Antrax

This is what it says: So let's say it goes 1♠-3♣. Now a 5-3-3-2 minimum is supposed to rebid 3NT(?). So if GIB has (3) it will pass and with (1) or (2) minimum it will bid 5♣? I've seen it jump-shift on AKQxx, which opposite xx might not be a success. Also, what am I to do with a 5-4-4-0 hand with crummy side-suits? Again bid NT?

My guess is mike wants us to bid 3NT off five heart tricks where his partner had a non-minimum opener where 6♦ was cold and 7 on a finesse, or something. At least, that's the impression his follow-up posts give.

Not looking to explore GIB's FD card, just realized the other day I really dread the Soloway jump shifts the bot makes occasionally. I somehow always dig myself into a hole where all my bids are splinters and I can't sign off below the six-level. So, can anyone either explain here or give a link to a place that gives a succinct explanation of what's going on in those auctions?

iandayre, it's not depressing, it's fascinating. People rarely post about GIB's brilliance (except for Fred for a short while), but think how routinely it does stuff like squeeze you for an overtrick. Always remember the fact that a pair of even basic GIBs finishes over 50% in BBO's tournaments. Also, if you look at earlier threads in the forum, you'll see the problems are getting "smaller", in a way. It's been a long time since GIB passed me out in a cue bid, for instance.

I think it's worse than wrong-siding. The defenders will be defending double-dummy since the closed hand will have 3 or less HCP. On this auction you'd lead a diamond and wait to see whether opener has 9 tricks in their own hand.

2♣-2♦ 3♦-3NT 3♦ is "opener's suit", i.e. 5+♦ and 23+ HCP. 3NT is alerted as the "cheaper minor", showing a bust, which is what the robot had (4=3=4=2 3-count). It seems strange to use 3NT as the "I got nothing" bid. What is opener supposed to do with a minimum 2♣ opening, let the weak hand declare 3NT? Also, with four card support, isn't it best for responder to just bid 5♦?

It doesn't. The description claims it does, but it passes the PH 1NT with balanced minimums frequently.

I don't follow. I only know 2/1 except-minor-rebid from the Lawrence CD, and in it 1M-2m-(2x)-P, pass is forcing. Is there another flavor where 2/1 is only forcing if responder's next rebid is not a rebid of his minor or pass?

[hv=pc=n&w=sat92hakt83da3cqj&e=skj854hq74djt7c62&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1hp2hp4hppp]266|200[/hv] North leads a trump. S has ♥J962. If S produces the ♥J on trick 1, declarer wins, plays two more rounds ending in dummy, crosses to the ♠A, draws the last trump and finesses N successfully for the queen, making +1. If S ducks the heart or plays the 9, declarer again draws 3 rounds ending in dummy, now crosses with the ♦A, draws the last trump and plays a spade to the K and finesses S for the ♠Q, down 1. Basic GIB which explains why it touches the diamond A at all instead of finessing some way and ensuring a make (it assumes it will always pick up the Q) but I can't figure out why South's play to trick 1 is relevant, I'd think once the trump situation is known it doesn't change declarer's play what S did in the past.

Yeah, exactly.

Same explanation as in (1). Make sure GIB really does lose a trick, and not just play differently than most humans would have.

If you play card by card in the diagram, you will see DD analysis shows GIB is 2 down unless it ruffs with ♣K and then it's 3 down. So, it doesn't matter whether it pitches on this trick or ruffs low. When GIB sees something doesn't matter, it chooses an option at random.

You guys did notice they're playing 2/1 right? They're already in a game force before the club bid.

Hand 1 is not a superaccept of a spade transfer.

Nice one. It looks like GIB is developing human traits and forgot the opening bid on its right.

No heart interference?

S is on lead, so you can't cover, just duck to your J.

How did you play a second round of hearts? The diagram shows S having a singleton. Also, what was the contract?

What score was the top then? 500 is still more than 450, right? [edit] Oh, but less than 650

Yeah, the "at least 4 characters each" thing gets me a lot (since you normally look for bids or conventions, both tend to be 2-3 letters long), so I just use Google exclusively. Its search is also generally better about also looking for synonyms.

Finding old material is even easier than posting hands. Go to Google (or whatever search engine you like), do a query as normal but add the following string (no quotation marks) to it: "site:bridgebase.com" It instructs Google to only search pages that are from the bridgebase.com site, so it would search mostly the forums.

It would be considerably easier for them to handle things if you include the hand in question. [hv=bbo=y&lin=pn|iandayre,~~M39810,~~M39808,~~M39809|st||md|1S2478H57AD59C57QA%2CS39AH89QD68TC8TJK%2CS6TQKH3TJD7AC2469%2C|rh||ah|Board%207|sv|b|mb|p|mb|p|mb|p|mb|2D|an|3%20of%20top%205%20honors%20--%206%2B%20!D%3B%2010-12%20HCP%20|mb|d|an|3-5%20!C%3B%202-%20!D%3B%203-4%20!H%3B%203-4%20!S%3B%2011%20HCP%3B%201|mb|p|mb|2N!|an|Lebensohl%20-%20Forces%203C%20by%20partner%20--%2011-%20HCP%3B%2012-%20total%20points%20|mb|p|mb|3C|an|Transfer%20completed%20--%203-5%20!C%3B%202-%20!D%3B%203-4|mb|p|mb|3S|an|4%2B%20!S%3B%2011-%20HCP%3B%2010-12%20total%20points%20|mb|p|mb|p|mb|p|pc|DK|pc|D5|pc|D6|pc|D7|pc|C3|pc|C5|pc|CT|pc|C2|pc|D8|pc|DA|pc|D2|pc|D9|pc|SK|pc|S5|pc|S2|pc|SA|pc|S3|pc|SQ|pc|SJ|pc|S4|pc|ST|pc|H4|pc|S7|pc|S9|pc|C4|pc|D4|pc|C7|pc|C8|pc|H9|pc|HJ|pc|HK|pc|HA|pc|H5|pc|HQ|pc|H3|pc|H6|pc|H8|pc|HT|pc|H2|pc|H7|pc|S6|pc|D3|pc|S8|pc|DT|pc|CA|pc|CJ|pc|C6|pc|DJ|pc|CQ|pc|CK|pc|C9|pc|DQ|]400|300[/hv]

You were right, he was wrong. You know this, he will never accept it. Just move on, trying to "win" an argument with such people in futile.

I would also open 1♥. It's not surprising GIB agrees because for GIB 2♣ and then suit is 23+ not balanced, and 2♣ into 2NT is 22-33, except it doesn't consider 4=5=2=2 to be balanced. So, the only option for it is 1♥. I'm guess lycier proposes modifying the limits by 1 HCP to tip this hand into the 2♣ opener.

If you click on the 3NT bid (with the yellow box around it) you'll see the explanation. W has ♠AKQxxxx, presumably nothing more.