Forum Question 25 – Gerber or quantitative 4NT?

Forum Question 25 - Gerber or quantitative 4NT?

This question was asked to: Julian Pottage

Question

One of my partners does not do splinters and so we retain Gerber for NT bids. However, after my 12 points NT opening recently, she bid 4C with 19 hcp and a balanced hand. After my 4H response showing one ace, she bid 6NT and we went down one. It is possible that we would have made with a different play, but my question is about the use of Gerber in these circumstances. (We are both improvers.) As we have the quantitive 4NT for such a hand, I would have thought it better to bid 4NT. I would then have passed knowing we did not have 33 hcp. Then I can see us adopting Gerber for when we are thinking of a suit slam after a NT bid. But I really do not know what we should be doing here. Do we stick to only Gerber for NT slam bidding?

Answer

When you envisage a NT slam, points are what are important rather than aces. Your partner really wanted to know whether you were maximum, which your reply to 4C was not going to help with. as you suggest your partner should have bid 4NT rather than 4C.

Questions are taken from the Bernard Magee Bridge forum which is available with BMB paid memberships.