[jmunday]

GIB's responses to 2C and 2N openings are typically one of the
weaker threads.

GIB should be prohibited from bidding 2N over 2C --- just ban it.
I've never seen the bid made at the table, and GIB certainly is
not in a position to supersede that. It wrong sides contracts,
and prevents any intelligent strain determination.

I've seen some abominations over 2N as well. I thought these had
been improved by some of the recent changes. Until recently when
holding 9 solid diamonds, 3 small clubs, and a side ace, GIB
found the ingenious response of 3S MSS to 2N and actually allowed
me to play in clubs on a 4-3 fit with 17 tops in NT.
This is only the 2nd worst bid I have ever seen GIB make responding
to 2N. I once witnessed GIB holding AK 7th and a side AK pass my
opening bid of 2N.

[cloa513]

jmunday, on 2013-September-30, 19:37, said:

GIB's responses to 2C and 2N openings are typically one of the
weaker threads.

GIB should be prohibited from bidding 2N over 2C --- just ban it.
I've never seen the bid made at the table, and GIB certainly is
not in a position to supersede that. It wrong sides contracts,
and prevents any intelligent strain determination.

I've seen some abominations over 2N as well. I thought these had
been improved by some of the recent changes. Until recently when
holding 9 solid diamonds, 3 small clubs, and a side ace, GIB
found the ingenious response of 3S MSS to 2N and actually allowed
me to play in clubs on a 4-3 fit with 17 tops in NT.
This is only the 2nd worst bid I have ever seen GIB make responding
to 2N. I once witnessed GIB holding AK 7th and a side AK pass my
opening bid of 2N.

Also ban 3C and 3D responses- serious space hogs.
And unfortunately you often need to bid 2C with 19HCP unbalanced otherwise with some decent hands it will pass 1C or 1D and miss the decent game.

If it doesn't not respond to 2NT- it still serious underbids always taking you no more than 3NT.

[1eyedjack]

cloa513, on 2013-September-30, 22:16, said:

unfortunately you often need to bid 2C with 19HCP unbalanced otherwise with some decent hands it will pass 1C or 1D and miss the decent game.

I partly disagree with this.

The possibility of missing game by opening 1m (which also requires some co-operation from opponents) is certainly a factor to take into account, but it is simplistic to say that a positive probability of that event however slight is sufficient to disqualify 1m as the most appropriate bid. You have to weigh up the probability of that event, with the likelihood of adverse consequences of applying the strong opening. One of the possible adverse consequences is that your continuations following a 2C opener must necessarily be less accurate if you increase the hand types that qualify for the 2C opener.

Personally, I find that with an expert human face to face partner with a well rehearsed system, I find that getting to the right spot after opening 2C is hard enough even when the 2C opener is kept fully "up to strength", without adding to the problems by including in the 2C bid some fringe hands that might miss game when all 3 opponents at the table happen to have a hand suitable for passing a 1m opener.

That said, I do agree that some 19 counts would qualify for 2C even in my book. But you would virtually have game in your own hand, which of course requires distribution (GIB requires 23+ total points) but additionally you should have a clear direction regarding the trump strain. Opening 2C on a 3-suited hand and then expecting to be able to show all 3 suits and then still have room to investigate the correct level is asking too much.