MECKWELL This is my attempt to codify what Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell are doing when RM Precision begins to break away from other methods. Gossip has it that RM Precision covers 800 some odd pages of notes; that these can be bought, if one is willing to shell out some $100,000 U.S.; that some players have been taught the system under a vow of secrecy; etc. etc. What follows is what I know about the system. I've never seen the notes myself, so I could be completely off base here -- but I have picked up some of the lingo from different sources. GENERAL SYSTEM Opening Explanation 1C 16+ hcp, artificial. 1D 11-15 hcp. As in most flavors of precision, a catch all 1M 11-15 hcp. 5+ suit. 2/1 gadgets follow. 1NT varies with seat and color. 2C 11-15 hcp. long clubs 2D Weak 2 bid in either major ( "Multi" ) 2H 11-15 hcp. Short diamonds (?) 2S bad club preempt or diamond preempt (?) 2NT 20-21 balanced. 5 card major possible 3C good club preempt 3D heart preempt 3H spade preempt GAME FORCING AUCTIONS AFTER OPENING 1C After a 1C opening, responder with game forcing values makes a bid other than 1D. Meckwell, I believe, use the same method of evaluation for determining positives that I once found in the Johnson Berkowitz system. 9 hcp is always worth a game force. 8 hcp with an ace or a king is worth a game force. 7hcp with an ace and a king (not necessarily in the same suit) is a game force. Responder, when showing a gameforce ( in precision parlance, a positive response ), bids as follows Response Explanation 1H 5+ Spades or balanced 11-13 1S 5+ Hearts 1NT 5+ Clubs 2C 5+ diamonds 2D 8-10 balanced 2H 14+ balanced or unusual hand type 2S 4-4-4-1 shape 2NT+ minimum 3 suiters (?) Over the common responses ( those through 2D ), opener usually bids in steps to show his suit ( suits are shown in game order, but the suit shown by responder goes to the back of the queue ). When opener shows a suit, responder shows his support and general strength with another step response. Bill Mason found this explanation in the Reese/Bird collaboration describing the Scientists versus Naturals match. "MAF; Opener's new suit steps/suit positive = ART; unbid majors first, tie goes to lower ranking suit. Response steps; no fit+/no fit-/3 fit+/4+fit, subject to A) no "no fit" past 2 spades,B) 2NT+all min 3-fit,C)4-fit steps possible. Higher responses: unbid major/setting own suit/5-4-4-0 (major response only); size thru 4 clubs." [source Spingold 1996] KQT63 A9 Q65 AJT72 98 AQJT72 Q74 --- P 1C 1H 2D 2S 3H 4H P A straight forward auction. The strong club seems normal, and the first response shows spades or a good balanced hand. This response adds two complications to the step showing process; opener's 1NT rebid is a stall, and when responder rebids, he generally uses the first step to show the balanced hand. 2D, therefore, shows diamonds. 2S shows a minimum without a fit, which of course shows the spade hand. 3H is natural. I believe that 4C by responder would show a better hand for hearts than the one pictured here [using 2 Under Techs] [source Spingold 1996] AT7 KQJ9432 AKJ9 --- KJ65 4 J8 K6542 1C 1H 1NT 2S 4S 5H 5S P Again 1H shows spades. I'm not sure what the 1NT 2S relationship is. In old fashioned precision, it would show some number of controls. Other possibilities for 2S include extra length, and clubs. 