[AyunuS]

http://tinyurl.com/q6n8r9j

I have so much trouble figuring out how to bid this kind of hand. I feel it's too strong for a soloway jump shift as it is really not good enough to explain how good this hand is. I can show the suits, but after it rebids its suit at level 3, the options aren't very good. Other than the lower level not forcing bids where you don't want the action to end, what's left? Either just jump to some final bid and hope it's the right one, or go for blackwood. I opted for blackwood. But then seeing that we didn't have all the keycards, I didn't want to just bid 6NT since I was worried it likely just had AKQJ of hearts and didn't have a diamond control. So I made a cuebid so then it would make its cuebid and show the diamond control I wanted. So I thought all was fine and dandy and that I could just sign-off in 6NT now. But no, it had to run to 7♥. I really wish it wouldn't do this. But anyway, is there some more correct way to get to 6NT with this kind of hand? It was match points so I really wanted those extra few points from 6NT as opposed to going for 6♣ or 6♥. Also, why is it that east will double 7NT but not 7♥? 7NT might even be able to make if I have the kind of hand that I should given how I bid, but 7♥ is impossible with its hand. Although 7NT also can't be done in this case.

So really, the main thing I'd like is for it to just not run from 6NT in situations like this. I know everything I need to know about its hand in order to make the correct bid. It should respect my decision. But it doesn't know my hand all that well.

[iandayre]

First of all I don't believe this hand (or perhaps any hand) is too strong for an SJS, but you are correct that it is inappropriate. If you do so you will never be able to bid Spades naturally, for example in the auction 1H-3C, 3H-3S, 3S is a splinter in support of Hearts.

So how should the hand be bid? I actually like your auction, as long as you were able to anticipate that 5S over 5H would be a cuebid. Any you are correct that GIB should pass 6NT. If nothing else, you have bid Blackwood and it should be assuming you are off an Ace. Mind you, good human defenders would defeat that contract by doubling 6NT for a H lead. But GIB isn't up to that and you would very likely make.

As for why no Double of 7H, this is a well-known oddity of GIB that is rarely discussed. Since it comes up mainly in auctions that are already hopelessly off track, I guess it concerns us less than many other issues.

[hrothgar]

iandayre, on 2015-January-31, 13:22, said:

First of all I don't believe this hand (or perhaps any hand) is too strong for an SJS, but you are correct that it is inappropriate. If you do so you will never be able to bid Spades naturally, for example in the auction 1H-3C, 3H-3S, 3S is a splinter in support of Hearts.

As Ian says, the reason that this hand is unsuitable for the SJS is presence of a second suit.

I think that the auction should start

1♥ - 2♣
2♥ - 2♠
3♥ - 4♣

[AyunuS]

4!C wasn't forcing though and it probably would have just passed and I thought the hand was too strong for that. I wanted to consider bidding 4!C but it was only like 15+ points so I didn't think it'd bid anything.

[steve2005]

Isn't 5♠ a cuebid looking for 7 and guaranteeing 1st round control of all suits by our side?! Gib gives this bid as showing 23+ total points.

Off an an Ace and Q♥ shouldn't you place final contract after 5♥, 5♥/6♥/6N ?

[georgi]

To make GIB stops in 6NT once you initiated Blackwood you could bid ( to play ) it only if you followed the steps to ask , not tell.


So over 5♥ you could bid it now or bid 5NT instead to ask for kings and then bid 6NT. GIB would pass in both of these cases.

Including going through asking for queen if reply was 5♣/5♦.

Here 5♠ broke this captaincy sequence of the 4NT start.

[1eyedjack]

georgi, on 2015-February-07, 13:53, said:

So over 5♥ you could bid ... 5NT ... to ask for kings and then bid 6NT. GIB would pass in both of these cases.

You know GIBberish better than I, but in terms of what is standard, 5NT does not just ask for Kings. It promises all key cards, expresses interest in a grand slam, and invites partner to show kings if still in doubt. The explanation of the 5N bid playing with a robot seems to suggest a consistent understanding on this point. Thus, you cannot be assured of stopping in 6N if going via 5N, as partner may go straight to 7.