PrecisionL

Thanks, Straube. Ultra was the next generation of Keylime Precision which Dwayne and I put together about 2006. We played it for 3 years and thought we could improve it. We liked Sabine Auken's One Club System so we put together C3 - Copious Canape Club. We will be playing it at the Reno, NV NABC in March. Using Ruben's Useful Space Principal, we now play transfer positives into a 4-card major. 1♣ - 1NT is a positive with the majors, or 3-suited with 4-4 majors. 1♣ - 2♣ is a positive with one or both minors (excludes 5332 hands). 1♣ - 2♦ is 8-10 balanced per Meckwell. 1♣ - 2M is a positive with 5332 or 6322 with a weak major. 1♣ - 2NT = 11-13 hcp, balanced. The 14+ balanced hand is included in the 1♥ response (responder rebids 1NT to show this hand). Now for your questions (not in order): We changed our emphasis from strength in Ultra (Betas were early in the follow-ons) to distribution in C3 (Betas are now after distributional asks). We don't particularly like Symmetric and our scheme is logical and efficient. Relay breaks are designed for rare hands, we don't use them very much. In C3 we usually relay for distribution except for one suited hands by opener (rare) when we might use a support asking bid (SAB). Distributional information frequently tells the opener within 1 card about support for other suits. We do not use canape the way BTC did. Since 5-4 distributions are so frequent (almost 25%) we always use canape if the suits are worth showing. We have considered reversing the 2♥ and 2♠ responses to 1♣ , but then we lose the 2♠ SAB when opener has 1-2 hearts and 5+ spades. Occasionally, we do have the strong hand as dummy, but it is rare and not a great issue. Larry

Good guess / approximation!!! My spread sheet shows 0-4 hcp response to a strong club of 16 or more hcp is 20.6%. I also prefer strong positives. Keylime and I have a complete system which is Major Centric for bidding over 1♣ - 1♦ (0-7 hcp)! For those that use a 1♥ response for 8-11, the frequency is 65% whereas the 12+ other positive responses are only 12.5%. Is this the tail wagging the dog?

Why did you choose to rebid 1N instead of 1♥? jmoo. Because, Opener's first duty is to show a Balanced or an Unbalanced hand so partner will have an idea where to play. Otherwise, how will responder know when opener is 5m and 4M and thus play in the minor suit instead of NT for a good matchpoint score?

I do not play a lot of 2/1, although in SA this problem also comes up also. ♠: Kx ♥: K9xx ♦: ATxxxx ♣: x Bidding goes 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT - ? I know, playing Walsh many would bid 1♥ would they not? However, now partner said she could not be 2♥ as that would be a reverse and Game Forcing! I thought it would be G.I. SAYC books and 2/1 books seem to agree with partner that it is G.F. Comments / solutions? I had a balanced 14 count: 3=4=2=4 with 8 hcp in ♣s. We got to 2NT down 2 while 3♥s made +140.

With a minimum hand consider opening 1C and rebidding Spades to avoid distorting the strength.

SAPP: Stone-Age Acol with Paki Preempts is on page 161 of Zia's book. 1-level bids are Acol 2♣ to 4♥ were / are all multi-purpose. 3♣: a) a ♦ preempt (with a bad suit), or b) a ♥ preempt (with 2 of the top 3 honors), or c) a strong 6-4 or 7-4 in spades and hearts, or d) a solid 7-card minor with a king outside, or e) a 4♥ or 4♠ opener with 2 first round controls The results so far had been less than spectacular. The good news was that it had succeeded in creating fear and confusion. The bad news was that it filled not opponents' mind with fear and confusion, but his partner's mind. Fazli, Munir's partner had aged 20 years trying to remember the meanings of all the bids. Then, on page 162 Zia shows a hand for type (e) above [well almost, one 1st round control is void and the other control is 2nd round, a K]. They bid to 6♠ and won the match and entered into HEAT ONE! This was the 1981 Bermuda Bowl and Pakistan made it to the finals against Meckwell and company. Pakistan led at the half by 3 imps, but lost in the second half.

The double negative works very nicely in allowing opener to play 1NT with 19-20 hcp balanced hands.

