PrecisionL

I have been playing 2M = 5332 and 10-14 hcp for 7 years. It is GCC and we use 2NT for a weak doubleton (xx) or strength showing. Major suit should be KQxxx or better. We play strong club and canape when not both majors or both minors. Larry

Fred, I have many spread sheets and have calculated the frequency of various opening bids allowing for distribution and hcp for many years. Before bridge odds complete by Frost et al, I calculated with a mechanical calculator the hcp up to about 24 hcp. Math was my minor in my Engineering studies.

Eliminating (32)-4-4 removes 3.6 % of hands from opening 1♦ and raises the precentage of 1♦ being only 3-cards from 5.6 % (my previous post, recalculated to 5.9 %) to 6.8 %. f(3♦ only) = 1.667 / (28.23 - 3.6) = 6.77 % Larry (Who opens 1♦ with minimum hands and 4-4 or 4-5 or 5-4 in the minors.) [This is a statement, not a question.] Edited 7/4/09 7:06 pm EDT (Sorry about the confusing ending to my unedited post)

I did such an analysis on 1♦ openings in a Precision context in 2004. Using a strong NT and 5-card major system my 'adjusted' calculations show that when you open 1♦ it will only be a 3-card suit 5.6 % of the time. Larry

I wonder how effective Gazzilli is for an opening range of 11-15 hcp? I think the use of Gazzilli here is not optimal and it precludes playing in 2♣ (after a Major - minor canape). We (Keylime and I) have four years experience keeping the 4-cd major (usually Qxxx or JTxx or better) out of our opening of 2♣ and find it works fine for both MP Pairs and IMPs. Larry

I have used transfers to the majors and acceptance if xx or better with satisfying results. I would not go back to 5♣ and a 4-card major, always promise 6♣ or 5 good clubs and 4 diamonds. Direct 2NT reply = G.I. or better, opener rebids 3♣ with all minimums and finds another bid with a maximum. Larry

Our local teacher has read it and said it is good for new players. I have a copy, but have not read it.

Ultra Club: 1♣ - 1♥ (4+♠) - 1♠ (Relay) - 2♦ (6+♠) - 2♥ (Relay) - 3♥ (6-5 with 5♦) - 4♦ (Beta for Controls) - 4NT (4 Controls, 9 Total Controls) 5♦ (Denial Cue: No ♦ control, ♣ control) - 6♣ ( No ♣ Control, but Controls in the other suits skipped) - 6♦ (To Play) - - -

And there is the lead called; "Sometimes MUD." by Peter Oakley. "Holding something like 963 or 982, MUD differentiates between showing partner three cards and showing a doubleton. That is, the nine followed by the six or eight (the traditional top-of-nothing lead) could be mistaken for only two cards in the suit, particularly when declarer concealed the missing small rag. All well and good. But what about the lead from 842 or 932? This middle card could now be misinterpreted as a lead away from an honor and cost the partnership a tempo or even a trick. Surely the nine is preferable, even when leading a suit bid by partner? On the second round, partner will be aware the two has not appeared, and although declarer may be withholding it the likelihood is that it is still in his partner’s hand. Doesn’t this play seem less likely to be costly to a thinking pair?" [Peter recommends the 8/9 (top of nothing) as the lead of the 4 or the three looks like low form an honor.] Reference: The Diamond Major, 2000, Peter Oakley. http://www.bridgeclublive.com/Include/Diamond.htm

I hate Bergen, the bids not the man. lol I prefer SJS (Soloway JS) in the majors and fit jumps in the minors. Invitational or better hands with 4 trumps go through 2NT.

Yes, you need another approach to slam bidding. Very few slams should be bid with RKCB. Cue bids are usually better and investigate below game. Admittedly, that in SA or 2/1 15 hcp opposite 15 hcp are the tough hands to find slam.

