[lycier]

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Now that 4♦ was alerted as twice rebiddable ♦,19 totaol ponts,Gib W should raise to 5♦ with 7 hcp. pass is illogical.

This post has been edited by lycier: 2014-April-08, 12:22

[Stephen Tu]

I'm OK with passing, I don't think 5♣ is a good call, partner can have stiff or small doubleton club, easily could lose 2 trumps and a spade or heart. 5♦ can have similar issues, partner won't always have CAxx and the clubs may not be worth anything.

The call to complain about IMO is 4♦, I think bidding 3nt is far better. All one needs is pard DJ, good diamond break or DJ falling, or partner with a 2nd spade stopper. Trying for 5♦ a lot more needs to go right.

[Bbradley62]

But 4♦ should be more likely to get you to slam when it's right.

[barmar]

The book bid for this hand is 4♦. Since Lycier plays with basic bots, that's what he gets.

Advanced bots use simulations, and the bids it considers are Pass, 3♦, and 4♦. It usually chooses 3♦, because either this gets the same result as 4♦, or partner has a decent hand with spade stopper and bids 3NT. All the auctions that reached a successful 6♦ began with 3♦, because there was room for West to show strength in the side suits. West rarely bids over 4♦, because it's dangerous to keep bidding without a fit. (This is probably why many advanced players use Leaping Michaels -- using so much bidding space is not productive less well-defined hands.)

The rule for bidding 3NT doesn't allow 6 cards in any suit, but we perhaps could add a rule that allows a good 6-card minor like this. Although bidding 3NT is somewhat unilateral -- if 6♦ is possible, you'll never find it that way, since the bid would also be made with a strong, balanced hand.

BTW, in direct seat the robot doubles with this hand. It only bids diamonds when balancing.

[Stephen Tu]

IMO most strong balanced hands should double, unless with say doubleton other major. I bid 3nt over 2M way more often with 6+ suit than with strong balanced.