Improving Precision 1D/2D openings...

[akhare]

I have always hated the classic Precision 2♦ opening that shows short ♦s and am looking for ways to try and improve it. I think that 2♦ is better used to show intermediate hands with 6+♦s, multi (weak 2 in major only), or something along those lines.

 

However, changing that bid directly affects the 1♦ opening (which shows 2+). Do you folks have a good response structure over the 1♦ opening that operates within these constraints (sorry -- 5 card majors)?

 

1) NT range must be 14-16 (13+ - 16-)

2) 2♣ opening must promise 6+

3) 1♦ opening can promise as few as 0♦s.

[blahonga]

I like to play

 

1 ♦ as 1) bal 11-13, 2) one four card major and a longer minor, 3) any 4441 together with 2 ♣/♦ as unbalanced without a four card major. (either both minors or 6+).

[zasanya]

Look up Sontag's Power Precision.It meets your parameters except 1 nt is 15-17

 

1D : 1+, 11-16 HCP, catchall

P :: sign-off, 0-5 HCP

1H :: 4+ hearts, 6+ HCP

1S :: 4+ spades, 6+ HCP

1N :: No 4cM, 6-10 HCP

2C :: 5+ clubs, 10+ HCP, forcing, promises another bid

2D :: 4+ diamonds, 10+ HCP, forcing

2H :: strong hearts, 16+ HCP, slam try.

2S :: strong spades, 16+ HCP, slam try.

2N :: balanced, 12-15 HCP or 18-19 HCP, no 4cM

3C :: strong clubs, 16+ HCP, slam try.

3D :: strong diamonds, 16+ HCP, slam try.

3H :: QJ+, 7 hearts, almost nothing outside

3S :: QJ+, 7 spades, almost nothing outside

3N :: balanced, 16-17 HCP, no 4cM,

4C :: undefined (!)

4D :: 7+ diamonds, almost nothing outside

4H :: sign-off

4S :: sign-off

[Free]

I used to play 1♦ as any hand without a 5 card Major. We used 1♥ as 2-way, and the rest of the bids natural (2/1 NF).

 

1♥ = either 4+♥ or inv+ relay

 

Responses were:

1♠ = 4♠, can have 4♥

1NT = some balanced hand without a Major

2♣ = ♣ singlesuiter or minor 2-suiter (longest suit unknown for now)

2♦ = ♦ singlesuiter

2♥ = 4♥, no 4♠

 

After these we still had relays to bid out entire hands. The only problem hands were 4♥-5+m because they get too high. However, if you eliminate the ♦ singlesuiter you can reserve 2 bids to show 4♥ which may help to get really full relays.

[kenrexford]

An alternative strong club structure that I have used in the past and found workable:

 

2♦ openings show minor two-suiters. (If 2NT shows weakish minors, then 2♦ is "intermediate.") [best response structure involves a forcing, artificial 2♥, asking for strength/shape. With max., jump in major fragment, or 3♦. With min, bid 2♠ (spade frag.), 2NT (no frag.), or 3♣ (heart frag.)]

 

2♣ opening is 4441, no known anchor. [2♦ relay asks strength/shape. With maximum, bid one-under shortness, 2NT for short clubs. With minimum, bid 2♠ if 4144, or 2♥ if 4414/4441/1444. After 2♣-P-2♦-P-2♥-P-?, 3♦ is GF and artificial, asking for completion of pattern: 3♥=1444, 3♠=4441, 3NT=4414.]

 

This two-bid structure handles all 4441's painlessly. Further, by removing minor two-suiters from a 1♦ opening, 1♦ has a more workable definition:

 

1♦ now shows:

 

(a.) Balanced, outside of 1NT range, or

(b.) 5+ of a minor, not 4+ of the other minor (unless 6-4).

 

This either-or minor structure makes Opener's rebids much easier.

 

IF the strong club structure is canape, and if the major-club problem is resolved with 2♥ for ♥+♣ and 2♠ for ♠+♣ (Roman), then the 1♦ structure is further refined:

 

(a.) diamond-major canape, or

(b.) 6+ of either minor, not both minors (unless 6-4), no side 4-card major.

 

As it is, I now play 2/1 GF...

[sfbp]

There are other ways ;)

 

Much as I like 2♦ as a preempt (and use it in standard), in precision we open such light hands that it's better devoted to something structural IMO.

 

We open 2D on all hands 11-15 with both 4-card majors.