I have tried several variations of an opening 2♦ and like this one best which almost fits your system: a) Weak 2 in hearts, responder always bids 2♥ b) 17+ hcp with any 4441 (or 5-losers), opener rebids 2♠ and responder places the contract, or bids 2NT if interested in game asking for the singleton. (Variations possible) c) 21-22 (whatever range fits your system) hcp, balanced with 5+ Diamonds, rebid 2NT d) 20+ hcp (4-losers), unbalanced with one-suiter in diamonds, rebid 3♦ e) 20+ hcp (4-losers), unbalanced two-suited with diamonds and a 4-card suit, rebid 3♣, now 3♦ asks for the suit (3NT = clubs) It is very difficult to include a weak 2 in spades in this scheme. I have just started playing this with an A partner after several weeks of research. Larry

And I got to play Adam and his Dad. :D Final Statistics for Gatlinburg Regional 2009: 9,711.5 Tables (down 600 from 2008 and first decrease in six years!) 3,878 players attending (down about 200 from 2008) Total MP won = 62,820.49 (down about 5500 from 2008) Number of players winning NO POINTS = 100 (2.6%) http://www.mabcbridge.org/RegionalTourname...3/InfoIndex.htm Overall Leading Winners Pos MP Won Name, City 1 173.65 Gary Cohler, Miami FL 2 173.65 Michael Rosenberg, New Rochelle NY 3 172.15 Jim Mahaffey, Winter Park FL 4 172.15 Sam Lev, New York NY 5 172.15 Michael Seamon, Hollywood FL 6 172.15 Jacek Pszczola, Chapel Hill NC 7 129.41 Jeff Meckstroth, Tampa FL 8 129.41 Eric Rodwell, Clearwater Bch FL 9 128.05 Robert Hampton, Blythewood SC 10 128.05 Gavin Wolpert, Singer Island FL Larry

Having played at Gatlinburg 5 years now, and helping at the Partnership Desk: Our 5500 MP team is in bracket 12 of 30 yesterday. Top 5 bracket teams were 20,000 MP per team or higher. Meckstroth won Bracket One on Monday - Tuesday for 61 Gold Points. Bracket 5 payed 30 and Bracket 10 payed 23 Gold for the winners. Bracket 15 paid 17, Bracket 20 paid 11, Bracket 25 paid 7 and all for $10 per entry / person. Pairs: Open Charity Pairs paid 20 MP (112 tables) and 299 winner won 5.4 MP (28 tables). Mon eve Charity pairs won 21 MP (121 tables). Pair awards seem higher this year. I have paired up successfully people over 3000 MP and around 1000 MP for pairs and teams. Other volunteers do under 1000 MP partnerships. Larry

I'll be there! Often helping at the Partnership Desk. Larry

I have 5+ years experience playing 4cM and intermediate 2-bids in a strong club system. I have found that some type of 2-level bids with 5-cards are needed to make a 4cM system easier to play. I have played since 1999, 2M = 5332 with a good suit, or 6322 with a weak suit and 10-14 hcp. (Note no singleton or void so partner can get out in his 5+ card suit with a singleton / void in your major). I have had good results in pairs and teams. We do not miss the weak twos! Opening 2 of a minor is usually 6-cards and 10-14 hcp. This is different than F-N system and I have looked at Gerben's 100 hands file to analyze their results. I know Fred in a post said he had worries when the opponent's opened 2M at his table when his teammates (Ekeblad + Rubin) played intermediate twos: "But I can tell you that whenever I was playing at the other table and one of my opponents opened a weak 2-bid, I was terrified. We regularly lost IMPs on these hands." [4/13] http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?sho...15entry310731 My experience is that we don't regularly lose IMPs on these hands [4/13]. In teams, the opponents often get to the 3-level when they compete for down 1, or they don't compete at all. We will open 8+ hcp 6-card majors at the one level nV, with good distribution to minimize the effects (?) of not being able to open 2M. Larry Notes from Ultra Club, a canape strong club system (URL below): However, a 5-card major in a 5-3-3-2 shape of 10 to 14 HCP or a weak 6-card suit in a 6-3-2-2 shape of 10 to 14 HCP is opened 2M. To summarize, if partner opens one of a major, then: 1) He never rebids it, he has only 4-cards, 2) He rebids it once, it has 6-cards, usually. 3) A 5-card major is shown by first opening in another suit [canape] then by calling the major on the rebid, or by opening 2 of the major with 5332 & some 6322 if the 6-card suit is not very strong [2M may have 4 clubs: 5M224] 4) In competitive auctions a rebid of the major may show only 5-cards.

