Hanoi5 Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'd like to learn to play a Precision system. Which book would you recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I recommend you start with the 1971 or so red book by Charles Goren and work your way through the many versions to your current copy of Meckwell's version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilkaz Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I like Precision Today by David Berkowitz & Brent Manley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtvesuvius Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I like Precision Today by David Berkowitz & Brent Manley That would also be my top reccomendation. Excellent book, good read... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Tu Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Rigal's Precision in the 90s is also good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helene_t Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I recommend you start with the 1971 or so red book by Charles Goren and work your way through the many versions to your current copy of Meckwell's version. Disagree, I think it's the worst Precision book I ever read. Reese's book is the best read I came across. Also the shrt introduction by Kathy Wey is very good. The only contemporary book I have read is Berkowits/Manley. It is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I recommend you start with the 1971 or so red book by Charles Goren and work your way through the many versions to your current copy of Meckwell's version. Disagree, I think it's the worst Precision book I ever read. Reese's book is the best read I came across. Also the shrt introduction by Kathy Wey is very good. The only contemporary book I have read is Berkowits/Manley. It is ok. I cannot disagree more strongly.......if you can quote ten books better in 1971/72 ok....if not........I repeat what I say....If you can quote ten systems better in 2009 than meckwell precision..ok..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csdenmark Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'd like to learn to play a Precision system. Which book would you recommend?As I remember you are no novice so an advanced version will probably be right for you. Belladonna/Garozzo is of course the real Precision versions in bridge. An alternative will be Power Precision by Weichsel/Sontag. If you prefer relay versions there are at least 2, Icelandic(book not available anymore) and Viking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrothgar Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I seem to be in isolation on this one, but I always liked Precision Bridge by Eric Jannersten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csdenmark Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I seem to be in isolation on this one, but I always liked Precision Bridge by Eric JannerstenI think there is a problem about Jannersten. He has published some booklets which look like extensions to his SUPER-precision version. I have one of them but not studied. Looks strange to me to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackshoe Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I have the following, in no particular order: Brown, Rick Natural PrecisionReese, Terence Precision Bidding and Precision PlayWei, C.C. The Precision Bidding System in BridgeJannersten, Eric Precision BiddingGoren, Charles Precision Bidding for EveryoneRigal, Barry Precision in the '90sBerkowitz, David, and Manley, Brent Precision TodayWei, Katherine and Radin, Judi Precision's One Club CompleteGroetheim, Glenn The Viking Precision Club Brown's book is a very simple version of the system. I learned Precision originally from C.C. Wei's book. Many of the concepts in Jannersten and Wei-Radin's books are excellent. But the two I like best are Rigal and Berkowitz-Manley. Both are excellent presentations of excellent versions of the system, and Rigal in particular shows how a partnership should think about putting a system together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrecisionL Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matmat Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I cannot disagree more strongly.......if you can quote ten books better in 1971/72 ok....if not........I repeat what I say....If you can quote ten systems better in 2009 than meckwell precision..ok..... uhmmikeit is time to flip your calendar to 2009. perhaps this is difficult to understand, but a lot of system stuff, and bridge theory, in general, has changed since 1970. Recommending a 1971 book to someone to learn a system is ridiculous, unless they want to study the history of bridge and not actually play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrothgar Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Rigal's Precision in the 90s is also good. I think that the first half of Rigal's book is very good.I consider the section on relay methods incomprehensible (at best) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helene_t Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 a lot of system stuff, and bridge theory, in general, has changed since 2009. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackshoe Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Rigal's Precision in the 90s is also good. I think that the first half of Rigal's book is very good.I consider the section on relay methods incomprehensible (at best) The section on relay methods is an appendix, and merely a quick summary. Not incomprehensible, IMO, but it took me a lot of work to figure out what the hell was going on. :) I think the progression from "basic" (first half of the book) to "advanced" (second half) was well done. And unless my memory fails me, the "advanced" stuff isn't "relay methods". