I don’t know about you, but I hate to open a 19-HCP hand either 1♣ or 1♦ and watch three green cards hit the table - UGH. That’s one reason I love Big Club systems.

One of the first books I read about bridge was a great treatise by Edgar Kaplan (sorry Adam, he’s no relation) on the Italian Blue Team’s Roman Club system. From 1957 to 1972, that team won 13 world titles, 10 in a row. There is no doubt they had great players like Giorgio Belladonna and Benito Garrozzo, but it was their big club system that gave rise to their success, which spawned a rash of big club systems: the Dallas Club (developed by the Dallas Aces), the Schenken (Howard) Club, and the Precision Club (C.C. Wei).

Years ago, my partner and I played the Kaplan-Alfred Sheinwold (K-S) system which used the Schenken club opener. 1♣ promised 17 HCP with undetermined shape, 1♦ was exactly 15 or 16 HCP with either a six-card Diamond suit or a flat hand, 1♥ and 1♠ were natural (at least a five-card suit and 11-16), 1 NT was 11-14 flat, 2♣ promised five Clubs with a four-card major or six Clubs (11-16), 2♦ was mini-Roman with 4-4-1-4 or 4-4-0-5 shape (11-16), and 2♥ and 2♠ were normal weak openers. That was it.

Precision has now become the rage and most experts use it or 2-over-1 in tournaments. If you face opponents who play Precision (Adam and I) or a variation (like the Charlie White-Pat Clark team) be careful about making overcalls when you are vulnerable. The strong club system might jump up and bite you big time. The following two hands illustrate this perfectly.

In Spring Hill, the opponents are red, we are white, and LHO passes. Adam bids 1♣ and, after RHO passes, I bid 1♠ alerted by Adam. LHO now bids 2♣ and Adam doubles which I alert. RHO and I pass and LHO looks like a deer caught in the headlights. “What was the alert,” she asks. “It was a support double,” I reply. “You’re passing a support double?” she asks. “You have the wrong tense. I pass-ED a support double,” I respond. My hand is: ♠Qxxxx, ♥x, ♦xx, ♣AKxxx.

Adam leads and after RHO tables the dummy, she becomes a spectator at a tennis match as Adam and I rattle off the first 10 tricks. Adam cashes the Ace and King of Hearts (spade discard by me), Heart ruff, Queen of Spades covered by the King and taken by Adam’s Ace. Adam cashes the Jack of Spades and leads a low Club. I win the King, promising the Ace, and lead the top of my doubleton Diamond. Adam wins the Jack and leads a Club to my Ace. I return a Diamond and Adam wins the Queen and Ace as declarer’s King drops. Declarer wins the last three tricks with the Queen, Jack, and ten of Clubs. Two Clubs doubled, down five for +1400. We might make six Spades, but as Larry Cohen says take the sure profit and go home,

I always enjoyed playing against the late Frank Unetic. He was a fun guy who didn’t take bridge too seriously. On one deal, they’re red, we are white, and Frank deals and passes. Adam opens 1♣, RHO passes, and I bid 1♥. Frank bids 1♠ and Adam doubles. Yes folks that’s a penalty double. Frank struggles to take 3 tricks and we’re +1100 for a top. Frank unfolds the traveler and all E-W pairs are in 3 NT, usually making 5 for +460. Frank shakes his head and says, “I shouldn’t have bid so much.”

Sincerely, Jim Somma