[uva72uva72]

My link

IMPs, ACBL robot individual

Okay, I get that the robot thinks that I have 5 key cards plus the trump Q for my 4♠ bid. But, then again:

1. If I had held ♠AKQxxxx ♥A?? ♦A?? ♣A??, isn't that 10 playing tricks and 21 HCP and wouldn't I have opened 2♣?
2. If I really held that hand, there are 14 top tricks in NT (16 if the ♦s break no worse than 4-2). Why didn't North just bid 7NT?
3. I can't possibly have another K in addition to the 5-keycard hand with the solid 7-card suit and the other 3 Aces. What in the world is 5NT?
4. How would I have bid ♠AQJxxxx ♥x ♦x ♣AKQJ?

[1eyedjack]

uva72uva72, on 2015-February-27, 10:40, said:

3. I can't possibly have another K in addition to the 5-keycard hand with the solid 7-card suit and the other 3 Aces. What in the world is 5NT?

Normally, 5NT by Blackwooder is a generic grand slam try that promises holding all key cards. It is a common misconception that it requires partner woodenly to show Kings. Partner is empowered to go straight to 7 if the knowledge that all key cards are held, combined with grand slam interest opposite, is sufficient to go to 7 without further consultation. In response, you get to show your kings if remaining in doubt.

The technique's value tends to come where the responder to Blackwood has no upper limit on strength, in which case Blackwooder cannot afford to sign out in 6, which will be respected by an unlimited partner on the grounds that there is a missing key card.

Its usefulness is less obvious where partner is limited, and also when partner has all 5 key cards so obviously knows already that all 5 key cards are held.

As you have observed elsewhere, 5NT is a futile bid on this hand as he can count 13 tricks on his own.

[Bbradley62]

uva72uva72, on 2015-February-27, 10:40, said:

1. If I had held ♠AKQxxxx ♥A?? ♦A?? ♣A??, isn't that 10 playing tricks and 21 HCP and wouldn't I have opened 2♣?

Unfortunately, GIB does not count playing tricks when evaluating potential 2♣ openers. He counts AKQxxxx, Ax, Ax, Ax as 21 HCP and 21 total points, and probably opens 1♠.

[iandayre]

The issue of GIB's inability to count 13 tricks has been mentioned several times before, and it certainly does apply on this hand if GIB, as is apparent, is playing you for 5 key cards plus the SQ. Have you noticed, this is one issue that BBO personnel have never responded to or addressed.

And while I don't think 4S is a terrible action in real life, regulars here all know that the biggest sin playing with GIB is overbidding. You just have to bid only 3S on this hand, or possibly 2H. I would love to test those two choices over many hands to see which works best in the long run.

[Stephen Tu]

But it would be nice if GIB didn't think 4♠ promised 17+ hcp, which is rather non-standard IMO, and found a pass or at least not assume 5 keycards and pass 5♠. 4♠ should equal distributional freak not high card power, as power hands should fake a jump shift.