[CSGibson]

I was playing flight B GNTs over the weekend, and was dealt this collection (story to follow, not really a problem, though if you want to give your bidding plan, that's great):

Scoring: IMP

---

Bidding went: (opps passing throughout)
P-2♣,
2♠-3♦,
3N-4♣,
4♦-4♥,
4♠-7♦

2♠ showed a positive response with 2/3 top honors. I thought 4♣ was a cue-bid, and then thought that my partner thought it a second suit and was setting preference to ♦. When I cue 4♥, partner cued 4♠, and off I went.

Off one on the ace of spades lead. Partner took 4♣ for gerber, and decided to remind me that she had a good spade suit by cueing the KQ.

The other table the declarer got to 6 hearts (the right contract), which is unbeatable, except that he revoked. Push.

Though our team did not make it, I got added to the team that did, so I will see you guys in Vegas anyway.

[han]

4♣ is always Gerber.

[pclayton]

Agree with the meaning of 4♣ and 5♥.

I hope we all agree that 5♥ is forcing.

[the hog]

What was 4C in your auction? This seems like a meaningless and confusing noise to me. How can it be a cue bid? A cue for what, no suit has been agreed.

[CSGibson]

The_Hog, on May 5 2008, 04:27 PM, said:

What was 4C in your auction? This seems like a meaningless and confusing noise to me. How can it be a cue bid? A cue for what, no suit has been agreed.

Apparently it was, indeed, meaningless and confusing noise. I just knew it wouldn't be passed, whether it was taken as a 2nd suit, or as an ambiguous cue-bid. I wasn't sure how 4 or 5 hearts would be taken, and I really wanted to leave room for partner to show the ace of spades.

It was a bad auction, which is one of the reasons I posted. Every time I screw up, there's a chance for me to get better.

[Mbodell]

What was your partner's hand?

[CSGibson]

Mbodell, on May 5 2008, 05:38 PM, said:

What was your partner's hand?

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[Mbodell]

OK so 6♥ is where you want to be for sure then, but getting there will be doable but not rock solid for me as I can't give a relay positive to 1♣ and my auction might go P-1♣(16+)-1♦(neg)-1♥(kokish)-1♠-3♦(strong 2 suit)-3♥-4♠(kickback)-5♣-6♥ but maybe over 3♥ should go something like 3♠-4♠(kickback)-4NT-5♣-5♦-6♥ since partner might have no points and only a 2 card ♥ suit or something.

I think my safest standard auction over 2♣ would be to distort the reds and bid 2♣-2♠-3♥ planning to bid 6♦ next. Of course over 3♥ partner bids 4♥ and I can bid 4NT for key card and then bid 6♥ when I find out we are missing a key card.

[Free]

4♣ is a bit odd, but you need to do something...

4♠ is ridiculous imo: p showed already 2/3 tophonours, so definitely a cue. 4♠ should show a first round control, which is ♠A.

[whereagles]

Definitely, one has to erradicate the G-convention from the face of the Earth.

[manudude03]

Maybe eradicating it is a bit extreme, there are people who preach the bid. My old bridge coach used to always say "The only time you use blackwood to investigate is if clubs are trumps". I've always wondered if he ever realised the big flaw in that . He also said that if you're too high for gerber, the bidding's gone wrong somewhere and so just sign off.

Anyway, the rule I've always followed is that if the bid before 4C isn't 1NT or 2NT, its not gerber. Simple. (also not gerber when the bid is taken up by some other meaning like 1M-2NT (jacoby)-4C )

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

4D or 4H are a lot better, than 4C ... start bidding
your suits.
For that matter, 4C would be natural for me.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

manudude03, on May 6 2008, 04:37 AM, said:

<snip>
He also said that if you're too high for gerber, the bidding's gone wrong somewhere and so just sign off.
<snip>

A true statement, at least most of the time.
The conclusion is not best, but will at least ensure
you are going plus, not the worst case after the
auction was blown up.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[whereagles]

manudude03, on May 6 2008, 09:37 AM, said:

Maybe eradicating it is a bit extreme, there are people who preach the bid. My old bridge coach used to always say "The only time you use blackwood to investigate is if clubs are trumps". I've always wondered if he ever realised the big flaw in that . He also said that if you're too high for gerber, the bidding's gone wrong somewhere and so just sign off.

thou coach, he speakst the world of teh devil!!

[benlessard]

I like to play a leaping michael type of bids over a positive response of 2M.

Splinter with support for partner positive responses never happen. Strong 2 suiter with misfit in partner suit is super common & It will be quite impossible to show that you are 6-5 after the positive responses.

2C----2S (pos)
4D(D+H)--4H my hand is crap
5C (monster)-----6H (i have 3 trumps and a stiff diamond)

[helene_t]

I don't think it's a good idea to open 2♣ with this sort of hand if you play control-showing responses. After a 2♦ waiting bid you could have bid 2♥ and then 3♦ and 4♦ to give p an idea about your shape (ok this shows 5-5 but what can you do). As it is, you never got hearts into play.

Edit: Ben's idea of a leaping-Michaels sort of rebid may solve this problem.