Keylime and I use an old Precision approach (One Club Complete by Radin & Kathy Wei) by using 1♣ - 1♦ as the 0-7 hcp negative and 1♥ and 1♠ rebids by opener are 4+ cards and a 1-round force. We focus on distribution by opener and strength by responder. Responder's cheapest bid (playing IMPs) is a Herbert negative, 0-4 hcp without an Ace. We play transfer positive responses to 1♣ with 4+ majors, 1NT with both majors, and 2♣ with one or both minors. Thee is also Lutz's and Fink's American Forcing Minor System, 1995. Responses to 1♣ (16+ depending on suit): 1♦ 0-3 hcp or 8-13 hcp 1♥ 4-7 and 3-6 hearts 1♠ 4-7 and 3-7 spades 1NT 14+ 2♣ 4-7 and 6+ clubs 2♦ 4-7 and 6+ diamonds 2♥ 4-7 and 6+ hearts 2♠ 4-7 and 6+ spades 2NT 4-7 and 6 diamonds & 5 clubs 3♣ 4-7 and 5 diamonds & 6 clubs X 9+ XX 10+

Well, is the North hand worth a LR? Using Rosenkranz's concept of cover cards, the North hand has 3 cover cards KQ = 1, xx = 1/2, and Qxxx = 1/2) and is worth a LR. IMO the lone Qxxx and A of spades behind KQx makes me downgrade this close LR to a heavy raise. The J of spades turns out to be the key to the hand! Edit: Removed comment about 8-losers. It turns out that on a loser only based analysis game should be bid. :unsure:

No blame, it is just the rub of the green. North's hand is not IMO a Limit Raise.

Hmmm, I thought 2NT in balancing sheet showed natural, balanced and 19-21 hcp. With good 15 to 18 double and then bid NT.

Two years ago, I asked a Bridge Pro from Houston what he prefers to play with his clients - the answer was Standard American! And he has played most of the major systems. He says it gives HIM the most flexibility in the bidding. I feel the same way, and for 3 years one of my partnerships (with a C player, now an ACBL Life Master) has been Standard American and we have won more than our share of Club Games and Tournaments. If I play 2/1, I use Gitelman's version with other gadgets to make up for not playing a Strong Club system.

And a middle card (6 usually +/-1) would be neutral and encourage the suit led and show no preference for the other two suits.

NAP Conditions of Contest 2009-2010 Click on this for the whole document PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL OF PLAY Flight C Eligible Players May play in Flights A, B & C until concurrence forces a choice Flight B Eligible Players May play in Flight B and Flight A until concurrence forces a choice Flight A Eligible Players May play in Flight A only MULTI-FLIGHT QUALIFICATIONS Flight C category players — Retain qualification in each flight (A, B & C) in which they have achieved the finish stated for each level of play. Flight B category players — Retain qualification in each flight (except Flight C) in which they have achieved the finish stated for each level of play. Flight A category players — Compete in Flight A only.

Interesting thread. In my non Strong Club partnerships we have given up direct hcp raises and treat 1m - 1M - 3M/4M as a distributional raise. HCP raises depend on the minor opened: 1♣ - 1M - 2NT = 3 or 4-card Major raise (or balanced hand with xx) 1♦ - 1M - 3♣ - either G.F. with ♣ or balanced 3 or 4-card Major raise. I'm at a Sectional, so I can post more details Sunday night if there is interest. Idea is from Pit Bulls bridge site: http://www.pitbulls.shawbiz.ca/Coaches%20C...ump%20Shift.htm

In the USA Team Trials in the past year or so: both tables played 5♥ redoubled making for just a push at 1000 nV. If either opponent had taken a save they would have won 11 IMPs.

a) Rebid 1NT and if responder is 5-4 or better, he will pattern out. You can choose for partner to continue to transfer and bid 1-under his 2nd suit or re-transfer to first suit (showing 6) so acceptance of transfer is a BETA Ask for controls. A bid of NT shows clubs as a secondary suit. Example: 1♣<!-- SPACE begin --> <!-- SPACE end -->- 1♥<!-- SPACE begin --> <!-- SPACE end -->(5+♠) - 1NT - 2♥<!-- SPACE begin --> <!-- SPACE end -->(=4♠<!-- SPACE begin --> <!-- SPACE end -->+ 5♥) and 2♠<!-- SPACE begin --> <!-- SPACE end --> or 3♥ is now Beta for Controls setting the suit as trumps. b) Rebid 1 or 2NT and same as (a). c) Same as above.

There is another thread with a good discussion of EHAA and F-N System. Using the search function will help bring new questions and answers into the postings. http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?sho...59&hl=EHAA&st=0

Playing Transfer Precision: 1. Opener will NOT accept the transfer when he has a good 5-card major that can be shown cheaply. If there is not a fit in the major, then he can bid 3♦ as Beta with diamonds trumps. Bidding might go 1♣ - 2♦ - 2♥ - 2♠ - 2NT (if looking for 4-cd spade suit) / 3♦ checking on controls just in case you have more than a minimum. 2. 5-card majors usually take precedence over 6-card minors unless there is a big disparity in honors (Axxxx vs KQTxxx). 3. Major 4-4 fits will sometime not be found if responder's hand is not balanced and he shows 3-card (or better) support for opener's 5-card (or better) major.

