[niekvv]

When playing at a table with 3 robots, would it be possible, or sensible, to make the person declarer whenever that side is not defending? Conceptually, it could be done by rotating all 4 hands 180 degrees, i.e. swap North/South and East/West, from completion of the bidding until completion of the play. This would maximise declarer play practice for the person.

for consideration...

Niek...

[barmar]

One of the most common requests.

[wku]

This is a great suggestion especially when the robot seems to play differently when the human bidding is slightly different even though the robot opponents do not bid. There is no reason that the partner robot should play the hand differently or poorly when the info it has is the same. Allowing the human to play the hand will make the results less random and more dependent on the skill of the human player.

[JoAnneM]

Seems like a monthly request, so lots must want it.

[helene_t]

I support the suggestion.

[klutzygirl]

Actually you can do this, although it's a bit awkward. Remove GIB from declarer's seat and close the table setup window. Change to declarer's seat. Reopen setup window and put GIB in your former seat. A simple rotation button would be much nicer!

[G-Bear]

wku, on 2010-October-31, 09:13, said:

This is a great suggestion especially when the robot seems to play differently when the human bidding is slightly different even though the robot opponents do not bid. There is no reason that the partner robot should play the hand differently or poorly when the info it has is the same. Allowing the human to play the hand will make the results less random and more dependent on the skill of the human player.

Good point. Last night bidding at my table was 1♣-1♥-4♥ all pass and at some other tables it was 1♣-1♥-4♦(splinter)-4♥ all pass. Same opening trump lead by the East GIB, but the GIB playing the hand played at my table making 4 and at other tables played differently making 5. So I got a poor score.

[helene_t]

wku, on 2010-October-31, 09:13, said:

This is a great suggestion especially when the robot seems to play differently when the human bidding is slightly different even though the robot opponents do not bid. There is no reason that the partner robot should play the hand differently or poorly when the info it has is the same. Allowing the human to play the hand will make the results less random and more dependent on the skill of the human player.

In the robot duplicate tourneys, maybe the robots should have the random seed syncronized across tables at the start of each board to avoid this source of random advantages to some players.

[manudude03]

I'd usually not think this deep at the table, but I suppose there is a reason for different plays with different auctions (even with opps silent). Take the 1♣-1♥-4-♥ and 1♣-1♥-4♦-4♥ auctions. In the former, opening leader doesn't have much information, but "thinks" dummy is going to come down with a big balanced hand with 4 hearts, and declarer not that strong. In the latter, opening leader knows there is ♦ shortage in dummy (probably void for lack of 3♦) and knows the same info on declarer's hand. Now, the GiB declarers know what information opening leader has, and often uses that info* (as well as the lead itself) to work out what the hands were). Sometimes that info leads to bad conclusions.

*Just yourself what you would lead from QJx xxx AKTx QJx in those 2 auctions. While a diamond lead seems normal in the former auction, a trump lead will usually work out at MPs since you could usually cash the diamonds later. In the latter, a trump seems completely normal.

[georgeac]

gib declares better than me. do not like this lol

[hotShot]

Actually my declarer play would suffer by doing so.

I know what my LHO and RHO have bid.

When the deal is rotated LHO and RHO change positions.
I will often misplay because now RHO's cards are behind me and LHO's cards are behind dummy.

[G-Bear]

manudude03, on 2010-November-09, 08:25, said:

I'd usually not think this deep at the table, but I suppose there is a reason for different plays with different auctions (even with opps silent). Take the 1♣-1♥-4-♥ and 1♣-1♥-4♦-4♥ auctions. In the former, opening leader doesn't have much information, but "thinks" dummy is going to come down with a big balanced hand with 4 hearts, and declarer not that strong. In the latter, opening leader knows there is ♦ shortage in dummy (probably void for lack of 3♦) and knows the same info on declarer's hand. Now, the GiB declarers know what information opening leader has, and often uses that info* (as well as the lead itself) to work out what the hands were). Sometimes that info leads to bad conclusions.

*Just yourself what you would lead from QJx xxx AKTx QJx in those 2 auctions. While a diamond lead seems normal in the former auction, a trump lead will usually work out at MPs since you could usually cash the diamonds later. In the latter, a trump seems completely normal.

I doubt if GIB considers what the opening lead means depending on the auction. Maybe an expert player would consider the implications of the opening lead vs the bidding, but not GIB.

[TrialBid]

Perhaps Fred will read this. I have two different e-mail replies from him, the first from September '06 and the second from June '08, committing to implement "Human declares if not defending." The change this would require seems totally trivial.

[fred]

TrialBid, on 2010-December-22, 11:57, said:

Perhaps Fred will read this. I have two different e-mail replies from him, the first from September '06 and the second from June '08, committing to implement "Human declares if not defending." The change this would require seems totally trivial.

If it was trivial we would have done it long ago. We have tried several times, but each time we seem to open up several cans of worms.

It is still something we would like to be able to do one day.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com