Why I don't like Precision

[mikestar]

I've found that I rather like a big club system with "4 1/2" card majors. Here's how it works (balanced = 4333, 4432, or 5332):

 

1C = 16+ art.

1D = 10-15 4+ diamonds unbalanced.

1H = 10-15 4+ hearts unbalanced.

1S = 10-15 4+ spades unbalanced.

1N = 12-15 balanced, may have 5 card major (pass balanced 11 or less)

2C = 10-15 6+ clubs single suited.

 

 

1D/1H will have 4 cards with 4441 shape or longer clubs

1S will have 4 cards with longer clubs only.

 

If you open 1 of a suit with a five card suit, you will have a second suit.

Since a 1 of a suit opener can't be balanced, minimum NT rebids by opener can be used artificially as a low level force with difficult hands. (If the response is 1N we give up the ability to play in 2C and use 2C as NMF by opener.)

 

I find that this eliminates the worst hands for 4 card majors (weakish balanced) so you are unlikely to be in 2M on 4-3 when you should be in NT or defending.

 

It also makes 4cM infrequent enough that it's fairy safe to assume five in cometetive situations where you can't find out partner's length.

 

Notice that 1D is a real suit just like the majors.

 

2C guarantees 6 cards and no second suit in principle (we might conceal 4 mediocre diamonds or 4 worthless hearts/spades). This is rare but quite playable. I prefer transfer response to 2C where opener accepts with a doubleton (or three and a very bad hand) jumps with 3 cards, and bids a 3C, 2N or a new suit with a stiff or a void in the transfer suit.

[EarlPurple]

One way you can get around the nebulous diamond problem in Precision is:

 

1NT opening range 13-15

 

Balanced 12-point hands you simply pass. You gain little by opening 1♦ anyway, as you take away very little bidding space from the opps.

 

You now simply open 1♦ when you have diamonds.

 

I have also experimented in the past with the 2♦ opening showing 12-15 points, a good 6-card suit headed by two top honours, and no 4 card major. The response system is simply:

 

- 2 of a major promises 5 and is forcing

- 2NT is invitational (though can be made conventional whereby you check for stoppers on the way to 3NT)

- 3♦ is probably played as pre-emptive but you can make it invitational or even forcing if you wish instead.

 

That method also overcomes the problem of nebulous diamond, though you lose the possibility to use 2♦ as a weak pre-emptive bid.

 

By the way, I have rarely held a 13-15 point 4-4-1-4 hand when playing this method, but decided the correct opening bid for such a hand should be 2♣. If partner has a fit for one of your majors you hope to find it. Or you hope the opps will intervene when you are about to play in a 4-2 fit. No, you won't always reach the best contract but it will rarely turn up and when it does it's only a part-score swing you are going to lose.

[Robert]

Hello everyone

 

A very interesting article. I am slightly curious why you play Precision and do not like it? I like to build bridge systems and suspect that you share my interest.

 

My choice of system is generally that I play whatever is my current favorite.

I started playing Precision when it first came out. A recent partner wanted to play something in a Big Club framework so we hammered details out for many Precision type bids.

 

I have also been tinkering with a POWER like base system. I really like that

1C*-1M-2D* bid showing a 3 card major raise. It makes LAW decisions easier.

 

The multiple use of 1C* opening has some drawbacks, however, the other pair cannot assume that it is strong when they choose their defensive methods.

 

Being able to bid your suits with a 11-18HCP base is another two edged sword.

I feel that the advantages are better than the negatives.

 

My first reaction to !C*-1D-2M showing 19-21HCP was horror, however, it seems to work pretty well. I do like the 1C*-1D*-2C* showing a standard strong 2C opening values(near game in any suit or 23+HCP)

 

The 1C*-1D*-2D* showing unbalanced minors(I also include 4441) 19+HCP is a real interesting bidding tool. Some problems and many advantages.

 

We appear to disagree over NT ranges. I really like my choice of 1C*-1D*-1NT showing 18-20 and opening a 15-17NT. With 12-14HCP, you sometimes get to bid a 3 card major after 1C*-1D*- however, partner is aware and fairly weak!

 

I played decades of weak NT(and some mini NTs from 10-12 down to 8-10HCP)

so I am not scared of opening 1NT with 12-14HCP. It is a matter of style and how the rest of the system works. I played a lot of KS type based system and really enjoyed it.

 

I belong to the 'other' school that 1D* need not show a suit and you appear to like 1D showing Ds. Meckwell seems to survive playing a 2+ 1D opening and I also fall into that school.

