[lycier]

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According to GIB CC,I bid balancing 1nt with 11-15 hcp at the 4th seat,however difficult to understand GIB's pass with invitational values.

[1eyedjack]

I have some sympathy for your point. But it may be at least in part a problem with the system. 11-15 is quite a wide range. While game is likely to be a good spot opposite 15, on the other hand 2N may be at significant risk opposite 11. I suspect that, from North's perspective, South is rather more likely to have 11 than 15, and may have done some sims to confirm it. Just guessing, mind.

Not saying the system is bad. There may be no good or risk-free solutions for how to bid bal 11-15 hands in protective seat

[iandayre]

This hand is worth more than 15 with 3 Aces and a King, 2 10's and 5 card suit. That said, doubling planning to bid 2nt next time showing 16-18 can easily get you too high.

[Stephen Tu]

This is not at all close, North has to invite with 11. Even catching partner with an 11 count, 2nt will often be OK with west often getting endplayed. 11 to me is auto-invite opposite a weak NT, and this is 11 with a semi-decent 5 cd suit, and with an isolated opponent!

[lycier]

Now you look at another hand.

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I guess that it maybe a hole,maybe a bidding style.

[Antrax]

Either way it seems poor. I wonder how much GIB needs to invite here.

[1eyedjack]

On the second hand, if the 1D opener had held Qxx(..) of Diamonds, which is frankly more likely than xxx, then 1N would have been the limit on the hand, so I say well done to North, and bad luck.
Whether bidding to 2N and going down would be equally bad luck I do not really know. But on the first hand I agree that North is just too good to pass.

[steve2005]

Balancing is usually a weak NT and vs a weak NT like Stephen says you invite on 11. I suspect the hands you balance with 1N on 11 are good ones.

I suspect GIB invites on 12 which is going to be pretty rare as it will often find some action in 2nd seat with 12

[Bbradley62]

Still leading ♠K on the second hand, despite what the convention card says.

[lycier]

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Now This is a third example hand,we can find that all example hands can be easier to get 9 tricks with GIB North's invitational values,so I don't think this is a good conventional style.

[Antrax]

Yeah, this looks just like a "book" issue, GIB needs to be updated to always invite on (semi)balanced 11-counts here.

[1eyedjack]

Your conclusion may be valid (indeed I agree with it), but as examples to advance the argument I think that the second and third hands have flaws.

On this latest hand, 3N is beaten on a Heart lead, and it is not trivial to make it on a Heart switch following a Spade lead, requiring some guesswork which on other occasions could fail. Furthermore we cannot be certain that GIB would have defended the same way against 3N as it did against 1N.

Your decision to bid 1N with 5-2-4-2 shape may have been influential in GIB's mis-defence. I cannot be certain but I suspect that it is contrary to how GIB would have protected and therefore contrary to GIB system. As you now will be well aware from countless threads GIB will assume that your bids are systemic and will plan its defence accordingly, and departures from system will mislead the defence. Is it fair to expect a GIB partner field that possibility?

[Antrax]

3N isn't always a great contract, but right now it looks like you'll consistently miss 25-HCP NT games after balancing.

[lycier]

If balancing 1nt is 11-15hcp,this range is too wider to bid precisely , it will lead to unnecessary guess,as we know that it is a golden bidding rule to avoid final guess.
We should say it is not a good policy without invitational sequence.

[steve2005]

 lycier, on 2014-March-18, 01:16, said:

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Now This is a third example hand,we can find that all example hands can be easier to get 9 tricks with GIB North's invitational values,so I don't think this is a good conventional style.

this hand has a 5-card ♠ suit. why would you overall a wide range 1N?

[lycier]

the hand balance is key,especially without decent major suit,what you said is nothing to do with too wide rang.