Hypermodern bridge

[pilowsky]

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In which the west robot channels Winnie the Pooh and doesn't underestimate the value of doing nothing.

 

In a spasm of sobriety I decided to attempt to bid (what I thought was) normally and opened a cautious 1♦.

My partner (this is best hand IMP's btw) responded with a genteel 1♥.

I pushed on with an orthodox 2NT and the robot bid Gerber. The first time I've seen Gerber from GIB outside a NT opening.

After providing the appropriate response I find myself in 6NT. Pass, pass... and...

 

West, with the AK of diamonds, acutely aware of the danger that I might escape to 7♥ if he slides in a double decides to pass.

 

Once the north robot gets the bit between his teeth there appears to be no stopping him.

At the other table south attempted to apply the brakes by bidding 4♠.

 

Nothing doing - North went to 6NT still undoubled and we both ended up with 6NT-1.

 

[/hv]

[pescetom]

I've seen worse, and not only from GIB. He can count 33+ beans after all. I guess it is strange that he worries about missing 2 Aces (or is ready to bid grand missing 2 Kings) but asking Aces is reassuring even to a robot.

 

IMO he would have done better to bid a natural 3♤, which would have allowed you to fit his 5 card hearts. A decent Italian pair would prefer an artificial 3♧, which also exposes the hearts fit and then control-bid in hearts discovering mutual lack of control in diamonds.

[thepossum]

Highly unfortunate

 

I could easily see myself getting to 6NT via my ambitious quants sometimes

 

I don't use Gerber much but could it not ask for Kings

[pescetom]

I don't use Gerber much but could it not ask for Kings

Perhaps I was too indirect B-)

 

Asking for Aces was already dumb, as we cannot be missing two and it makes no difference whether or not we are missing one (see actual auction).

Now we know we are missing one Ace, we can be missing at most one King.

Even if we ask and the reply says we are missing one King, it still makes sense to try the slam.

So Ace and King asking is a waste of time here, just leaking information to opponents when we have already decided.

 

The simplest superior solution is to fix trumps in hearts (as low as possible) and then use indifferentiated control-bids to expose the diamonds weakness.

Unfortunately this is not part of GIB's armoury.

But it does do a lot of things much more stupid than trying slam with 33-34 beans.

[thepossum]

Perhaps I was too indirect B-)

 

Asking for Aces was already dumb, as we cannot be missing two and it makes no difference whether or not we are missing one (see actual auction).

Now we know we are missing one Ace, we can be missing at most one King.

Even if we ask and the reply says we are missing one King, it still makes sense to try the slam.

So Ace and King asking is a waste of time here, just leaking information to opponents when we have already decided.

 

The simplest superior solution is to fix trumps in hearts (as low as possible) and then use indifferentiated control-bids to expose the diamonds weakness.

Unfortunately this is not part of GIB's armoury.

But it does do a lot of things much more stupid than trying slam with 33-34 beans.

 

As I said I have hardly ever used Gerber in my life and rely on clearly flawed 33-34 points, occasionally fewer. But I have been known to check for Kings when missing an Ace

 

But what are the chances of that particularly unfortunate outcome from 33 points

 

I occasionally like to play with other SW (eg QPlus Demo). Indeed hearts were the preferred route. But when forcing a Gerber bid it checked for Kings and ended in 6NTx. A crude sim gives a chance of 88% of making 6NT :) oops that without checking for Kings. Its only 70% if you check for kings. Average tricks dropping from 11.8 to 11.5 approx

[LBengtsson]

A hand where Precision and control bids win and GIB 2/1 lose. No more, no less. Just not on the side of fortune.

[pescetom]

What struck me as more odd (than using Gerber anyway) was that West didn't double.

 

It's often better not to double in these cases when on lead. Here you may be the only pair scoring on your line anyway so at MP there is uncertain gain (other tables might be in 5♥= on the actual layout, 6♥= with a singleton in North, 6NT+1 declared by North receiving a spades lead, u.s.w.) but certain risk (North pulls to 7♣= or to 7♥= with a void).