[cwiggins]

csdenmark, on Feb 21 2004, 02:29 PM, said:

I like to say the loud cries about advantages of transfer responses after 1C seems much exagurated. Meckwell is not dependent of that - I think Fred is right when he at Vugraph told that Meckwell has that brilliant playing technique that they would be capable of playing any suit-contract succesfully in 3NT.

I thought that Meckwell did play transfers of a sort?
1H = 5+ spades or balanced 11-13
1S = 5+ hearts
1NT = 5+ clubs
2C = 5+ diamonds
2D = balanced 8-10

I would agree that their great declarer technique and partnership defense contribute to their success far more than transfer auctions.

But . . . how much of their excellence in those areas is made possible because they have the brain cycles (and energy) to devote to those areas given that they have a familiar bidding style? For myself, that was one of the advantages of Precision: the increased number of direct and relatively simple auctions left me with a lot more time to devote to other areas of the game.

[csdenmark]

Your quetation of Meckwell is correct. I just wanted to make a general statement to the many very passionated comments in many threads about the importance or the widespread use of transfer responses. I think, but I dont know, the feature is introduced by Meckwell.

2H=UPH:14+,bal PH:5-5,4-6HcP
2S-4C=single/void distributions, all 8+HcP

The importance of how 1C open to be handled or of the 1C open at all is not so very important. It is a trash can created as a consequence of the limit openings. And so it has to be seen. I think it might be wise to revise something in club system. I would advocate something like lowering the general openings to (9)10-13. Such would need the trash can also to be lowered from 16 -> 14 which certainly would need the 1C opening to be divided vertically(fx. 14-18,any and 19+,any) or horisontally (fx. containing a 4 card major/not containing a 4 card major or with shortage/without shortage). An option for that might be:

Pass: Nothing to say(0-8(9)) or 14-18,any distribution
1C:19+HcP, any distribution

Both with the standard responses from todays well known 1C opening - revised according to the new ranges.

The rest about Meckwell was a quetation from memory about Meckwell is less dependent than others of correct and precise system. Inaccuracy in bidding they can handle via brilliant playing technique. As I remember Fred told that Meckwell has a lot more 3NT contracts than other top pairs. Hope I remember correct.

[csdenmark]

Here the address for Gerbens Pass Precision:

http://www.tat.physik.uni-tuebingen.de/~di...e/precpass.html

[PrecisionL]

I am trying a Stong Club System (The Millennium Club) which takes the 5M out of the 1 Club unless 4 losers or less. Now 1 Club is (a) Balanced 15+, (b) Clubs the only suit, 6+ and 15+, © 2suited with 5+ clubs and a second (third?) suit of exactly 4-cards, or (d) Very strong Hand (4 losers or less) and distribution.

Responses are transfer (1-under) and 1S is the negative or all others.

We have changed it to a 4-card Major System with Scanian Major Suit Raises. Two sessions have only found the usual problem with opening 2 clubs and finding if 3NT is playable.

Larry