This system was played continuously for 10 of the last 22 years irregularly in both Pairs competition, and Teams, by Neill Currie and Tony Melucci. In one twelve month period they played at only three tournaments, winning 5 consecutive minor Pairs events at the San Francisco Nationals, three consecutive one-day Open Pairs events at the Las Vegas Regional, and the "New England Pairs Championship" at The Regional in Burlington VT. It was quite a "year". It seemed that whenever they played, providing Neill didn't totally butcher a hand, or fall asleep at the table, or if Tony could rein in his proclivity for a large number, they had a chance.
Note from Neill Currie: Tony was getting a little bored playing Currified Precision. So five minutes before the start of a Pairs event at a Sectional at Adventures in Bridge in San Diego, I taught him the changes to switch from the 5 card Major version to the 4 card major version. That afternoon we scored 73% (Tony remembers the score as 76%), and we never played Currified Precision again.
The System utilizes the lightest opening bids allowed by the ACBL (8+ HCP, and 4+ card length), a forcing Club, a completely artificial 1D opening showing ANY (unbalanced) shape at all (12-14 HCP), weak 2H and 2S on a puny 0-7 HCP and 5+ length, and a 2-suited over-calling system that stresses showing shape not HCP.
For the curious, here are more details:
Bridge Agreements: March 2011
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1NT opening: 10-14 first 3 positions. In 4th seat: 14-17.
Stayman, red-suit transfers and Minor Suit Stayman over any 14+ HCP 1 or 2 NT opener, or after a 1 or 2 NT rebid after opening 1C.
We play "Touching Escapes" when a 10-14 NT gets doubled.
If it goes 1NT, pass, pass, double,....then Opener plays "Touching Escapes" himself.
Lebensol when necessary....isn't it always???
Forcing Stayman only applies after a 10-14NT.
If they overcall our 1NT with a *natural* 2C or 2D, then doubles by 3rd hand are negative.....and opener is expected to protect a pass by 3rd hand (which may include a search for penalties).
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After our 1C opener(15+ HCP, any shape):
1NT response is either 9-10 or 17+ hcp, 2H is 11-12, 2S is 13-14, 2NT response shows 15-16. Clubs is always Stayman, all suit bids are natural and game-forcing.
If they overcall our 1C opener: our suit bids show 5-8 HCP and 5+ suit, NF. Double shows any 9+ HCP, GF. Cue bid shows 9+ HCP, GF, either asking for a stopper for NT, or showing no biddable length.
If they overcall our 1C opener: our 1NT shows 5-7 hcp with a stopper, our 2NT shows 8-9 hcp with a stopper, our 3NT shows 10-11 hcp with a stopper. Then 2C and 3C bids are always Stayman, suit bids are natural and forcing 1 round.
A 4C bid over 3NT shows ???
Suit bids over 3NT are to play??? or forcing 1 round???
A 4NT bid shows/asks what???
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After our 1D opener(good 13-14 HCP, usually unbalanced when vul):
Simple 1NT rebid will show 3 card support for major when Vul.
2NT jump rebid shows 5+/5+ in minors.
Support doubles through 2H.
Negative freebids through 3D.
Responder game-forces over overcalls by first doubling then bidding a suit.
1D-2C, and 1D-2D are F1R+.
2NT response shows 11 hcp, no major.
New suits by responder are always F1R.
All jump responses are weak, except 1D-2H shows exactly 4 spades and 5 hearts, and a weak hand(if second hand doubles, it reverts to weak with 6 hearts)
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After our 1H/1S openers (8-12 HCP, 4+ suit):
Support doubles through 2H.
Negative freebids through 3D.
Responder game-forces over overcalls by first doubling then bidding a suit.
All jump responses are weak.
New suits by responder are always F1R.
All major raises tend to be pre-emptive, but we are bidding opposite a known, tight-range opener.
1M-2C is artificial/natural, GF. Openers first rebid is natural. We need to discuss continuations.
1M-2D is ostensibly natural and F1R, but needs alerting as it may not be what most people would consider bidding 2D on, due to the nature of the 2C bid above.
1M-2NT is basically Jacoby. opener rebids to show a shortage, rebids 3M to show no shortage with a minimum, 3NT to show no shortage with a maximum.
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Over our 2C opener, 8-12 with 5+ clubs, may have a 4 card major:
2D forces and asks.
2H and 2S are to play, as are all other suit bids.
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Over our 2D opener, 8-12 with 5+ diamonds, may have a 4 card major:
2NT forces and asks.
2H and 2S are to play, as are all other suit bids.
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If we open an artificial bid: 1 Club, or 1 Diamond, then the subsequent first double by either opener or responder is NOT PENALTY. It is either a forcing noise, or for takeout.
If we open 1C and get a positive response, all doubles are penalty.
If we open 1NT (or 2NT ???), if they intervene and we double, then that is for penalty.
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After our 1D/H/S opening bid, double by them:
Redouble by us (3rd hand)shows cards. If followed with a new suit bid it is GF+.
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After our 2C or 2D opening bids, double by them:
Redouble is the only forcing noise.
All suit bids are natural, non-forcing.
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CurriedFishRot is a system first played in 1989 by Steve Rothman, and Billy Fishbeck; devised by Neill Currie. It first employed a nebulous 1 club opener, a strong 1 diamond opener, 8-11 hcp 1M openers, and a 12-14 hcp 1NT opener. Since then, it has morphed a little into what you read above, and has been played under the guise of "The lost System of Jigger Johnson" for the last 12 or so years.
For a somewhat fictionalized backdrop to the history of the system, please read here.
My BBO User Name is jota981 if you have questions, or, I may have enabled comments on this blog.