5H is voidwood, asking for aces outside of hearts. One is not enough. Of course, if 2S does show some minimum number of controls, then 5H as voidwood doesn't make much sense. It has been suggested that 5H shows a maximum ( necessary to bid again over the 4S call ) and a heart void; presumably no hand without extreme shape would bid on over 4S after this start. [source Spingold 1996] KT6 Q32 AQT975 K8 AQ 6542 62 AK53 1C 1H 1S 1NT 4H P 1H showing spades or a good balanced hand. 1S showing hearts, 1NT showing the balanced hand, 4H showing good hearts and a minimum. Could also be 1S asking - but this conflicts with the previous example, I think. My guess is after 1C - 1H, 1S shows H's 1NT asks for further description 2C shows C's 2D shows D's [source Spingold 1996] AT82 KQ9 A84 KJT KJ92 Q A9 J75432 1C 1NT 3C 3D 3NT P 1NT showing clubs. I believe 3C is a flipflop stayman thing ( 3D denies a major, 3M shows 4 cards in the other major). [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] AQT5 K9643 T7 QJ982 AKQ85 --- AQ JT3 1C 1H 2D 3H 3S 4S 4NT 5D 6S The 2D bid strikes me as odd - I would expect a spade raise there. Of course, sometimes responder won't have spades. 3H looks like minimum 5-5, and 4S would then be screaming minimum, as a cue bid by responder here does not promise extras. I think opener continued on expecting a slightly better hand for the original positive response. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] AK843 972 A98 KT75 AKJ2 QT83 K A8 1C 2D 2S 2NT 3C 3H 3S 4C 4D 4H 4S P 2D here is showing the balanced positive, and 2S sure does look like spades. 2NT would then be a step reply describing the spade support. I think 3C was a stall, but it may have been showing the diamond suit. I think it doesn't because they failed to wander into 6D, which certainly looks like a good spot. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] T K52 AJ95 K8763 KQ9 A AQT87 9543 1C 1S 2D 3C 3H 3NT 4H P 1S shows hearts, 2D shows clubs, and 3C shows 4 card support. 3H sets hearts as trumps, 3NT shows a good hand for slam, and 4H bails. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] AJT53 K72 AK 9 AT4 KQ762 AJ6 KQ76 1C 2C 2H 2NT 3D 3H 3NT 4NT 5D 5S 5NT 7D 2C shows diamonds, 2H ( second step ) therefore shows spades. 2NT must show 3 card support. Once again, it is clear that step rebids are being used, but not so clear what the steps are in each case. This is especially difficult, as there are two variables. One is the level of the asking bid; the other the relative distance to the shown strain. I am very confident the first matters, and less confident about the second. [source CTC 5-1995] K5 AQ976 AK976432 85 AQ KT73 K A6 1C 1H 1S 2C 2H 2NT 3H 3S 4NT 5H 5S 6C 7NT --- 1H showing spades, and 1S asking about hearts. Step response ( 1NT, of course, would show the balanced hand) showing a misfit with extras. According to _The Bridge World_ the next two rounds are natural, and the following 2 rounds are RKC. [source CTC 6-1996] AQ7 95 93 AKT5 AKQT63 J8 A7 QJ863 1C 1NT 2H 2S 3D 3H 3S 4D 4H 4NT 5H 5NT 6D P Opener's 2H rebid ( third step ) again shows the unbid minor. 2S (first step) is noted as a misfit _without big extras._ After some natural bidding 4H/5H was kickback, 5NT showed 1 side king. [source CTC 6-1996] T863 A T AJ9 KQJ5 A87642 Q987 KJ6 P 1C 2S 2NT 3D 3H 3S 3NT 2S showed a hard hand to bid. 3D showed a 3 suiter with short hearts, and 3S a minimum. I'm not sure I see why opener didn't show diamonds, rather than relaying with 2NT - perhaps because it would take up too much room. AFTER A NEGATIVE RESPONSE [source Spingold 1996] AKQ952 764 K53 A742 Q6 T93 KT 982 1C P 1D 2D 2S P P P This hand is here as an illustration of the fact that 2S is not forcing; and how good responder can be to pass the 2S call. [source Spingold 1996] 85 J973 AK4 JT96532 AK98 7 A962 K 1C 1D 2C 2D 3H 4H [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] AKQ9 JT2 AJ53 Q92 A QJ9765 K853 7 1C 1D 1H 2D 2NT 3D 3NT P The 1M rebid can be on 4, as evidenced here ( I believe that opener's 2m rebid denies a 4 card major). 2D shows a non minimum 3 card raise - call it 5-7. A maximum negative response without a fit presumably bids 2C, and a minimum hand with at best 3 card support retreats to 1NT. Over the artificial 2C call, 2D starts a scramble. My reading of the structure here depends very heavily on the system notes written by Johnson and Berkowitz. