[shyams]

A friend from college days has indicated a strong desire to resume playing bridge (in his case, after a gap of over two decades).

When we were in college, we used to play Precision and my friend's desire is to restart with the same system -- he says he still has handwritten notes from back then! Although I don't mind re-immersing myself into Precision, I recall a few issues with our version of Precision that used to annoy me:

• I did not fancy playing a 13-15 1NT opening, which was a part of our Precision.
  
• I used to really hate the 2♦ opening meant for a 4-4-1-4 type hand with splinter diamond.
  
• Although we were happy with relays after a 1♣ opening, we found that when we adopted all complicated relays the probability of bidding misunderstandings increased rapidly.

I am sure Precision theory has changed materially in the last few decades. I'd really appreciate if people can point me to suitable systems that can solve some/all of my concerns. I'm also looking for help with recommended books/websites that can help us with Precision bidding.

Any advice welcome....

[helene_t]

a:
13-15 is inevitable if you want to keep the 1♦ opening unbalanced or at least natural. If you are happy to play a nebolous 1♦ then the easiest solution is probably a 14-16 or 15-17 1NT and put the 11-13 or 12-14 in 1♦.

If you do play 13-15 you need to play Kokish as the traditional 19-21 2NT rebid is not practical.

b:
The modern trend is to play 2♦ as 4405/4414/4315/3415. In combination with a 1♦ opening on (41)35, this makes the 2♣ opening show 6 which is quite important. Alternatively, you could allow 1♦ on a void.

c:
Natural follow ups after 1♣ will do for a start. Relays or asking bids are sexy but shouldn't be your highest priority. Get the competitive auctions and the follow ups of the limitied openings sorted first.

[PrecisionL]

♦We like a 14-16 NT, now 1♣ - 1♦ - 1NT = 17-19

Make the 2♣ opening promise 6-cds and no 4M

Expand the use of the 2♦ opening: 4=3=1=5, 3=4=1=5

Positive Transfer responses to the 1♣ opening works well with acceptance of the transfer showing 3-cd or better support and asking for As and Ks (Beta). You quickly find out if enough strength exists for a power slam. 10 controls minimum for no singleton in either hand. Do away with asking for distribution via relays, especially when playing pairs.

Precision Today by Bramley is a reasonable approach with some bells and whistles you might consider.

What about 4-cd majors you ask? Try the Diamond Major: 1♦ promises a 4-cd major. This works amazingly well and then you use a 2♦ opening like 2♣. One modification required to play the Diamond Major: Opening 2 of a minor is 10-15 hcp with 6-cds or 5-4 in the minors.

http://www.bridgeclu...ude/diamond.htm

[steve2005]

PrecisionL, on 2016-July-14, 12:43, said:

[What about 4-cd majors you ask? Try the Diamond Major: 1♦ promises a 4-cd major. This works amazingly well and then you use a 2♦ opening like 2♣. One modification required to play the Diamond Major: Opening 2 of a minor is 10-15 hcp with 6-cds or 5-4 in the minors.

http://www.bridgeclu...ude/diamond.htm

I presume using this method 1♦ promises 0+♦?!

[PrecisionL]

steve2005 said:

promises 0+♦?!

Yes, you presume correctly.

[Kungsgeten]

PrecisionL, on 2016-July-14, 12:43, said:

What about 4-cd majors you ask? Try the Diamond Major: 1♦ promises a 4-cd major.

Then you have to play 1NT as 12-15 (perhaps denying a four card major) and 1C as 16+ including all balanced 16s. More common is 1NT 14-16 and 1D promises a four card major if unbalanced (4441 or 4M and longer major) or 11-13 NT (with our without a four card major).

[sfi]

a. Early on we moved to a weak (11-14) NT and put the 15-17 range into 1D. That makes the 1D opening 4+ diamonds or a strong NT.

b. We just open all hands with 4 of a major and 5+ clubs 2C. In theory this should cause us problems but in practice it almost never does - in fact opening 2C is a small positive position for us. The only shape we have to worry about is 4414 and we open 1H with this. It comes up so rarely that we haven't even added system to find out about it.

c. Natural works fine. The most recent place I found some ideas about a more structured approach is in the Meckwell Light notes available on Daniel Neill's bridge site. We have adopted bits and pieces, but it seems like a pretty good approach while not being all that complicated.

[Trick13]

a. Right from the start we moved to an 11-13 NT. We put all the 4441s in there too (1NT direct or rebid after 1D)
b. We put all the 2C openers into 1D.

This means 1D is 14-16 NT or unbalanced with a 5+ card minor. It is our most frequent opener.
This also means the 2C opener is freed up.

c. MUCH prefer transfer responses (1H = 5+S, 1S = 5+C, 1N = 5+H, 2C = 5+D, and 2D = 8-10 NT)