PrecisionL

Lol, that is what you get playing with robots. It ruins your game. ;-(

I like your 2♣ 18-20 balanced or GF with other distributions (similar to Big Bang by Bocchi, the Italian). Here is a suggestion for your 2♦ Opening: (a) Balanced, 20-21 with 5+♦, or (b) 4441 and 4-5 losers, 17+ hcp, or © 20+ hcp with♦ primary, may have a 2nd 4-cd suitResponses to 2♦: 2♥ Forced, then 2♠ Any 4441 hand, 2NT asks singleton, other bids are signoffs 2NT 21-22 hcp with 5 or 6♦ 3♣ 20+ hcp 6♦ and 4♣ 3♦ 20+ One suited ♦, unbalanced 3♥ 20+ 6♦ and 4,5♥ 3♠ 20+ 6♦ and 4,5♠ 3NT 24-25 5,6♦

Phil, I have been playing the following 1-level responses to a 15+ hcp forcing club for 10 years and am quite satisfied with the results: 1♦ response: 0-7 hcp and 4+♥ 1♥ response: 0-7 hcp and 4+♠ 1♠ response: 0-7 hcp and NO 4-cd major 1NT response: G.F. and Majors, 4-5 or 6-4, or any 5-5 hand 2♣ response: All other hands, usually balanced.

I thought the ACBL guidelines are to treat it as a misbid unless evidence exists that it is misinformation.

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.

Playing Precision: 2♦ = 10-14 hcp and 5+ ♦ without a 4-cd major. May have 4♣ also. Playing 2/1: 2♦ = (a) Any 4441 hand with 17+ hcp, or (b) Balanced with 5+♦ & 20-21 hcp, or © 1 or 2 suited with ♦s primary. Response is always 2♥ asking: 2♠ = Any 4441 hand 2NT = 20-21 hcp balanced with 5+♦ 3♣ = 4+♣ and 5+♦, 1 round force 3♦ = 6+♦, unbalanced 3♥ = 4♥ and 5+♦ 3♠ = 4♠ and 5+♦ 3NT = 5+♦, balanced and 24-25 Hap

Double post, deleted.

Redouble is usually 10-11 hcp and balanced, 1♠ is 4+♠, 1NT = 8-10 hcp, 2 of a minor is 5+ cards and not forcing, raises are usually 4-cds and jump bids are fit showing with a good 5-cd suit.

No, we do not use a transfer scheme over opponents takeout double. Partner usually has (a) balanced hand with 10-13 hcp (we play a 14-16 NT), or (b) canape with longer minor, or © 6-cd or very good 5-cd major, or (d) 3 suited with or without 4-cd spades.

I AGREE, too many possibilities in the 1♦ opening. We gave up the 2♣ mini-Roman hand, therefore 1♦ is always 4 or more ♦s. Minimum 4441 hands can be handled with a 1 bid. Sometimes the best contract is 1NT.

Double. If I pass and bid later partner will never believe I am this strong and if they end up in 2♠ my next double is for penalty. Edit Add: I play this type of double called a Power Double instead of over calling 1NT.

Here is Power Precision's design for Solid Suits (Sontag, 1979}: Responses to 1♣: 3♥ Any 6-cd solid suit, AKQJxx, may have additional strength 3♠: Any 7-cd solid suit, AKQxxxx, no outside A or K 3NT: Any 7-cd solid suit, AKQxxxx, at least one outside control (A or K) 4♣: Any 8-cd solid suit, AKQxxxxx, may have outside strength 3NT over 3♥ & 3♠ is to play, but responder bids again with an outside A or K (after 3♥ - 3NT) and bids a singleton or void at the 4-level (after 3♠ - 3NT). 4♣ by opener after 3♥/3♠ asks for outside control (A or K or singleton). Subsequent 4NT by opener asks what the control is: 5♣ shows 2nd round control, and 5♦ shows 1st round control. 4♦ by opener after 3♥/3♠ asks responder to bid the solid suit (Opener does not know it). 4♦ by opener after 4♣ asks for outside A or K (solid suit is known) 4♥ by opener after 4♣ tells responder that the suit is unknown (pass/correct?) My current Precision system (not on the web) uses transfer responses of 2NT thru 3♥ to show solid or semi-solid 6-cd suits and 3♠ & 3NT for Solid 7-cd suits with (3♠) and without (3NT) outside controls. Acceptance of the transfer by opener is a Beta Ask for Controls and 3NT by responder is always AKQxxx and no outside controls.

I voted pass because balanced is much more frequent than 4441. A different design may eliminate the problem: Maybe after 1♣ - 1♦ - 1♥: Responder should show his major suit distribution: 1♠ = 4+ Spades and 0-3 hearts and 0-7 hcp 1NT = 0-3 in both majors and 0-4 hcp 2♣ = 5-7 hcp and exactly 3♥s 2♦ = 5-7 hcp and 5,6♥s 2♥ = 4♥s and 3-5 hcp Reference: Johnson & Berkowitz Edit add: I have played this scheme and the 1♥ rebid by the 1♣ opener only promises 2♥ if balanced and 20+ hcp. The opener is never 4=1=4=4 in our system.