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] 86 AKJ94 97 AKT4 J87532 --- T64 AK75 P 1C 1D 1S 1NT 3H 3S 4C 4S P NATURAL OPENINGS [source Spingold 1996] AJ85 QT764 AT842 KQ9 A2 Q9 96 QJ5 1H 2NT 4H P [source Spingold 1996] AJ642 KQ8753 AK4 JT96 K7 A98 T92 --- 1NT P 2H P 3S 4C 4NT P 5S P 6S AP. Note that the strong notrump opening can include a 5 card major. 3S looks like a super acceptance of the transfer; 5S looks like 2 keycards plus the trump Q (or extra length). [source Spingold 1996] AKJ5 98762 KQJ 875 94 AQ3 KT63 J4 1NT 2H 3D 3H 3S 4S A good hand with good controls - but Meckstroth opens 1NT rather than 1C. So it looks like 15-17 in these conditions ( 1st seat, favorable, IMPS). 3D should be a super acceptance of the transfer again. What does it show besides spades? Many top pairs use side suit bids to describe the holding in that suit as well as the long trumps required to super accept the transfer. A common treatment, and one that I don't like myself, is to show a weak doubleton in the side suit. That is certainly possible here. But it seems far too simple to be part of the Meckwell notrump structure. My guess is that 3D shows club values. 3H gets the contract right sided, then responder accepts the implied invitation. (There is one other clue - Goldman lead a trump from S:T4 H:AT943 D:K72 C:Q95 - make of that what you will.) [source Spingold 1996] Q73 AJ8542 KQJ7 983 Q7 A QJ32 AT8 P 1S 2C 4S Fit showing Drury would be a good guess. I expect that it also promises a balanced hand (Meckstroth might look for a singleton heart). Note Rodwell's pass - 1D openings are weak, systemically, so Eric tends not to push the edge of the envelope. [source Spingold 1996] 6532 T --- K9872 Q732 A985 KT853 AQ4 P 1H 1NT 2D Meckstroth bidding 1NT rather than 1S with 6532. Judgment? or have they flip flopped 1S and 1NT. I'm not sure. [source Spingold 1996] K6 QT92 AT972 --- AT63 Q4 J7 AK86542 1H 2C 2D 2S 3C 3NT 4C 5C [source Spingold 1996] KQ2 A87653 AT87 J J9842 KT K Q743 1D P 1S X XX 2H 4S AP. Of course, Meckwell do play support doubles and redoubles [source Spingold 1996] 985 Q643 KQ5 864 AQ9 JT5 Q965 KJ7 1D 1H X This surprised me a little - I would have guessed that this pair would play that the double denied 4 spades. Either my guess is off, or Meckstroth was disturbed by his shape. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] KQT953 A QT A73 3 AQJ76 KQ72 A964 1S 2D 2S 2NT 3H 4C 4D 4H 4NT 5D 5NT 6C 7C P To my eyes, 2NT appears to be a relay. and 3H shows long clubs. 4C sets the trump suit. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] JT9842 3 --- AQJ9764 K5 Q43 AQT43 76 1S 3H P -- [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] 76 A8 A6 JT854 AQ8 KT764 KJ9865 Q 1NT 2D 2H 3C 3H 4H I'm not sure I understand the 1NT opening. It looks ok in standard, where the rebid might be a problem; perhaps Meckstroth was covering. 3C is noted in _The Bridge World_ report as showing diamonds, steering the partnership out of 3NT. [source Bermuda Bowl 1995] AQ875 J63 842 KQ KT87 A95 5 A8763 P 1NT 2H 2S 3D 4S Oddly enough, here diamonds are shown by bidding diamonds. Of course, we were in hearts on the earlier auction. I conclude they are using steps again. [source CTC 6-1996] Q3 KT854 AJ6 95 AK652 J J98 AT762 1NT 2H 2S 3H 3S 3NT 4S P 3H is noted as showing either an invitation with spades, or a game forcing black 2 suiter. [source CTC 5-1996] AKJ53 86 QJ32 K95 6 AKT743 972 K3 1S 2D 2H 2NT 2NT P [source CTC 6-1996] AK9765 4 Q AK83 J KT98754 AJ954 T 1S 3D 4C 4D 5D P 3D is noted as invitational. ANOMOLIES [source Spingold 1996] AJ9 T2 A83 KQ97 75 K86 KQJ94 T852 P 1C P 2D X P P 2H P 3C P 3NT This was the second time an oddly minimum 1C opening was made. 2D showed minimum balanced, as expected. Perhaps Rodwell liked his suit quality.