Poker was my parents game and mine - won $ for Prom tickets in college several years in a row. I learned bridge at my first job after college when I was 24 (5 Weeks to Winning Bridge). Was a pinochle player in college and canasta in high school. Larry

It is NOT clear. ACBL (rulings@acbl.org) told me I could not use transfer bids (weak, invitational, or strong) over a Precision 2♣ opener even though I pointed out rule 6. (Responses and Rebids, GCC) However, you can use 2NT as an artificial inquiry to a 2 bid of any strength. Larry P.S. Thus, they have interpreted rule 6 to mean strong hands if 2♣ or higher.

Open 1♣ says Matula in his 1994 book (The Polish Club), page 13: "In your normal system, what do you open holding 4-4-1-4 distribution (a three suiter with short diamonds)? The answer is probably 1♣, most of the time. In Polish Club we always open such hands with 1♣, regardless of strength. For the purpose of this presentation, let's define the second meaning of a 1♣ opening in our system as:" Honor strength: 12-18 points" Distribuition: 4-4-1-4 (short diamonds)" Larry

Gatlinburg is NOT an exception! I have played in Gatlinburg brackets 5 - 7, have you not noticed the 60,000 minimum Team MP to get in bracket 1. I have also missed playing against Rodwell & Cheek's team in the Richmond Regional 2 years ago because he lost in the KO Bracket 1 semi-final. :) Larry And the limit of MP was about 60 this year for a win in Gatlinburg's Bracket 1. Gatlinburg 2009 Tues-Wed KO Bkt 1 15 Tables (28 Brackets) MPs Rank Names 60.43 1 Andrew Rosenthal - Aaron Silverstein - Joe Grue, New York NY; Curtis Cheek, Las Vegas NV 42.30 2 John Onstott - Iype Koshy, New Orleans LA; Jim Krekorian, New York NY; Garey Hayden, Tucson AZ 24.17 3/4 Jim Mahaffey, Winter Park FL; Gary Cohler, Miami FL; Michael Rosenberg, New Rochelle NY; Michael Seamon, Hollywood FL; Jacek Pszczola, Chapel Hill NC; Sam Lev, New York NY 24.17 3/4 John Russell, North Barringto IL; Barry Harper, Regina SK; Bruce Parent-Norman Coombs, Brookville IN Wed-Thurs KO Bkt 1 (28 Brackets) 16 Tables MPs Rank Names 59.60 1 Robert Hampton, Blythewood SC; Gavin Wolpert, Singer Island FL; John Hurd, New York NY; Joel Wooldridge, Williamsville NY; Steve Weinstein, Andes NY; Robert Levin, Bronx NY 41.72 2 Carolyn Lynch, Scottsdale AZ; Mike Passell, Las Vegas NV; Jeff Meckstroth, Tampa FL; Eric Rodwell, Clearwater Bch FL; Cezary Balicki, Smolec Poland; Adam Zmudzinski, Katowice 40-479 Poland Thu-Fri KO Bkt 1 (25 Brackets) 16 Tables MPs Rank Names 61.46 1 Jim Mahaffey, Winter Park FL; Gary Cohler, Miami FL; Michael Rosenberg, New Rochelle NY; Sam Lev, New York NY; Michael Seamon, Hollywood FL; Jacek Pszczola, Chapel Hill NC 43.02 2 Claude Vogel, Chicago IL; George Jacobs, Hinsdale IL; Chris Compton, Dallas TX; Ron Smith, San Francisco CA

What do you do when you have a takeout hand? Trap pass? I thought this was obvious, sorry. There is NO trap pass, you double with that type of hand. Pass with minimum hands and overcall 1NT for takeout with 15 or more pts. including distribution. Larry

Yes, play Meyer's Doubles (The Meyer System, by Harlan Meyer, Nashville, TN, 1963). X for Penalty with: a) 12+ hcp not including Js with QTxx or better, or b) 16+ hcp and Kxx or better in opener's suit. Double only when the hand is unsuitable for takeout. Partner of the doubler: Pass with 0-8,9 hcp for penalty or the least of evils. Pass with 7-12 hcp and xx or better in trumps: However, sometimes 1NT is better if they are nV. 13-14 hcp bid 2NT and no 5-cd suit (depending on vulnerability) 15-16 hcp bid 3NT and no 5-cd suit (depending on vulnerability) 13+ and 5-cd suit: Single jump in suit 13+ and 6-cd suit: Double jump in suit Larry