[sm101]

Can anyone tell me why the GIB raised my competitive bid of 4 spades to slam? Thank you.

[1eyedjack]

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MP, gib32

Here is your hand.

The explanation attached to your bid suggests that GIB expects you to have 21+ total points.

Perhaps not sensible, but there you have it. Maybe it should still go via 5D or 5H on the way.

Your initial double is consistent with GIBberish, but in my experience starting with double on a strong single-suiter seldom works well. For all that the system bid is double, its follow-ups are very weak.

[Bbradley62]

1eyedjack, on 2015-March-29, 14:31, said:

The explanation attached to your bid suggests that GIB expects you to have 21+ total points.

South's supposed 21+ and North's 8 total points still aren't enough to justify the jump to slam. As is stated in the explanation of 6♠, this action should require 11. So, the question remains: Why does North think he is strong enough to jump to slam opposite 21?

Almost certainly, GIB simulated hands... Give South either pointy K instead of ♥K, and slam is good despite South having "only" 18 total points.

The problem is that in all competitive auctions GIB thinks his partner is bidding to make, never just to be competitive. So, if South says he can take 10 tricks in spades with no help from North, North thinks his hand is worth at least 2 tricks and he raises to slam.

[sm101]

Thank you very much for your reply.

Are you suggesting that I should have overcalled rather than doubled? I thought that my hand was too strong for the overcall.

[1eyedjack]

I suggest that based on my past experiences with GIB I personally would have overcalled rather than double. I agree with you that in theory it is too strong. GIB also agrees with you that it is too strong. Having so agreed, there remains the decision of which route is in practice more likely to get you in the right spot, and all that I can say is that in my experience overcalling works out better. Not every time, but most of the time.