Playing ULTRA CLUB: 1♣ (16+) - 1♥ (4+♠ or balanced, G.F.) 1♠ (Relay) - 1NT (Balanced 8-13) 2♣ (Transfer Stayman) - 3♥ (Max and 3=2=4=4) 3NT (minimum) - 4♥ (5 controls + Q to make 12-13 hcp) Edited (9 controls, slam possible with good fit and singleton if no wastage in clubs) (a) 5♣ (CAB) - 5♠ (Ace, but not the K) 6♥ (Eureka! Assuming no ♥ loser and behind in the match) p p p OR (b) pass 4♥ (assuming ahead in the match) Whoops, revision needed!? Tough Hand!!!

Thanks for all your replies. We have put the 44(41) and the 44(50) with a minor singleton / void into the 1♣ - 1NT scheme and the (41)44 with a major singleton into the 1♣ - 2♣ scheme. This leaves 1♣ - 3♣/♦/♥/♠ available for new uses. Does anyone have frequent uses for the 3-level responses?

We are going to a two-tier structure for the 4441 positive responses to 1♣ as Bary Rigal suggested in Precision in the 90s (Advanced Section) and I wonder if anyone has any experience with something like: 1♣ - 3♦ = 4=1=4=4 and 8-11 hcp 1♣ - 3♥ = 1=4=4=4 and 8-11 hcp 1♣ - 3♠ = 4=1=4=4 and 12+ hcp with 4+ Controls 1♣ - 3NT = 1=4=4=4 and 12+ hcp with 4+ Controls Minor suit singletons Tier I & II are compacted into the 1NT response. Larry Edit 3/23/09: We play transfer positive responses but 5332 and 4441 are treated differently to keep the responses 'pure.' The URL below is now 2 years old, we need to update once the above issue is resolved.

Ahh, but pairs events are ALL duplicated by the players at the tables, so there are hand records.

In Ultra Club: We don't break the relay unless opener is 5-5 or very strong 1-suited because responder could easily have another suit (even longer than the Major promised by the 1♥ or 1♠ transfer response to our strong opening 1♣ bid). Very strong 1-suiters break the relay with an asking bid for support & Controls (if there is support). 5-5 hands ask for the 3-card fragment (if there is one) usually by bidding 2NT. We have played this 3 years now and rarely find that we wish to break the relay.

My favorite (which I give to all my Precision partners): PRECISION'S ONE CLUB COMPLETE by Katherine Wei (Wei-Sender now) & Judy Radin. Playing pairs then Match Point Precision is a good read for strategy. Playing Teams then supplement with Precision Today for slam bidding. I have read all the published and most of the non-published versions. Currently revising Ultra Club for Summer NABC @ Washington, DC

2♠ is my rebid. Although this is a 5 1/2 loser hand, I want to play it in spades unless partner is strong enough to take another call. My experience is that partner will pass with 1♠ and 3♥. Diamond leads will probably kill a 4-3 heart contract.

Submarine Club: What are the rest of the Opening Bids and responses to 1♣?

I have had more arguments over Obvious Shift than any other thing in bridge. I have played it with only a few partners that have read the book. It is a winner in the long term, but you must get the rules down pat. I am moving toward giving count more often as Mark Horton's book on defense makes such a good case for count.