Who said that GIB doesn't know how to bid?

[pilowsky]

Just played in two IMPS challenge tournaments. In the first one I was doing OK but in the end 3 players decided not to complete making my reasonable score uncompetitive. I'm declaring shenanigans as they say in South Park!

Here is an image - as you can see 11 tables start but only 8 finish, denying me a place in the sun. Life is hard. .

You can see that result at the bottom. More fun is the following where I stuck it out to give everyone a fair go and the tourney ended with the 8 tables that started. Me last of course.

Here is a link to the killer board.

In best hand tournaments you know that you definitely have the best hand. Unfortunately, your partner doesn't. This can sometimes lead to some interesting bidding sequences if like me you enjoy trying to mess around to outwit GIB in order to get large IMP swings. One nifty way to do this is with 1NT on off-shape hands.

Here it is:

pass, 1NT: I have 15 HCP

pass

2♣ my partner has "Stayman--" Exactly what counts as Stayman for GIB is still a bit of a mystery, but at least North has 9HCP, 2 4CM and a singleton ♣.

5♣ FTF, you would think that would stop most people in their tracks. Not the North robot. This means that I have 5-♣, 2-5♦, 2-5♥,2-5♠; 15-17 HCP; and biddable ♣; with 18- total points.

North presses on with 5♠. No explanation is provided for this bid - so I can't give you one. Anyway North gave up on me at this stage and I was left in 5NT.

West being an advanced robot made the advanced lead of the ♦5 instead of the ♥8. Either way, I should be doomed. Enjoy. I always come out of these having learned something.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sq4h4daq72caqjt42&w=sk98haq986dj65c65&n=saj532hjt32dk98c3&e=st76hk75dt43ck987&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p1np2cp5cp5sp5nppp]399|300[/hv]

 

[smerriman]

Is the moral of this story that even though GIB's bidding is bad, humans can still be worse?

[barmar]

Exactly what counts as Stayman for GIB is still a bit of a mystery, but at least North has 9HCP, 2 4CM and a singleton ♣.

Pretty much the same thing as humans bid Stayman with.

 

It was probably "planning" to bid Smolen if you responded 2♦. North's hand is perfect for this bid.

5♣ FTF, you would think that would stop most people in their tracks. Not the North robot. This means that I have 5-♣, 2-5♦, 2-5♥,2-5♠; 15-17 HCP; and biddable ♣; with 18- total points.

Your bid doesn't exist in the GIB system, so it just repeats what it knows from the original 1NT opening.

 

GIB's system doesn't include opening off-shape NT -- it's never more shapely than 5332.