 

a. 1NT never contains 2 4-card majors, so can be one point wider (12-15). This simplifies a lot of stayman auctions. We also play some other very simple stuff that makes the 12-15 range bearable.

 

b. We almost never opening prepared ♦, so 1♦ is 4 (and except with 4441 hands with a singleton major) usually 5.

 

The frequency of 2♦ is much higher and of course the majority of the hands are 4432 (as opposed to 4441 and 5440). However most of the good stuff from the classic 2D opener is still there. It's quite preemptive, and GCC-legal - describe it as "mini-flannery" and opponents won't have a procedural objection, and they will have a defence, more or less.

 

This is described in my book on Purple Precision, if I ever get it published.

 

In response to the comment that it can be used for minor 2-suiters, this version is highly aggressive and its still perfectly possible to bid minor 2 suiters with 2NT (we don't, in fact)

 

Stephen

[awm]

I've been using the openings you suggest for quite some time now. Basically:

 

2♦ = 6+♦, opening hand

1♦ = no 5cM, no 6cm (except 6-5 minors)

 

This actually works quite well in competitive auctions. The 1♦ opening is usually (about 2/3 of the time) a balanced hand not in the notrump range. Most of the rest are three-suited patterns (for example 4315, 4441, etc). The nice thing is that this normally involves support for three suits. The difference between 4414 and 4423 is one card. The difference between 0472 and any balanced hand is much more significant.

 

As for response structures, I prefer natural bids. This serves us well when the opponents intervene, and has the advantage of being legal everywhere. Without interference, I play the responses:

 

1♥ = 4+♥, could be longer minor even if GF, forcing one round

1♠ = 4+♠, could be longer minor even if GF, forcing one round

1NT = no 4cM, fairly wide ranging but denies game interest opposite a balanced max

2♣ = 4+♣, maybe longer ♦, no 4cM, invitational+ (forcing)

2♦ = 4+♦, no other four-card suit, invitational+ (forcing)

Other bids = mostly weak; have used 2NT as bal GF no major and also tried weak minors

 

The interesting part is opener's rebids and the subsequent auction. In most cases it's possible to jump into a fairly good relay sequence despite having the 2nd and 3rd bids of the auction as natural. I think in general this is the best approach to bidding (and it's the approach Garozzo seems to generally use); letting the first few bids be fairly natural (or otherwise cooperative in nature) helps if the opponents intervene and also allows you to place the contract on a lot of hands where you have no slam interest. Allowing for relays later helps with the slam bidding. After 1♦-1♥:

 

1♠ = natural, 4♠, balanced or three-suited, not 4♥

.... now 2♣ is puppet to 2♦ for an invite; 2♦ is GF relay (basically XYZ+relays)

1NT = balanced hand no heart fit, can have 4♠ but usually will be 4333 in that case

.... now 2♣ is puppet to 2♦ for invite; 2♦ is GF relay (XYZ+relays)

2♣ = implies both minors, 4-5/5-4 or 5+/5+, will not be 13(45) as would raise ♥

.... now 2♠ is GF relay (2NT=4-5/5-4 and 3♣+ show 5-5 or more)

2♦ = good heart raise, typically 4♥+stiff and 11-13ish or 3♥+stiff and 13-15ish

2♥ = bad heart raise, typically 11-13 balanced or only 3♥

2♠ = heart raise with void

3♣ = max with both minors, at least 5-5 (usually 6-5) great playing strength

other jumps 3♥ and below = max ♥ raises, 14-15 hcp, 4♥, singleton

 

After 1♦-1♠ things are similar; 2♥ is the good spade raise and 2♦ shows 1453 shape. We routinely rebid 1NT with three-suiters short in spades when in range. After the 2♣ rebid the relay is always the 4th suit (so it'll be 2♥).

 

After 1♦-2♣:

 

2♦ = minimum hand without a great club fit

2♥ = 4+clubs and side shortness

2♠ = max three-suiter short clubs

2NT = max balanced 2-3♣

3♣ = max balanced 4-5♣

3♦ = max both minors

3♥ = 1453 max

3♠ = 4153 max

 

We have relay followups for all the unbalanced hands. Balanced hands we normally start cuebidding stoppers and/or controls. Over 1♦-2♦ is similar, but shifted up a step and the three-suiter short diamonds and balanced short diams get merged.

