[lycier]

When hold 4-card ♦ and 5-card ♣,how to open?

Now let's look at two example hands.

Hand-1

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Hand-2

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Hand-1
If Gib really have 4-card ♥ support with 15hcp,it should jump bid 3♥ for invitaton.
but 2♥ only with 3-card support,it is not good since Gib don't play 3344 convention.
The result is we can't get a best contract.

Hand-2
unlucky,Gib E rebid 2♣ as a final contract is very bad.
The result is Gib can't get a best final contract.

It is a main problem for Gib how to open minor with 4-card ♦ and 5-card ♣.

I suggest strongly to use Max Hardy's plans on it.

- When hcp in 4-card ♦ ≥ hcp in 5-card ♣,always open 1♣,otherwise open 1♦.

any ideas?

[1eyedjack]

On the first hand, North's bidding is fine. South's bidding is [questionable - edited to remove term originally used]. The problem lies not with the choice of 1C opener but with South.
I applaud North's 2H raise, but by the same token South should not blindly assume 4 card support, particularly where it has room to clarify. South is certainly not worth game force.

On the second hand, in my view there are two problems with GIB system but neither of them involve the choice of opening bid.
The first problem is that GIB treats a second suit by responder as forcing to 3N. Thus, if West pulls 2C to 2D that shows 12+ TP forcing to 3N. In my view an absurd restriction. One round force is sufficient. That said, West may be too weak even for that.
The second problem is that with the East hand I would have rebid 1N rather than 2C. But I would still have opened 1C.

This post has been edited by diana_eva: 2014-June-23, 03:52
Reason for edit: Edit for content

[Bbradley62]

1eyedjack, on 2014-June-21, 00:10, said:

On the first hand... South should not blindly assume 4 card support, particularly where it has room to clarify. South is certainly not worth game force.

It's not even clear that South is worth a game invitation (which would be made by bidding 2N to show invitational values and exactly four hearts), never mind a game force. But maybe the description of 2♥ should include "3+♥" rather than "4+♥".

[Bbradley62]

1eyedjack, on 2014-June-21, 00:10, said:

On the second hand ... if West pulls 2C to 2D that shows 12+ TP forcing to 3N...

Are you sure about this, since West is a passed hand?

[1eyedjack]

Bbradley62, on 2014-June-21, 05:29, said:

Are you sure about this, since West is a passed hand?

No, not sure. Overlooked. Disregard.

[iandayre]

I would open both hands 1D. I don't like rebidding 1NT with a singleton in any form of bridge, less so with GIB which will rebid a weak 5 card suit quite often. Max really said to open 1C when the D's are stronger? Seems like it should be the other way around - open the D when they are strong, otherwise the C.

I knew Max Hardy at the table, one of the nicest gentlemen ever to play as well as a very accomplished writer and player.

[iandayre]

I would open both hands 1D. I don't like rebidding 1NT with a singleton in any form of bridge, less so with GIB which will rebid a weak 5 card suit quite often. Max really said to open 1C when the D's are stronger? Seems like it should be the other way around - open the D when they are strong, otherwise the C.

I knew Max Hardy at the table, one of the nicest gentlemen ever to play as well as a very accomplished writer and player.

[steve2005]

Board 2
How come West Gib cant come up with enough total points by counting its void in ♣ to scrape up a 2♦ bid?
I know its silly to upgrade your hand for a void in partner's suit but Gib seems to do it and this time it would get to a better contract.

[1eyedjack]

iandayre, on 2014-June-21, 19:57, said:

I would open both hands 1D. I don't like rebidding 1NT with a singleton in any form of bridge, less so with GIB which will rebid a weak 5 card suit quite often. Max really said to open 1C when the D's are stronger? Seems like it should be the other way around - open the D when they are strong, otherwise the C.

I knew Max Hardy at the table, one of the nicest gentlemen ever to play as well as a very accomplished writer and player.

Great, player, but expert opinion from a like pool of players is not unanimous.

GIB certainly used to pull 1N back to a 5 card suit headed by the 6, every time. I don't see it happening so much these days, and I speculate that somewhere in recent upgrades Georgi or Uday have tweaked it.

I think that RSClyde expressed the logic of it fairly cogently.

https://www.youtube....h?v=LFBoNgdDmPg