 

Have you read Precision in the 90's? I do not agree with all of his ideas, however, many of them are very good. My Precision type 1C bidding includes many of his ideas.

 

Best Regards,

Robert

[Chamaco]

The thing to notice here is that the strength required to open 1C is almost independent of the distribution of the hand. This is what I perceive to be a problem with the system.

I had missed this post :-)

 

I think the point raised by david is a very important one: in my opinion, 2-suited hands should be taken out of the 1C opener, because the 2 suiters are the most vulnerable to preemption (we often "lose" one suit "on the way").

 

Instead, by eliminating the 2suiter from 1C, we increase the chances to handle well opps preemption, including a better opportunity to penalize them when it's right.

 

This sounds like a commercial for "Misiry" 2 suited openings or the like :-)

 

=====

 

Incidentally, I am using Real Diamond now, and I am beginning to lean more and more towards the use of 1H opening that might be a 4 card suit if 44 in the majors (including 4441's and even 4432's, so that the weak NT cannot have 44M).

 

This fits well with the use of Kaplan Inversion over 1H opening: we do play some moysians, but thx to KI we are able to stop in 1NT (or in spades) when it's right .

[david_c]

A very interesting article.  I am slightly curious why you play Precision and do not like it?

Mainly because of EBU system regulations. I'd rather be playing Polish Club, Millennium Club, or even MOSCITO, but that would limit our opportunities to play in face-to-face games.

 

I belong to the 'other' school that 1D* need not show a suit and you appear to like 1D showing Ds.  Meckwell seems to survive playing a 2+ 1D opening and I also fall into that school.

There's a lot to like about having 1♦ show diamonds. But actually I play it as 2+ when playing Precision, and would agree with you that this is better if 1♣ shows 16+ HCPs any shape.

[mr1303]

Another key point, I've been told in good faith that MisIry is not permitted in EBU land, even at level IV.

 

The paragraph

 

Three of a suit opening bids:

 

These may be played as any one of:

(a) a specified one-suited hand, any defined values.

(:) a one-suited hand containing one of two specified suits neither of which must be the bid suit, any defined values.

© an unspecified solid suit with high cards outside.

(d) an unspecified solid suit without high cards outside.

(e) a two-suited hand with both suits specified, any defined values.

 

Since a MisIry bid (I'll use 3C, showing either diamonds or a strong hand without diamonds) does not fit into any categories, it's disallowed.

[Chamaco]

Another key point, I've been told in good faith that MisIry is not permitted in EBU land, even at level IV.

.....

Uho oh.. I am sorry... Until now I thought that the Italian Federation only would ban legitimate openings :-)

 

However, we are currently playing xfer openings at the 2 level, that (I think), wd fit into the EBU "legality":

 

2D = weak 2 in H or strong 55+ or better H+ minor

2H = weak 2 in S or strong 55+ S + minor

2S = weak/strong 55+ in minors

2NT = "Michaels" = weak/strong 55+M

 

There are variations over this : e.g. the structure might include 64 openings, and/or one can decide to switch the 2S and 2NT openings so that 2S is NF (obviously the sttrong 55M should then be opened via 2D or 2H in that case).

 

This scheme (or its modifications) would allow to exclude the strong 2 suiter from the big club, and, at least IMO, would solve most of the problematic hands, without having to resort to wider-range 1 openings.

[hrothgar]

Another key point, I've been told in good faith that MisIry is not permitted in EBU land, even at level IV.

In my experience, the EBU is quite reasonable about sanctioning new conventions.

It typically takes some time for the proposal to work its way through the system, however new methods are permitted. Case in point: As I recall, it took about 8 months for MOSCITO style transfer openings to get sanctioned at Level 4. (Welcome change from the US where they were judged to be inherently destructive)

 

I suspect that if you just ask, you'd be allowed to play MISERY

[david_c]

Another key point, I've been told in good faith that MisIry is not permitted in EBU land, even at level IV.

In my experience, the EBU is quite reasonable about sanctioning new conventions.

Indeed - and while Mark is correct that MisIry is currently not allowed, this is going to change when the new regulations come out. The L&E minutes suggest it was applied for by some guy called "M. Haag" (so, a big thank you to him).

[Gerben42]

Maybe someone should suggest allowing Fantunes 1-openings (natural but forcing) at level 3 in the EBU. I might be moving there and if I do I probably would like to play that... Besides these are not hard to defend so should be even allowed at the lower levels.