OCP Super-Precision

Pre-empts

OCP is an aggressive system, but the pre-empts in the so-called "Simple System" are fairly standard (with a couple of exceptions, such as the fact that OCP's 3♣ opening is intermediate, and that our Club Pre-empts are included in the Multi-style 2NT Opening).

The "Complex System" is a totally different kettle of fish, however, and all of the Openings from 2♦ up to and including 3♠ are non-standard (see the Complex menu for details).

This page deals only with the Simple System's pre-emptive openings, but as your choices in this area do not really affect any other area of the system, you are to a large extent free to diverge from OCP and use alternatives, if you wish. The bottom of this page gives some of the common alternatives.

3-level Pre-empts

The Simple System uses completely standard 3-level pre-empts with the sole exception that the 3♣ opening is not a pre-empt, but rather is an intermediate opening with 6-card Clubs and a 4-card Major. The 3-level Club pre-empt is one of the options for the Multi-style 2NT Opening in OCP.

3-level pre-empts generally show a weak (notionally 5-9) hand with a 7-card suit. As with Weak 2 Openings, ideally we're in 1st or 3rd position and at favourable vulnerability with most of our few hcp in the long suit, but you can't always have all of those things.

Continuations
Continuations over pre-empts are 100% natural. Bids in new suits are forcing and can normally be assumed to be cue-bids agreeing the pre-empt suit.

Gambling 3NT

This is Acol-style with a solid 8 or 9-card Minor with nothing significant outside the suit (eg: AKQ10xxxx). Responder generally passes unless they have a void in a Minor or if the 3NT Opening is doubled, in which case they may convert to 4♣ and Opener passes or corrects. In any event, all the continuations over a 3NT Opening are natural and non-forcing.

2-level Alternatives

(1) Multi 2♦

If you're not playing in ACBL or EBU jurisdiction, then a Multi ♦ Opening is an option. You don't have to have a strong option for your Multi (ie: you can just use it to show a weak-2 in either Major), but it's less inhibitory if you do that.

The Initial Responses to any Multi 2♦ are as follows:

• 2♥ is "to play" if Opener has a weak-2 in Hearts (ie: any weak hand or with game ambitions only opposite a weak-2 in Spades)
• 2♠ is "to play" if Opener has a weak-2 in Spades, but with definite game ambitions opposite a weak-2 in Hearts.
• 2NT is unconditionally forcing on Opener to show their exactly hand-type and range.
• 3/4♥ is weak and pre-emptive with good support for both Majors

I'm not going to detail anything beyond these initial responses here, because anything else does depend on exactly what options you have in your Multi. For a more complete explanation, please see the Complex System pages, as the OCP Complex System uses a 3-way Multi 2♦

Tartan Twos, Lucas Twos, etc

If you employ a Multi 2♦, you inevitably free up your 2♥ and 2♠ Openings, since you no longer need them to show a weak-2 in that suit. Tartan 2's and Lucas 2's are similar, but not identical:

1. Tartan Twos
   • 2♥ shows either
     • 5-9 hcp and at least 5-5 shape in Hearts and a Minor, or
     • an 8 playing trick hand (Acol-style) with Hearts
   • 2♠ is similar, but shows either
     • 5-9 hcp and least 5-5 in Spades and another suit (ie: can be both Majors), or
     • an 8 playing trick hand (Acol-style) with Spades
   The 8 playing trick hands are always in the 11-15 hcp range rather than 16+. Tartan 2's are unconditionally forcing for 1 round. The original specification of Tartan Twos (by Hugh Kelsey and Tom Culbertson) allowed for 2♥ to have a 3rd, strong balanced, option.
   
   OCP used Tartan Twos for a while, but no longer. Further details can be obtained via Bridge Guys.
2. Lucas Twos
   • 2♥ shows 5-9 hcp and 5-card Hearts with a 4+-card Minor.
   • 2♠ shows 5-9 hcp and 5-card Spades with a 4+-card Minor (optionally can be both Majors).
   Playing Lucas Twos, you can either use 2NT as a "scramble" or as Lebensohl. Both methods are viable. A couple of OCP Pairs use Lucas Twos in preference to the "Reverse Roman" twos that the Complex System uses. You will find a fair amount of discussion about Lucas in the OCP Forums.