[AZ_Chris]

If you played with or kibitzed AABook4 a few years ago you know he was an expert player. Hopefully you noticed his absence. I can now tell you that it was due to advancing Alzheimer's. I tried to play with him at the local club a few months ago and he couldn't figure out how to sort his hand, who was dealer, how to place the dummy correctly, etc. Sad.

About 25-30 years ago Dr. Jerry Pottier, who you knew as AABook4, designed a new bidding system. He and I wrote up part of it as "The Advanced American Bidding System" which we published in 1998. I thought and said that we'd be following soon with the rest of the system, which was too complex for me to grasp at that time. Advanced American was Volume III of what I called "The American Bridge Series' of bridge books. (Vol. I was intro to bridge, Vol II SAYC+ with the beginning of Jerry's work.) Expert American was the "Coming Soon" Volume IV. Hence "AABook4".

Turned out that "Soon" was 2016! Unfortunately, I and a couple of his other students had to finish it without him, based on extensive notes and "almost" drafts. We think true experts will appreciate it. Since we think both III and IV should be read for IV to be fully understood, we have packaged it as a bundle or as two stand-alone volumes, whichever is desired. Find the books at http://www.lybrary.c...m-p-848511.html

Please note that the system requires more memory than I have left in my brain at age 65. If I hadn't started on it at 45 I'd be completely lost. I recommend this for players who are next-gen (currently age 20-30 or so), with already developed bridge skills in declarer play, defense, and multiple bidding systems including 2/1 GF and Big Club.

If you are a true expert (NABC++ or Bermuda Bowl/Venice Cup level) and I know you or I can verify that you played with Jerry please contact me on BBO with your email address for a comp review copy.

Chris Hasney
Hereford, AZ
Co-Author

[Phil]

Hi Chris.

Not sure everyone knows about your friend on bbo. Very sorry he's got this disease.

You're making some pretty big claims about how good it is as youre recommending it for serious world class partnerships. Mind giving a synopsis or some examples that would demonstrate it's effectiveness?

[AZ_Chris]

Not being an expert myself I can't do justice to explaining everything, but Jerry was certain real experts would appreciate his contributions. I do have a close version of the convention card loaded in my BBO area, but I don't know how to transfer it to an area where it can be seen. Any suggestion on how to get it to you?

[Phil]

 AZ_Chris, on 2016-July-11, 20:40, said:

Not being an expert myself I can't do justice to explaining everything, but Jerry was certain real experts would appreciate his contributions. I do have a close version of the convention card loaded in my BBO area, but I don't know how to transfer it to an area where it can be seen. Any suggestion on how to get it to you?

philclayton555@gmail dot com

[AZ_Chris]

On the way via e-mail

[MrAce]

 Phil, on 2016-July-11, 22:22, said:

philclayton555@gmail dot com

Phil can you please forward it to me?

[Phil]

It's just a convention card I received . Some of the key features.

-Variable NT
-4 card majors
-4 card diamond openings but short club
-mini-romantic 4441 for minimum opening hands
-some interesting competitive treatments but nothing revolutionary

[Zelandakh]

 Phil, on 2016-July-12, 13:13, said:

It's just a convention card I received . Some of the key features.

Is it 4 card majors with canapé or something? As a general rule, if you have a natural 4 card major system, you do not need a short club.

[helene_t]

 Zelandakh, on 2016-July-15, 07:33, said:

Is it 4 card majors with canapé or something? As a general rule, if you have a natural 4 card major system, you do not need a short club.

In the Scanian system, you open 4444 with 11-13 points but 5542 (unbal diamond) with 17-19. Maybe it is something like that?

[Phil]

 Zelandakh, on 2016-July-15, 07:33, said:

Is it 4 card majors with canapé or something? As a general rule, if you have a natural 4 card major system, you do not need a short club.

I don't know the rationale for this combination of mini roman/ short club / 4 card majors / variable NT.