Mini-Roman
			----------

In ancient times (60's and 70's) 
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In the original Roman system, the mini-Roman opening was 2C to 
show exactly any 4441 shape with 12-16 hcp.  With a weak hand,
responder signed off; and if opener is short in that suit, 
opener bids the next step.  With a strong, game-forcing hand, 
responder uses a 2N response to ask for the singleton.


The modern convention
---------------------

Because most modern systems use 2C for some other meaning (eg  
in Standard American it's used for the strong opening, and in
Big Club systems it's used for a natural club hand), the adopted
mini-Roman convention is the 2D opening to show any 4441 hand 
with 11-15 hcp (the point count is almost always lower nowadays
for every convention).  Some players also include 5440 hands 
where the five card suit is either minor suit.

Partner responds the same way as in "ancient times:" a cheap 
rebid in a suit or pass is a signoff.  If responder has bid 
opener's singleton, opener bids the next step.  With a strong
hand responder bids 2N to ask for the shortness or jumps to game
in a suit (which opener cannot correct). 
 

Over interference
-----------------

Handling interference is easy for responder.  Responder doubles
to show a cooperative penalty hand-- ie, a hand with at least 
three trumps.  Opener leaves in the double with a four carder or
takes it out if that is his singleton.  


Fuzzy stuff
-----------

I've never found what the Roman architects meant by the auction 
2D - 3H/3S/4C.  In my partnerships we've defined this as an 
invitational hand with a long suit.  Perhaps this is not optimal,
but then it doesn't come up often.  
 

RGB responses
-------------

Here's a different set of responses that I've "lifted" from the 
newsgroup rec.games.bridge:  (I've erased the original post) 

From alf@world.std.com Wed Feb 26 19:01:08 CST 1997
Article: 50564 of rec.games.bridge
From: alf@world.std.com (alan d frank)
Subject: Re: mini roman
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 20:11:54 GMT

[erased original question] 
But if you do play it, opener should bid the suit below the singleton to 
enable responder to cue-bid the singleton as a further ask.  You might
try this set of responses if you play a more wide-ranging (11-15) 2D:
2D - 2NT - 3C = diamond shortage OR spade shortage with a minimum
                3D - 3H = spade shortage
                     3S = D shortness, minimum
                     3NT = D shortness, maximum
           3D = heart shortage
                3H - 3S = minimum
                     3NT = maximum
           3H = spade shortage, maximum
           3S = club shortage, minimum
           3NT = club shortage, maximum