[mikl_plkcc]

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I wanted to find a bid showing 18-19 HCP balanced but the robot bidding system thought my 3NT was 21 HCP. I passed its forcing bid and ended up just made.

What should I do to play 3NT instead?

[hrothgar]

Comment 1: It is perfectly reasonable (even good) to upgrade your hand to an 18 count

Comment 2: If partner can't scrape up a bid, is balancing with 3NT really a good choice with an 18 count and no running suit?
What kind of hands can partner hold for their pass?

They can't have a penalty pass. Your hearts are too strong.
They can't hold what they actually have. They should take action with that.

3N might work if partner has a weak very distributional hand (but even here, defending 3♥ is probably just as good.
It might work if partner has a very flat 6 count.

Balanced against this, 3N is going to go very very poorly if RHO is holding the missing points

Comment 3: Looking at both hands, is 3N really where you want to play? Because I'd want to be in 6♣ (even with the shitty transportation).
And its not like 5N is any worse than 3N

Comment 4: The robots decision to pass 3♥ is incredibly bad

[mw64ahw]

I'd open 1N then I guess you end up in 6♣

[mikl_plkcc]

 mw64ahw, on 2025-May-18, 07:07, said:

I'd open 1N then I guess you end up in 6♣

The spade suit was too strong for a 1NT opening so I prefer bidding the major first, and I was stuck for a rebid after the preempt.

[mw64ahw]

mikl_plkcc, on 2025-May-18, 11:32, said:

The spade suit was too strong for a 1NT opening so I prefer bidding the major first, and I was stuck for a rebid after the preempt.

Doesn't bother me. I open all balanced 15-17 with a 5-card Major 1N even against a robot

[hrothgar]

mikl_plkcc, on 2025-May-18, 11:32, said:

The spade suit was too strong for a 1NT opening so I prefer bidding the major first, and I was stuck for a rebid after the preempt.

The issue here isn't the strength of the spade suit in isolation, but rather the playing strength of the hand as a whole.

> I was stuck for a rebid after the preempt.

The NT ladder is as basic as piece of a bidding system as there is.
You need to learn it and respect it.

Please note: You weren't stuck for a rebid.
You have an obvious pass.

This wouldn't end up scoring well, but that is your partner's fault and not yours.

[thepossum]

At least 5NT makes. Could have been in 6

[Huibertus]

You have a clear pass after 3 ♥. This cannot be game for you simply because partner should not have the hand he had, and defending 3 ♥ could easily get you +200. However, there is a slight excuse for the bot, defending 3♥ could easily be the optimal result if you have a minimal balanced 1♠ with some ♥ values. I still feel he should double though. I agree with the 1♠ opening, your hand is too strong for 1NT (not because of the quality of ♠ but because you have 5 of them and upgrade your hand because of it), but you can't bid after 3 ♥, you are stuck, bad luck, preempts work sometimes that's why they exist.

Your comment "but the robot bidding system thought X" is incorrect, the robot is cheating an KNOWS exactly what your system agreements with him are he checks your system notes. So when you hover over 3NT and it shows the annotation "21 HCP...." then that is what you promise, even if you don't like the agreement, so don't click on the bid.

[johnu]

Good pass by GIB North. Bidding may lead to a game or a makeable slam. Defending partscores adds up.