From: Professor WHO?
Subject: Precision
Summary: Strong Club systems are NOT easy!
Originator: boyiny@kovalevskaya
Keywords: Precision, 5-card majors, nebulous diamond, relays, system
Reply-To: maboyiny@ccvax.as.edu.tw (Dr. Weird)
Organization: Ayatollah's Correct Bidding Lessons
X-Subliminal-Message: Speak softly and carry a _BIG_ club!
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 92 22:27:50 GMT


[Gary Ding to Dennis Kibler, who is thinking about switching to Precision.]

>>considering switching from 2/1 to Precision, ...  My attraction to
>>Precision is... and what appears to be a fairly simple bidding structure.
>>...

This I would like to bring to attention of everyone still reading.

Precision is _NOT_ a simple bidding structure.  It _CAN_ be farily simple,
if you elect to play that way, or it can be as complex as or more (cf.
Meckstroth-Rodwell's  400 page book) than any two over one system.

For a simple illustration, the Goren book talks about a very different
system than the one in Matchpoint Precision, which is much more complex.

If you wish to bid well, you will _need_ to build more complexity into
Precision as you go, and eventually you will end up with a very big array
of stuff, probably more intricate than what you have for 2/1.  You will
also have a better system than most people's 2/1, not because a big club
system is intrinsically superior (it is, in my perhaps-not-so humble
opinion, but it is controversial and in any case irrelevant) but because
you will have worked hard at your partnership.

The days when you can sit down with a new (but adequate) partner and agree
to play Precision, and expect to outbid the field are long gone.

> ...  non-1C hands has a narrower range, as commented by many in
>the net earlier with nearly universal understanding that it is a net gain.

For the _one_of_a_major_ openings, yes.  1M openings are a big gain for
Precision, but does people understand how often the get to open 1M?  Not
very often!  >40% of opening bids are one _D_I_A_M_O_N_D_, and another 15%
or so (depend on the system) one CLUB, and another 20% (depend heavily on
range) one NO-TRUMP.  I have gone sessions without getting to open 1M
playing Precision against active opposition.  [My record, set recently in
Taiwan, was an afternoon in which we opened 17 mini-no-trumps (nine of which
in a 12-board segment) three strong clubs, and six 1nebulous diamonds in
36 board segment.  We did not get any other opening bids.]

Precision, in combining five card majors and a big club, is the one basic
structure that induces the heaviest load on the one diamond opening.  To
survive in a good field, you _WILL_ need good agreements over it.

[P.S. In spite of certain people's aversion to be associated with the name
"Precision", anyone who combines a strong club with 5cM's is essentially
playing Precision in present-day theory lingo.]

>Many raised the issue that 1C invites gabbage overcalls or two
>suited-calls, and claimed that 1C is the weak spot in precision.  I
>believe it is only true on highly distributional hands where opponents
>have a fit, ...  you have to take a wild stab once in a while.

My experience bear this out, but _ONLY_IF_ you have carefully constructed
agreements.  In my last _real_ strong club partnership I had some 30 pages
of notes on what to do over intervention of the strong club, evolved over
three years.  [It was based on Rubensohl, and probably very different from
anything anyone here has seen before unless you played me.]  My new (current)
partners will have to learn  most of that.... :-(

>On the other hand, if opponent is silent after your 1C, chances are you
>would land in the optimal contract, especially on those borderline
>game/slam decisions.

I would not bet on it if your auction started 1C-2D/2C and you are a new
partnership playing Precision.  There _ARE_ several ways to handle these
sequences, but I don't expect a new partnership to be able to handle "those
borderline game/slam decisions" after this start.

>Also, the nebulous (2+) 1D opening in "MP precision" is troublesome, but
>then again, there are other systems in which 1D promises only 0+D.  

Nebulous diamonds are not a problem per se unless [A] the bid is
_over_loaded or [B] there are not the right agreements.  It all comes down
to work-- hard work, time and effort spent bettering one's partnership.

>with my regular partners, I always insist on real (4+) D suit, at least in
>1st or 2nd seat.

Which means that you are playing a 12/13-15 no-trump and start just about
every hand 16+ with 1C.  Fine.  You will suffer other problems, most
notably in the 2C department.

>The intermediate 2c opening is clearly a winner.  

Sorry, this is _GOT_ to be the most absurd statement about Precision
_unless_ you are talking abouyt a Matchpoint Precisionish
showing-six-deny-major 2C opening.  If you play 2C to show _SIX_ and have a
decent structure, you will win a little bit; if you play the original five
plus major or six thing, you _WILL_ lose imps.  It is already bad to begin
with and most people have no clue on how to construct a structure over it.

I remember my first experiences with Precision--- I LOST imps on all those
boards that I opened 2C and nothing seemed to have happened.  It was _SO_
scary that I started using a nebulous diamond soon after....!

>2D opening (4414 or better, D short) in its original form is probably a
>waste, if not a joke...

Au contraire-- it was about the only legal thing that will fit in to patch
the system in those days.  It was one of necessity.  Even nowadays I can't
really see a much better usage if you gravitate toward Meckwell-type
constructs (6 card clubs, intermediate no-trump).  They of course play the
theoretically correct two HEARTS to show 3415/4314/4414/4405.

>1NT opening of 13-15 gives you an edge most of the time, but it will come
>back and hit you with a huge penalty once every few months, even if you
>create a runout system after 1NTX.

Careful with that statement-- there are many mini-no-trumpers and avid
anti-weak-no-trumpers around.  I agree with the sentiment, but I should add
that like every other part of your system, you need to WORK to make things go.



[Line Eater fodder inserted here.]