[32519]

These guys have interesting methods for their 2♣ and 2♦ bids which seem to be an improvement (well to me anyhow) on the standard Precision bids.

In standard Precision 2♣ shows 6X♣ or 5X♣ and a 4-card major, 11-15 HCP. These guys have flipped it as follows: 2♣ in their system shows 6X♣ or 4+♣ and 5X♠, 10(11)-15 HCP. They’ve done something similar with their 2♦ bid which shows: 5X♥ and 4+♦/♣, 10(11)-15 HCP. Their 1♥ and 1♠ bids show one of the following hand patterns –
1. 5M332 10-15 HCP
2. 4M and 5 any other suit 10-15 HCP
3. 6M 10-15 HCP

What do others think of this treatment?

[chasetb]

It's not a treatment, it's a necessity because of the system. Because they play possible canapé, hands that have 5♠-4+♣, 5♥-4+♣, and 5♥-4+♦ can't be bid like the rest of us (standard). Therefore, they use 2♦ opening to cover the Heart-Diamond hands, 2♥ opening for the Heart-Club hands, and throw the Spade-Club hands into 2♣. I will admit that I'm not an expert on canapé systems, but after studying some of the Caroline Club (look it up on Bridge with Dan), here are my conclusions.

NEGATIVES - You lose the uniformity of the 2♣ bid. When opening 2♥ you could be forcing the partnership too high, and you lose out when non-canapé goes 1♥-1♠; 2♣-2♦ or 1♥-2♦; 3♦ with 1-5-3-4. The 2♥ opening mean you lose out on a natural Weak 2♥ (or Precision 2♥, see below), and since 2♦ is used, you can't play Multi 2♦, which means you lose out on Polish Two-suiters or whatever as well. The possible canapé also hurts a little bit in constructive GF auctions because exact shape can be difficult (whether it be 4-card or 5-card Majors, the average length is around 5 for both).

NEUTRAL - 1♦ can be opened when you have 0 or 1 Diamonds. This hurts some competitive auctions as well as constructive auctions where Diamonds is a potential suit. This can also pick off the opponents' suit, and misunderstandings can occur. I view this as a slight negative overall, but put it here to gather further opinions.

POSITIVES - You can mention your Major immediately, which can pick off the opponent's suit. It also has a slight preemptive value, and in competition where you have 5+ of a minor and 4 Hearts, you can find the Heart fit before they get you too high. Most opponents will be unfamiliar with your methods, and that can produce a slight advantage. Because the canapé is played with an always Strong Club, you can blast contracts a little more often (I think).

This should cover most of it; there might be one or two more in either column, but I can't think of any more and I'm heading to bed after posting this. Check out the link for more about all of this (I disagree about him saying Polish Club is best, but everything else is great) - http://dcrcbridge.bl...earch/label/DBT

EDIT - JLall is probably the best person to ask about this system, I know he played against that pair a few times recently in the Bermuda Bowl (Round-robin and finals).

[PrecisionL]

Experienced Precision players have found that opening 2♣ with 6♣ without a second suit is superior to including a 2nd suit in the opening.

It is true that 5M + 4♣ hands are difficult to show in the 11-15 hcp range. One solution is to rebid 2NT after opening 1M to show 15 hcp and this distribution.

Hands with 4♦ are less of a problem and are opened 1♦ if you intend to show both suits (i.e.: ♠ x ♥ KQTxx ♦KQxx ♣Axx).

Another approach (Ekebland - Rubin [edited]) was to give up weak two bids in the majors and have 2M = 10-14 hcp and 5M332 hands or a poor 6-cd suit without a void or singleton. Thus, if the major is never rebid it is only 4-cds and if it is rebid it is 6-cds.

For a complete theoretical treatment [canape - added 6/15/12] see Ken Rexfords http://cuebiddingatb...ape-system.html

[gwnn]

edited out...

[straube]

PrecisionL, on 2012-June-15, 01:11, said:

Experienced Precision players have found that opening 2♣ with 6♣ without a second suit is superior to including a 2nd suit in the opening.

Many experienced players feel it better to include 6/4s with 2C than put pressure on other openings.

[akhare]

straube, on 2012-June-15, 15:56, said:

Many experience players feel it better to include 6/4s with 2C than put pressure on other other openings.

+1 -- IIRC, even modern versions of Moscito include a 4 (unbiddable?) card major side suit in a 6+ 2♣ opening.