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akhare Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 As many others have mentioned, Precision Today is a pretty good read. Rigal's book contains some advanced topics like transfer positives if I remember correctly. Viking Club was an interesting read too, but frankly, I would opt for symmetric relays instead of the ones mentioned in the book... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matmat Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 a lot of system stuff, and bridge theory, in general, has changed since 2009. lol point taken. edited to say what i meant to type rather than what i did type... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_KARLUK Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 "Precision Bridge" by Eric Jannersten was origionally published in 1972. Eric Jannersten is one of Europe's leading bidding theorists and this book gives a complete description of the basic precision club system. The book is 224 pages which includes a 75 page advanced section featuring Italian methods. But if you've never played the Precision Club system, you will find "Natural Precision" by Rick Brown easy to read and simple to learn. While it's not a primer for a novice, anyone with a good understanding of any natural bidding system has the background necessary to learn Precision from this book. This book which was reprinted in 1998 and now contains 93 pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Rigal's book is the only modern precision book I've seen that has some systematics in it. A word of caution, valid for all versions of precision: beware of the 2♣ opener. It takes ages to learn how to make good decisions as responder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mycroft Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 I learned from Reese, and his explanations as to "why" are worth the book. Yeah, the system is clunky and dated, but it's the best book I've yet read on how to "think limited" for a standard player. Effectively the same reason I recommend "5 Weeks" (which teaches you how to "think bridge")...but with the same problem (Reese expects you to know 4cM Acol; Sheinwold teaches you 4cM SA, and you won't find a partner). I, too, like Berkowitz-Manley, and my current Precision partnership uses that as a kickoff. Rigal's book is excellent if you've played Precision for a year or two, but if you can handle the system-wonkery of even his basic section through sheer memorization (i.e. without being able to "think limited", therefore not being able to internalize why the continuations are just "right" and "natural"), let me know, I'll get you playing ASL (the game for people who *like* 400 pages of rules, with at least one exception to every rule). Have not read Jannersten's, but everyone who talks about it speaks positively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tola18 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 My favorite ... Playing pairs then Match Point Precision is a good read for strategy.... ah, that by Ron Andersen and CC Wei? Yes, that one was nice, and useful to learn more bridge understanding also for me when I wasnt yet a strong club player.Thus well and clearly written.And of course, an adaption for the Match Point player yes.... :P Someone did mentioned Power Precision by Alan Sontag (partner Peter Weichsel). A wonderful book on its own merites. You can have the system or live without it, but there is also a lot of text about the live of a bridge-pro and much practical wisdom to be learned.A companion volume to Sontags The Bridge Bum, Sontag being a good text writer.I did read this book mainly for its text content: one of the better bridge-books I did read. Edit. If you are for real intressered in Power Precision, so there are also more recent write-ups. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilver Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 When I started playing Precision in 1986, I started reading C.C. Wei's The Precision Bidding System in Bridge (1969). It's an convincing book to make a start.Then I read Charles Gorens Precision System of Contract Bridge Bidding (1971). It is that Old Red Book, an easy outline to understand the basics of PrecisionNext I studied Match Point Precision (1975) by C.C. Wei and Ron Andersen. This book was followed by Power Precision by Alan Sontag. From 1986 onwards tot 1993 I played Precison based on the ideas of Goren and a bit of Sontag.In 2005 my current partner and I decided to play a Big Club. After an investigation of i.e. The Viking Precision Club written by Glenn Groetheim and several other relay systems such as Mosquito, we read The Revison Club by John Montgomery a very good write up of a Precisionlike biddingsystem. You can download this book for free at http://www.geocities.com/daniel_neill_2000/sys/. At least Foreword and Introduction of this book should be read by any serious bridgeplayer, no matter what level.My pard and used the basics of The Revision Club to develop our own version of this bidding system. Well, I wish to a lot of success in choosing a version of Precison. Just one more sentence, choose a system you feel comfortable with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloa513 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I love Precision Bidding and Precision Play by Reese- I may not agree with all of it but it does point that HCP aren't everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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