slar

You can always see the bidding. Click on the contract on the left side.

http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=st||md|3SQ82HJ65DAQ9CAJ53,S7H72DKJ7653CQ984,SAKJ9HQT3DT842CKT,ST6543HAK984DC762|sv|N|ah|Board%205|mb|1D|an|Minor%20suit%20opening%20--%203+%20!D;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points|mb|2D!|an|Michaels%20--%203-%20!C;%203-%20!D;%205+%20!H;%205+%20!S;%209+%20total%20points;%20forcing|mb|D|an|Penalty%20double%20--%2010+%20HCP|mb|P|mb|P|mb|2H|an|3-%20!C;%203-%20!D;%205+%20!S;%20rebiddable%20!H;%209+%20total%20points|mb|D|an|2+%20!H;%2010+%20HCP|mb|P|mb|3D|an|11+%20HCP;%20rebiddable%20!D;%2012-14%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|4D|an|3+%20!D;%202+%20!H;%2015-16%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|5D|an|11+%20HCP;%20rebiddable%20!D;%2012-14%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|HK|pc|H5|pc|H2|pc|H3|pc|HA|pc|H6|pc|H7|pc|HT|pc|H9|pc|HJ|pc|D6|pc|HQ|pc|S7|pc|S9|pc|S3|pc|SQ|pc|C3|pc|C8|pc|CK|pc|C2|pc|D2|pc|S4|pc|DA|pc|D3|pc|CA|pc|C4|pc|CT|pc|C7|pc|C5|pc|C9|pc|D4|pc|C6|pc|SA|pc|S6|pc|S2|pc|D7|pc|DK|pc|D8|pc|H8|pc|D9|pc|D5|pc|DT|pc|S5|pc|DQ|pc|S8|pc|DJ|pc|SK|pc|ST|pc|CQ|pc|SJ|pc|H4|pc|CJ| GIB managed to bid a Txxx not twice but three times. I honestly thought I won this hand until I saw declarer's hand. For GIB to pull the penalty double to its terrible suit then raise me to game is just mean. Why do I play this game?

http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=ZZ%7C%7Cpn%7Cslar%2CRobot%2CRobot%2CRobot%7Cst%7C%7Cmd%7C2SKJ2HAQ7D864CKQ76%2CSA754HJ6DA52CAT92%2CSQT86H9853DKQJTCJ%2CS93HKT42D973C8543%7Csv%7C0%7Cah%7CBoard+8%7Cmb%7C1C%7Can%7CMinor+suit+opening+--+3%2B+%21C%3B+11-21+HCP%3B+12-22+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CD%7Can%7C3%2B+%21D%3B+3%2B+%21H%3B+3%2B+%21S%3B+9%2B+HCP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C2S%7Can%7CJump+new+suit+--+4%2B+%21S%3B+9-15+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C2N%7Can%7C2-5+%21C%3B+2-5+%21D%3B+2-4+%21H%3B+2-4+%21S%3B+19-21+HCP%3B+stop+in+%21C%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C3D%7Can%7C4%2B+%21D%3B+4%2B+%21S%3B+9-15+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C3N%7Can%7C2-5+%21C%3B+2-5+%21D%3B+2-4+%21H%3B+2-4+%21S%3B+19-21+HCP%3B+stop+in+%21C%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cpc%7CCT%7Cpc%7CCJ%7Cpc%7CC3%7Cpc%7CC6%7Cpc%7CDK%7Cpc%7CD3%7Cpc%7CD4%7Cpc%7CDA%7Cpc%7CC9%7Cpc%7CH3%7Cpc%7CC5%7Cpc%7CCK%7Cpc%7CSK%7Cpc%7CSA%7Cpc%7CS6%7Cpc%7CS9%7Cpc%7CCA%7Cpc%7CH5%7Cpc%7CC8%7Cpc%7CC7%7Cpc%7CC2%7Cpc%7CH8%7Cpc%7CC4%7Cpc%7CCQ%7Cmc%7C10%7C After LHO opened 1♣, I balanced with a double because I was too strong for a balancing 1NT which GIB calls 11-14. After that pard correctly jumps to 2♠. After that, the continuations are all wet - 2NT is alerted as 19-21 and 3NT is 22-25. Those ranges are all wrong - 2NT should show 15-18, 3NT should show 19-21, and if you really have more than that (come on!) you can cue bid. At least GIB didn't leave me out to hang but it would be nice if its descriptions were accurate.

It is still better than repeating a 4-card diamond suit. At least you give GIB a chance...

Isn't life easier if you bid 4♣?

And that is why psyching a conventional bid is forbidden in most organized play.

Then transfers are off and 2♠ is to play. That is absurd with Qxxx. GIB must pass with that hand.

Okay, I completely read this wrong. According to the card, GIB can make a 1NT overcall with 15-18 HCP and a stopper. If this is done then there are no issues. It is not clear to me why GIB did not make this bid in the first place. After that the continuations are easy.

In this scenario, would a double of 2♦ show diamonds or hearts? It would be a good thing to know whether they are stolen bid doubles or penalty doubles.

Thank you for educating me on how GIB works here. I don't like it but at least I understand it.

This would be the perfect time for GiB to make a cue bid, something it does too infrequently. Over 4♣, a bid of 4♠ or even 5♣ keeps you out of trouble.

http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=slar&s=SA82HAQT9DJT7CQT5&wn=Robot&w=SKQ965H653DAQ4C86&nn=Robot&n=SJT73H4D9653CA974&en=Robot&e=S4HKJ872DK82CKJ32&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1H(Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20%21H%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)P1S(One%20over%20one%20--%204+%20%21S%3B%206+%20total%20points)P2C(Opener%20two%20rebid%20--%204+%20%21C%3B%204-%20%21D%3B%205+%20%21H%3B%203-%20%21S%3B%2011-16%20HCP%3B%2012-18%20total%20points)P3H(Correct%20back%20--%203+%20%21H%3B%204+%20%21S%3B%2010-12%20total%20points)PPD(16-%20total%20points)P4D(4+%20%21D%3B%2020-%20total%20points)PPP&p=S4S8SQS3C8C4CKC5C3CTC6C7D7DAD3D8SKS7D2S2C2CQD4C9S9STDKSACJDJH3CADTDQD5H2S6SJH8H9&c=6 http://tinyurl.com/j4bhzyh I passed twice and the opponents invited. I have a trump stack and my double is alerted as 16- points. In many instances GiB will alert a double as takeout, even when the level is quite high. For the most part I've learned to sit back and take my plus in these cases. However, this time there was no indication that GiB would take out the double (especially with a mere 4 cards) so I went ahead and tried it. Well, GiB took it out anyway and turned +300 into -400. (Sure, I could have declared differently but it was still a bottom either way.) If I can't trust GiB's explanations, the game is very difficult and frustrating to play.

Since a balancing NT is 11-14 HCP, 4th seat GiB should bid 2NT over 2♦. From there things are easy.

I can live with that explanation. You're already in a game force. Responder should go to game (either 3NT or 4♠).

Nice psych! Psychs do seem to give GiB trouble.