I have decided not to purse GUS in any of my partnerships, but I do like their 1NT response to an opening bid of 1♣: (a) Game Force with 3+ Controls and 10 + AKQ points AND (1) 6-cd Major, OR (2) 5-5 OR 5-4 in the MajorsI have been playing variation (2) for several years now and really like it (including 6-4). GUS also has 1♣ - 2♣ as 6-cd minor or 5-5 in the minors. I have been playing 2♣ response as one or both minors including 5-4 or 6-4, or 5-5. These are easy to unpack. GUS also has 2 of a Major Response to 1♣: 3 suited: either 5M440 or 5M431 I find this food for thought as I have been playing 2♥ as 5m440 and 2♠ as any 4441 hand. Finally 3♣ and 3♦ are the 4=4(4-1) or (4-1)=4=4 hands.

Hi again SteelWheel: I have all the pamphlets (and the Ultimate Club paperback) and can NOT find anyone to play GUS. One of my partners, Keylime, talked to Matt recently at a Florida Regional (I'll ask for his comments). I have the same criticism as you, not enough distribution information before 3rd hand bids. Even Benito says that BTC is not the way to bid today. Distribution is king! My favorite responses to 1♣ A&F are ALL replies (except 1♦) showing distribution: (1) MAFIA for 4-cd majors & unbalanced, or (2) Balanced, or (3) Both majors, or (4) Both minors, or (5) 3-suited. When fit is confirmed, the follow-on is a Beta for Controls (or shortage, you decide how complicated you want to play). Larry Edit: The above mentioned responses to an opening bid of 1♣ are not completely covered in my posted system notes (URL below). e-mail me for upgraded details.

My two cents: 1) 2NT if natural should be 21-22 hcp. 19 is too weak and I teach to upgrade or downgrade 20 hcp hands depending on As.and Ks rather than unsupported Qs and Js. In one partnership I have been playing 2♣ as balanced and 18-20 with good results in pair competitions. 2) Defenses to 1NT have evolved so well that opponents can bid better over your 1NT than over your 1 of a suit opening bid. (IF they don't play 2-suited overcalls over 1 of a suit opening bids.)

Playing canapé with a Strong Club is my favorite system: Open 1 of a major as in natural systems. Do not canape from one major into the other major. Only canape into a minor after one of a major or into a major after opening 1♦. Style decision: how weak should the 1 of a major? Recommend Qxxx. (Blue team majors could be xxxx) Do not play a forcing 1NT response to an opening bid of one of a major. 4441 hands are a problem. Open 1♦ if out of range of 1NT. Rebids at the one level are not canapés. Responder should bid normally, until you have experience with canape of about 1000 boards ( hands). Edit 12/9/15: See Ultra Club Relay notes (link below) for a discussion on page 38 of canape / 4-cards first bidding strategy. Thanks to George Coffin's book, Natural Big Club, 1969.

Google "The Diamond Major" by Peter Oakley. I play a version of his creation in two Precision Partnerships. 1♦ is 10-14 hcp and promises at least one 4-card major. It may be as short as zero diamonds. Open 2♦ with 6♦ or 5♦ and 4♣. Use 2NT opening as 10-14 hcp and 5-5 in the minors. Full notes available via e-mail.

I have used Excel and Word for nested system notes. Prefer Word, formatting is easy and you can assign suit symbols to rarely used keys (shift #).

Interesting discussion. I think 1- and 2-suited hands should start with positive responses no higher than 2♣. 3-suited hands can be handled by 2♥ (5m440) and 2♠ (any 4441 hands). Semi-solid or better 1-suiters can start at 2NT (1-under transfers). This scheme is my favorite Strong Club scheme after 20 years .

I see a problem with 12-15 NT, the range is too wide. I have converted to 11+ to 14, better constructive bidding. Put 15 hcp hands somewhere else. I like Keri, new improved with 2♣ being puppet stayman for a 5cd major only. Steel Wheel: How about canapé in a strong club system? Looking for 2nd tournament partner.

Various Precision Books added 5431 hands to the Precision 2D opener and it worked well because the singleton or void was always a ♦. For mini-Roman, 2NT should probably be the G.F. hand asking for the singleton. After showing a minor suit singleton, play 3M as asking for 4-card support. Good luck. Edited: Nov. 15, 9 am EST Personally I don't play either of these conventions. I prefer 2♦ as natural, 10-14 hcp and 6♦ or 5♦ & 4♣

5♠, partner may have 4 trumps and RHO is probably short in ♠ - thus, a forcing defense is called for as I have the minors controlled.

I have played three (3) versions of Canape with a strong club: Current system is variable NT (11-14 / 14-16), 1♣ = 16+ unbalanced and 17+ balanced. Roman 2 bids in the majors (5M + 4 or more ♣s), 2 of a minor = 10-14 hcp and one suited, usually 6- cards. 5M332 hands are opened 1NT or 1M.

Yes, an approach that is workable (assuming you do NOT open 2♣ with a 4-cd Major). We play the transfers as conditional: If opener has zero or one card he rebids 2NT or 3♦ with a maximum, otherwise rebids 3♣. With a maximum and 3-cd support opener can jump accept. I have played this scheme for 5 years in two Precision Partnerships.