NEVER DOUBLE for penalty

[oldoc]

NEVER DOUBLE for penalty. Bot will consistently override your double with an impossibly stupid bid.

[msheald]

GIB does not double well.

 

Op robot opened one diamond. 2 spade overcall by me and negative double by ops robot with my robot partner passed. Next thing I know, my partner robot doubled during each of the next two rounds - the first showing 4 HCP and the next 5 HCP, according to the bid description, showing 4 piddling hearts to the 10!

 

I passed everything after my initial overcall. Robots don't seem to realize that a partner's pass is a very descriptive bid

 

Somehow, if the hand was worth a pass over op robots negative double, I doubt that it was worth two doubles during the following two rounds.

 

Mike

[helene_t]

NEVER DOUBLE for penalty. Bot will consistently override your double with an impossibly stupid bid.

If your double is described as penalty by the hover information, GIB will almost always respect it. If you double a 1NT opening, it is penalty in the GIB system, but GIB might take it out with a very weak hand, just like a human would.

 

Many high-level doubles that really should be penalty are defined as t/o by the GIB system, and it's a bit difficult to predict when GIB will take them out.

 

So:

 

- Do double for penalty when the hover information confirms it is penalty (or says "biddable X" where X is the suit you double)

- Don't double for penalty if the hover information is vague or explicitly take-out

[smerriman]

Mike - it would best if you post the actual hand (and in a new thread, not an old one). I feel like there is a misunderstanding somewhere that hasn't come across in your recollection.

[thepossum]

I never risk a takeout over 2M

 

If left as penalty there may be a play but the odds are against you

[helene_t]

I never risk a takeout over 2M

 

If left as penalty there may be a play but the odds are against you

I really think you need to rethink this. When you have a hand that is suitable for a double, there is often no sensible alternative. Partner won't convert it very often. If they do, trust them to have made a reasonable decision.

 

I could understand trying to avoid doubles with hands with very little defence, say void-xxx-KJTx-KQJxxx. But with a 2434 or 1444 and similar and opening strength, you just have to double, and unless partner is insane it isn't very risky.

[thepossum]

Maybe I've just had some bad experiences with GiB and haven't always found the defence

 

Doubling into game is one of my least favourite things

[helene_t]

There is a saying that if you never double them into a making game, you aren't doubling enough.