 

Over 2♦ opening I have found natural bidding to work amazingly well. Strangely, for the longest time I played relays over 2♣ opening (showing 6+♣) and natural bidding over 2♦ (showing 6+♦) and seemed to do better over the 2♦ opening! Anyways:

 

2♥ = 4+♥ forcing one round

2♠ = 4+♠ forcing one round

2NT = raise of ♦, constructive or better

3♣ = 5+♣ GF

3♦ = preemptive diamond raise

3M = natural and game force, 6+ in bid suit

3NT = to play

 

After 2♦ - 2M:

 

2♠ = natural

2NT = maximum with 0-2 in partner's major

3♣ = 3-card support for partner's major

3♦ = minimum with 0-2 in partner's major

3M = natural, 4-card support (almost never passed)

3OM = gambling-style 3NT bid, ask partner to bid 3NT

[blackshoe]

Romex Forcing Club uses:

 

1♦ - 2+ diamonds, 11-16 HCP

2♦ - Mexican, GF with primary diamonds or balanced 21-22 or 27-28 HCP

2♥ - "standard Precision 2♦" - 3 suited, short diamonds, possibly 3-4 in the majors, 12-16 HCP

 

In the ACBL, the 2♥ opening is Mid-Chart. Good luck finding an event, or even a club in some areas, that will let you use it. :(

[akhare]

After 1♦-2♣:

 

2♦ = minimum hand without a great club fit

Thanks for all the responses -- I really like this structure.

 

Can you post or PM some of the follow up some to these sequences, especially how you resolve 3 card vs. 4 card support for a 1♥1♠ response? Also, continuaitons over 1♦ - 2♣ - 2♦ (minimum w/ no support) and more information about relays with unbalanced hands will be appreciated.

[awm]

Well here are some more followups:

 

1♦-2♣-2♦

.... 2♥ = GF relay, symmetric with opener's initial 2♠+ rebids

.... 2♠ = minor suit stayman, normally invite with 4+/4+ minors

.... 2N = balanced invite including 4-5 club, no 4cM (this is NF)

.... 3♣ = one-suited club invite

.... 3♦+ = game-forcing splinter, usually angling for 3NT but concerned about bid suit

 

1♦-2♣-2♠

.... 2N = relay for exact shape

.... 3♣ = long clubs, this is actually NF on the apparent misfit

.... 3♦ = set diamonds, ask for cuebids

.... 3M = splinters

 

1♦-2♣-2♠-2NT

.... 3♣ = 3451

.... 3♦ = 4351

.... 3♥ = 4441

.... 3♠ = 4450 (this is just numeric order)

 

1♦-2♣-2♥

.... 2♠ = GF relay

.... 2N = ask max/min

.... 3♣ = ask for cuebids, sets clubs trump

.... 3♦+ = splinters, clubs agreed (can play 3NT tho)

 

1♦-2♣-2♥-2♠

.... 2NT = high shortage (short ♠) (symmetric with 3♦+)

.... 3♣ = low shortage! (short ♦; there are fewer possibilities with low shortage)

.... 3♦ = 4144 or 3154

.... 3♥ = 3145

.... 3♠ = 4135

.... 3N = 4054

.... 4♣ = 4045

 

Separating 3 and 4 card raises after 1♦-1M is a pretty standard problem. There are lots of reasonable solutions. Here's one I personally like:

 

1♦-1♠-2♥:

.... 2♠ = signoff

.... 2N = relay

......... 3♣ = 3-card raise (relay and hi/mid/low shortage)

......... 3♦-3♠ = symmetric with 1♦-1♠-3♦+ but a bit weaker

......... 3N = 4-card support in a balanced hand with really max+prime values

.... New suit = natural GF

 

1♦ - 1♠ - 2♠:

.... 2N = NF 4-card spades game try

.......... Pass = min 3 trumps

.......... 3♣,3♦,3♥ = max 3 trumps, high/mid/low "shortage" (or doubleton)

.......... 3♠ = min four trumps

.......... 3NT = max four trumps but VERY balanced

.......... 4♠ = max four trumps

.... 3♣ = relay GF

.......... 3♦/3♥/3NT = three trumps and high/mid/low shortage

.......... 3♠ = four spades no shortage

.......... 4♣-4♥ = four spades, high/mid/low shortage (rare)

.... 3♦ = ♥ game try or better

.... 3♥ = ♣ game try or better

.... 3♠ = five spade game try, tend to imply diamonds

 

1♦-1♥-2♥:

.... 2♠ = the relay

.... 2N = NF 4-card heart game try

.... 3♣ = ♦ game try or better

.... 3♦ = ♠ game try or better

.... 3♥ = 5+♥ game try, tend to imply club