Can't balance Gib will hang you out to dry!

[steve2005]

4S

2♠ is given as 14-18 and 6+♠

Surly if that was my hand I would have bid instead of passing at my last opportunity.

Bidding now should be 11-13 or any hand that just doesnt want to sell out.

Balancing with Gib is close to impossible.

[sacto123]

This is not "balancing" -- This is bidding the same values twice. Sometimes it works - more often it doesn't. I would not like to play with a partner who makes a habit of it.

[sacto123]

Your initial pass did not limit your hand, it only showed a willingness to declare 1Nx. Your 2S bid showed a 6 card suit with extras. Any decent partner would raise you with the GIB's cards on this hand. As you see, even 3S is a disaster.

[pescetom]

A more interesting question is whether North did well to pass 2D. His hearts are nothing to boast about, especially after East's double, but I would bid 2S.

 

[Edit: I see sacto123 thinks it would be normal]

[sacto123]

A more interesting question is whether North did well to pass 2D. His hearts are nothing to boast about, especially after East's double, but I would bid 2S.

 

[Edit: I see sacto123 thinks it would be normal]

Since the heart queen is probably toast, for the north hand to bid again falls into the category of "bidding the same values twice". If you believe in bidding to the size of your trump fit (7), the one level is max - especially vul where -200 is not usually a good score.

[johnu]

Your initial pass did not limit your hand, it only showed a willingness to declare 1Nx. Your 2S bid showed a 6 card suit with extras. Any decent partner would raise you with the GIB's cards on this hand. As you see, even 3S is a disaster.

 

Jumping to 4♠ is what they call "bidding according to GIB". B-)

 

Only a doubleton spade, West is likely to have 4 (or 5) spades and likely strength in spades, no possible ruffing value, ♥Q may not have full value. Even if South had 6 spades and the low end of the 14-18 HCP description, 4♠ rates to be a very poor contract.

 

GIB doesn't understand the difference between competitive and invitational bids. One round somebody is making a competitive bid, next round partner is jumping to game. This happens with regularity in a variety of contested auctions.

[terpdrew]

I'm relatively new to BBO and its bots, but I agree 100% with Steve. This is my biggest complaint about GIB bidding - punishing partner for a balancing bid.

 

Balancing with 2S in this case promises nothing extra, it's just being competitive at the 2-level. There are other forcing bids I could make, like 3D. Or, I could've redoubled the initial double. I really can't take this one - it makes me play less because it's a no win. There's no way I should have to be uncompetitive and defend 2D because I sense GIB will go nuts. I mean, jumping to 4S?!? No (real, functional) partner does this in real life in all my years of playing... ever.

[sacto123]

So you justify rebidding a bare minimum opener by calling it "balancing". Your partner could have had a lot less than he showed. In any event, even without the raise to 4, you have swapped a plus for a minus because two diamonds must fail with accurate defense. Of course, if you defend at the same level as your bidding, two diamonds will probably make.