[Stephen Tu]

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1. Don't think 3nt should show 21 hcp
2. Think west should bid 3nt directly over 3♠ particularly at this vulnerability, or at least strongly consider it in its simulations. What is the current version's thought process here?

[Bbradley62]

Stephen Tu, on 2012-April-14, 13:13, said:

1. Don't think 3nt should show 21 hcp

Reopening double shows 16-22 total points. GIB probably doesn't think the 3N bid actually exists, and created that 21HCP in an attempt to figure out what you were doing. Maybe there should be a better split of that range between those two bids? Or overlap on strength based on spade stopper or not?

Stephen Tu, on 2012-April-14, 13:13, said:

2. Think west should bid 3nt directly over 3♠ particularly at this vulnerability, or at least strongly consider it in its simulations. What is the current version's thought process here?

GIB wants 13+ total points to bid game opposite the minimum opener. (West-GIB bids 2N directly when South naps and passes 1♦.)

[Stephen Tu]

Double needs 2- spades and at least 3+ in the other suits in case partner pulls. 3nt should overlap the strength range. I think 18+ is right, but partner should only assume spade stopper, not necessarily balanced hand since you would do the same with running clubs and a spade stopper and some card outside.

Requiring 13+ hcp to bid 3nt over a preempt is lunacy. I think 10-12 should sim, with 12 being nearly automatic. If you don't bid such hands with a stopper, partner with these 13-16 semi-balanced hands is just going to be stuck a lot, not having appropriate shape to reopen dbl, and you don't really want to pressure partner to reopen on blah 2(43)4, 2335 type hands with minimum points, marginal defense, especially at these colors. Taking pressure off and just taking 3nt instead of trying to collect numbers avoids costly passouts, and avoids costly reopens when partner reopens and your originally passed because you were weak, not because of penalty pass. Then suddenly you are at 4 level, and vul down multiple tricks when 3s was also failing, and sometimes 4th hand starts doubling.