[dwar0123]

3H described as 5+ Hearts 2- Spades 6-11 HCP forcing to 3nt

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Given that description I opted for 4h due to the club weakness. Poor choice, I get that the robot might be stuck, but could we at least change the description to match reality, 4+ hearts 2- spades?

[wbartley]

It can't bid 3H here. It's not stuck. It's just bad. 3S is the only reasonable bid here. Nothing else even comes close. This is a COMMON bidding sequence. GIB shouldn't be getting this wrong after so many years.

[mycroft]

Well, it looks like "I have hearts stopped, do you have clubs stopped" to me. Which is what I play with several of my partners, especially if I play constructive raises.

Now, that doesn't jive with the explanation, and may not be the best answer, but it's not "just bad".

As for 3♠, if it shows this hand, what do you do with a "3-card limit raise"? Don't I want to be able to set spades as trump and invite slam opposite a pointed game force?

[wbartley]

In 2/1 GF, 3H has to be a natural call because with six hearts and less than a game force you have to respond 1N.

If you don't have five or six hearts then you must have four clubs. If 3NT isn't the right spot here then where are you headed? Is your partner expected to rebid 3S with 5242?

I stand by my original comment. Bidding 3H here is just bad. 3S can't promise three card support. Using your own system, let's say your hand is Kx 8754 Kxx 5432. You have to take a call here and 3H is out.

In response to your last question, 3S is forcing. Your partner will make an appropriately descriptive bid that will no doubt help you decide whether to bid a slam, even if 3S doesn't promise three card support.

You can't have everything and I think that giving up the ability to suggest hearts as trump in this auction is losing bridge.

By the way. I want to recant my earlier comment that no other bid comes close to 3S. 3N is a barely plausible alternative to 3S. I wouldn't bid it, but I wouldn't call you insane for doing so.

[Stephen Tu]

mycroft, on 2020-September-28, 09:58, said:

As for 3♠, if it shows this hand, what do you do with a "3-card limit raise"? Don't I want to be able to set spades as trump and invite slam opposite a pointed game force?

As a passed hand, 3cd limit raises don't exist on this auction, as you would have employed drury.
As an UPH, limit raises typically jump to 4M, leaving the preference available for difficult hands that don't want to commit to a strain, gives partner a chance to bid 3nt or show a real 5-5.

[mycroft]

Okay, I agree as a PH (but).

As UPH, the jump to 4♠ seems to be a violation of Fast Arrival in an auction where I'd really like to use the 4 level to determine slam potential. I can still look for 3NT and end up in a reluctant 4♠ with the "Hx you forced me".

Given that I don't have concentration for it, I'm happy if my definition of 3♠ as PH as "still interested in slam", maybe a 2-card max pass.

Of course, none of this applies to the original problem, because it doesn't matter what you play, or what I play, or what should be played; just what GIB (mis-)plays.