card suit may be 5 cards only, but before that there are 2 thing to consider:

If you have a doubleton honnor in partner´s suit you are wellcome to support it.
If your second suit its higher than first you then it MUST be a 4 carder, since with 5-6 you are suposed to open the highest suit, regardless of wich one is longer, therefore rebidding a suit with a known lenght can´t show anything else.

[Free]

Yes, with a 2 card support it might turn out well to support. A few months ago, my p and I had a similar problem, I supported his ♥s on a 2 card, and my p bid 4♥ with only 4, since he knew 3NT was impossible and thought the moysian would be more successful. Tnx to a wonderful lead, we made +2 instead of -1.