[Hanoi5]

I'd like to learn to play a Precision system. Which book would you recommend?

[mike777]

I recommend you start with the 1971 or so red book by Charles Goren and work your way through the many versions to your current copy of Meckwell's version.

[neilkaz]

I like Precision Today by David Berkowitz & Brent Manley

[mtvesuvius]

neilkaz, on Mar 1 2009, 12:01 AM, said:

I like Precision Today by David Berkowitz & Brent Manley

That would also be my top reccomendation. Excellent book, good read...

[Stephen Tu]

Rigal's Precision in the 90s is also good.

[helene_t]

mike777, on Mar 1 2009, 05:53 AM, said:

I recommend you start with the 1971 or so red book by Charles Goren and work your way through the many versions to your current copy of Meckwell's version.

Disagree, I think it's the worst Precision book I ever read.

Reese's book is the best read I came across. Also the shrt introduction by Kathy Wey is very good.

The only contemporary book I have read is Berkowits/Manley. It is ok.

[mike777]

helene_t, on Mar 1 2009, 05:44 AM, said:

mike777, on Mar 1 2009, 05:53 AM, said:

I recommend you start with the 1971 or so red book by Charles Goren and work your way through the many versions to your current copy of Meckwell's version.

Disagree, I think it's the worst Precision book I ever read.

Reese's book is the best read I came across. Also the shrt introduction by Kathy Wey is very good.

The only contemporary book I have read is Berkowits/Manley. It is ok.

I cannot disagree more strongly.......if you can quote ten books better in 1971/72 ok....if not........I repeat what I say....If you can quote ten systems better in 2009 than meckwell precision..ok.....

[csdenmark]

Hanoi5, on Mar 1 2009, 06:34 AM, said:

I'd like to learn to play a Precision system. Which book would you recommend?

As I remember you are no novice so an advanced version will probably be right for you.

Belladonna/Garozzo is of course the real Precision versions in bridge.

An alternative will be Power Precision by Weichsel/Sontag.

If you prefer relay versions there are at least 2, Icelandic(book not available anymore) and Viking.

[hrothgar]

I seem to be in isolation on this one, but I always liked Precision Bridge by Eric Jannersten

[csdenmark]

hrothgar, on Mar 1 2009, 04:03 PM, said:

I seem to be in isolation on this one, but I always liked Precision Bridge by Eric Jannersten

I think there is a problem about Jannersten. He has published some booklets which look like extensions to his SUPER-precision version. I have one of them but not studied.

Looks strange to me to do so.

[blackshoe]

I have the following, in no particular order:

Brown, Rick Natural Precision
Reese, Terence Precision Bidding and Precision Play
Wei, C.C. The Precision Bidding System in Bridge
Jannersten, Eric Precision Bidding
Goren, Charles Precision Bidding for Everyone
Rigal, Barry Precision in the '90s
Berkowitz, David, and Manley, Brent Precision Today
Wei, Katherine and Radin, Judi Precision's One Club Complete
Groetheim, Glenn The Viking Precision Club

Brown's book is a very simple version of the system. I learned Precision originally from C.C. Wei's book. Many of the concepts in Jannersten and Wei-Radin's books are excellent. But the two I like best are Rigal and Berkowitz-Manley. Both are excellent presentations of excellent versions of the system, and Rigal in particular shows how a partnership should think about putting a system together.

[PrecisionL]

My favorite (which I give to all my Precision partners):

PRECISION'S ONE CLUB COMPLETE by Katherine Wei (Wei-Sender now) & Judy Radin.

Playing pairs then Match Point Precision is a good read for strategy.
Playing Teams then supplement with Precision Today for slam bidding.

I have read all the published and most of the non-published versions.
Currently revising Ultra Club for Summer NABC @ Washington, DC

[matmat]

mike777, on Mar 1 2009, 05:49 AM, said:

I cannot disagree more strongly.......if you can quote ten books better in 1971/72 ok....if not........I repeat what I say....If you can quote ten systems better in 2009 than meckwell precision..ok.....

uhm
mike
it is time to flip your calendar to 2009.

perhaps this is difficult to understand, but a lot of system stuff, and bridge theory, in general, has changed since 1970. Recommending a 1971 book to someone to learn a system is ridiculous, unless they want to study the history of bridge and not actually play it.

[hrothgar]

Stephen Tu, on Mar 1 2009, 08:10 AM, said:

Rigal's Precision in the 90s is also good.

I think that the first half of Rigal's book is very good.
I consider the section on relay methods incomprehensible (at best)

[helene_t]

matmat, on Mar 1 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

a lot of system stuff, and bridge theory, in general, has changed since 2009.

lol

[blackshoe]

hrothgar, on Mar 1 2009, 11:53 AM, said:

Stephen Tu, on Mar 1 2009, 08:10 AM, said:

Rigal's Precision in the 90s is also good.

I think that the first half of Rigal's book is very good.
I consider the section on relay methods incomprehensible (at best)

The section on relay methods is an appendix, and merely a quick summary. Not incomprehensible, IMO, but it took me a lot of work to figure out what the hell was going on.

I think the progression from "basic" (first half of the book) to "advanced" (second half) was well done. And unless my memory fails me, the "advanced" stuff isn't "relay methods".

[akhare]

As many others have mentioned, Precision Today is a pretty good read. Rigal's book contains some advanced topics like transfer positives if I remember correctly.

Viking Club was an interesting read too, but frankly, I would opt for symmetric relays instead of the ones mentioned in the book...

[matmat]

helene_t, on Mar 1 2009, 01:18 PM, said:

matmat, on Mar 1 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

a lot of system stuff, and bridge theory, in general, has changed since 2009.

lol

point taken. edited to say what i meant to type rather than what i did type...

[H_KARLUK]

"Precision Bridge" by Eric Jannersten was origionally published in 1972. Eric Jannersten is one of Europe's leading bidding theorists and this book gives a complete description of the basic precision club system. The book is 224 pages which includes a 75 page advanced section featuring Italian methods.

But if you've never played the Precision Club system, you will find "Natural Precision" by Rick Brown easy to read and simple to learn. While it's not a primer for a novice, anyone with a good understanding of any natural bidding system has the background necessary to learn Precision from this book. This book which was reprinted in 1998 and now contains 93 pages.

[whereagles]

Rigal's book is the only modern precision book I've seen that has some systematics in it.

A word of caution, valid for all versions of precision: beware of the 2♣ opener. It takes ages to learn how to make good decisions as responder.