Precision club
Encyclopedia
Precision Club is a bidding system in the game of contract bridge
. It is a type of strong club system
that was invented by C. C. Wei
and used to good effect by Taiwan
teams in the early 1970s. Their success kicked off a wave of experimentation with strong club systems around the world.
The central feature of the Precision system is that a bid of 1 is used to open any hand with 16 or more high card points (HCPs), regardless of distribution. An opening bid of one of a major suit signifies a five-card suit and 11-15 HCPs. A 1NT opening bid signifies a balanced hand (no five-card major suit) and 13-15 HCPs. Because all opening bids except 1 are limited, the responder almost immediately knows the hand potential and the chances for a part score, game or slam.
After the success of Taiwan (Republic of China) teams in 1970 and 1971 Bermuda Bowl
s with the system, the entire Italian Blue team
switched to Precision club and won yet another World Olympiad in 1972. The modifications to the system were made chiefly by Benito Garozzo
and he titled it "Super-Precision".
In North America, Precision sees relatively limited use as compared to Standard American
and later 2/1 game forcing
. Precision is generally more efficient (and precise, as the name would suggest) than Standard American. The main opening bid of 1 club is artificial and it has some optional artificial sequences that must be memorized by the partnership (although it can be played "naturally" as well) , and this has led to its reputation as an advanced player's bidding system. However, as experience has proven so far, the more "natural" 2/1 is often bloated with various gadgets to cope with its main deficiency (which is the 12-20 range for the opening bid), leading to many memory errors, bidding misunderstandings and general guesswork that would be avoided by the simplest version of Precision.
Multiple world champions Jeff Meckstroth
and Eric Rodwell
play a Precision Club system.
s are precision-based, opening a strong club.
When 1 - 1 is not anymore a 4-4-4-1,
1 - 2 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton ;
1 - 2 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton ;
1 - 3 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton ;
1 - 3 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
. It is a type of strong club system
Strong club system
The Strong Club System is a set of bidding conventions in the game of contract bridge. It is classified as an artificial type of bidding system since the bids are highly codified.-Explanation:...
that was invented by C. C. Wei
C. C. Wei
Chung Ching Wei was a Chinese-born American, inventor of the Precision Club bidding system in contract bridge.-Biography:...
and used to good effect by Taiwan
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
teams in the early 1970s. Their success kicked off a wave of experimentation with strong club systems around the world.
The central feature of the Precision system is that a bid of 1 is used to open any hand with 16 or more high card points (HCPs), regardless of distribution. An opening bid of one of a major suit signifies a five-card suit and 11-15 HCPs. A 1NT opening bid signifies a balanced hand (no five-card major suit) and 13-15 HCPs. Because all opening bids except 1 are limited, the responder almost immediately knows the hand potential and the chances for a part score, game or slam.
After the success of Taiwan (Republic of China) teams in 1970 and 1971 Bermuda Bowl
Bermuda Bowl
The Bermuda Bowl is a trophy awarded to the winners of the Open series in the World Team Championship in contract bridge and is named for the site of the inaugural tournament held in 1950...
s with the system, the entire Italian Blue team
Blue team (bridge)
The Blue Team represented Italy in international contract bridge tournaments, winning sixteen world titles from 1957 through 1975. From 1964 to 1969 and during a 1972 comeback, the team comprised three regular pairs: Walter Avarelli–Giorgio Belladonna, Pietro Forquet–Benito Garozzo, and Massimo...
switched to Precision club and won yet another World Olympiad in 1972. The modifications to the system were made chiefly by Benito Garozzo
Benito Garozzo
Benito Garozzo is one of the most famous bridge players in the history of the game. He has won 13 world championship titles with the Italian Blue Team, playing with Pietro Forquet and later Giorgio Belladonna...
and he titled it "Super-Precision".
In North America, Precision sees relatively limited use as compared to Standard American
Standard American
Standard American is a common bidding system for the game of bridge in the United States, also widely used in the rest of the world. This system, or a slight variant, is learned first by most beginners in the U.S. and may be referred to as 'Goren'; a dominant version used in on-line computer...
and later 2/1 game forcing
2/1 game forcing
2/1 game forcing is a bidding system in modern contract bridge in which, after a one-level opening bid, a non-jump response in a new suit at the two level commits the partnership to bidding at least game....
. Precision is generally more efficient (and precise, as the name would suggest) than Standard American. The main opening bid of 1 club is artificial and it has some optional artificial sequences that must be memorized by the partnership (although it can be played "naturally" as well) , and this has led to its reputation as an advanced player's bidding system. However, as experience has proven so far, the more "natural" 2/1 is often bloated with various gadgets to cope with its main deficiency (which is the 12-20 range for the opening bid), leading to many memory errors, bidding misunderstandings and general guesswork that would be avoided by the simplest version of Precision.
Multiple world champions Jeff Meckstroth
Jeff Meckstroth
Jeffrey John Meckstroth is a multiple world champion in contract bridge, winning the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times. He is one of only ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...
and Eric Rodwell
Eric Rodwell
Eric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...
play a Precision Club system.
Main opening sequences
- 1: Conventional, 16+
- Responses:
- 1: 0-7 or any 4441
- 1, 1, 2 2: 8+, 5-card suit
- 1NT: 8-10, balanced
- 2, 2: 4-7, 6-card suit
- 2NT: 11-13 or 16+, balanced
- 3, 3, 3, 3: 4-7, 7-card suit
- 3NT: 14-15, balanced
- 1: 11-15, 2-card suit
- 1, 1: 11-15, 5-card suit
- 1NT: 13-15, balanced
- 2: 11-15, 6-card suit or a 5-card suit with a 4-card major
- 2: Conventional (Mini-RomanMini-Roman 2 DiamondMini-Roman or Mini-Roman 2 Diamonds is contract bridge convention whereby the opening bid of 2 shows a three suited hand and 11-15 high card points...
), 11-15, 3-suited hand with singleton or void in diamond
- 2, 2: Weak two bid, 8-10, good 6-card suit
- 2NT: 22-24, balanced
- 3, 3, 3, 3: normal preemptPreemptPreempt is a bid in contract bridge whose primary objectives are to thwart opponents ability to bid to their best contract, with some safety, and to fully describe one's hand to one's partner in a single bid. A preemptive bid is usually made by jumping, i.e. skipping one or more bidding levels...
s
- 3NT: Conventional (GamblingGambling 3NTGambling 3NT is a preemptive opening bid. The bid is used to describe a hand containing a minor suit of at least 7 cards in length and headed by the AKQ at minimum...
), solid 7-card minor suit leading with AKQ, no outside strength
Precision today
There have been many variations since 1969's 'Precision Club'. 3NT is played as 'Gambling' (where it used to show 24-27HCP) , 1 - 1 is not anymore a 4-4-4-1 (Impossible Negative), and the "Unusual Positive" is used instead. Also, many systems using relay bidRelay bid
In contract bridge, relay is a term for a conventional bid that usually has little or no descriptive meaning but asks partner to describe some feature of his hand. A relay is often the cheapest bid available but need not be. Stayman and Blackwood are common examples of relay bids.The rationale...
s are precision-based, opening a strong club.
When 1 - 1 is not anymore a 4-4-4-1,
1 - 2 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton ;
1 - 2 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton ;
1 - 3 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton ;
1 - 3 = 8+ HCP, 4-4-4-1 Singleton