CarlRitner

I can see players cheating by using artificial aids to memory and by using enhanced analysis techniques. I don't see the collusion angle though. I am also curious to see what Richard means here. Cheers, Carl Bridge Books ~ Learn, Play, Enjoy!

We almost have the answer to that. When GIB was first introduced with both a single and double dummy solver it was benchmarked with a 500Mhz PC. We're getting in range of an order of magnitude in speed, and a commesurate gain in RAM. (I'm working from memory here - if that number was 300Mhz then we are there now.) However, I am not sure if GIB is allowed to increase the sample sizes accordingly. There's a switch on the bridge.exe engine that controls the sample size for simulations, and I believe the current setting is 50. I don't think that's variable from the standard GUI, unless the sample cap increases with the "think" time. Speeding up and/or increasing samples in the double dummy mode will help eliminate the goofiness that can arise because of small skewed samples, and moreso because of simulations terminated early. It won't make the program any "smarter" though, and the flaws with DDA will still be there. It will help the single-dummy analysis to a much higher degree, but I don't hear reports of GIB gaining ground because of CPU performance. GIB (and the rest of the lot) need the most work in bidding. This is an area of imperfect information that has no equivalent model in any other game I am aware of. While some of the auction meanings are intuititve, many are not, and the the boundaries between bids are artificial and fuzzy. Humans can take a few hundred or so bidding guidelines and figure things out for themselves late in the auction when a new situation is encountered (well, most can). Computer programs rely on default rules (and bids) to cover the holes in the general rules (and the database), and this works for perhaps a plurarity of these situations but certainly not for even the majority of them, much less enough to be considered bidding at an expert level. Further gains in speed and memory will refine current techniques, but we'll need to replace those techniques if we want to see a step change in proficiency. Cheers, Carl ACBL Library Used Bridge Books

These might be bugs (outright errors) or they might just be undefined sequences (holes in the database). Defaulting GIB to "always make the book bid" can exacerbate this in some cases, since GIB cannot simulate its way out of the hole. In all honesty I'm not sure just what GIB does here so I could be way off the mark. There can be "subtle appearing" errors when looking through the database but these can manifest themselves in glaring ways, as you point out. It will be interesting to see if BBO money players are willing to dismiss this sort of mistake by rationalizing how it all evens out in the end. Cheers, Carl ACBL Library Used Bridge Books

I agree completely. Computer bridge bidding needs a different approach than currently implemented. The disclosure issues -- getting useful and accurate info from your opponents in a transferrable format, as well as telling the opps everything that is a partnership agreement (after all, they deserve to know) -- this is a daunting challenge. I have looked at most of the past approaches, and I don't see the silver bullet yet. If you reduce the problem to all players being PC-based and playing the exact same system, you still have the enormous number of plausible auction sequences to deal with. Matt has made inroads here with general rules, but it seems today that almost every bid has some conventional component, such that the natural inferences of a call need to be (almost) uniquely adjusted or tweaked. Perhaps that is why progress on GIB's bidding database is dormant; why shovel grains of sand when the beach is essentially infinite? Cheers, Carl

PayPal never charges you to transfer money out of your account, either to another person's PayPal account, or to your checking account. PayPal also does not charge fees whenever money is transferred into your PayPal account from your own checking or savings account. PayPal does charge a fee for someone else to put money into your PayPal account (i.e. a buyer sends the seller payment for an auction). Cheers, Carl

I should preface all of this by saying the following is my impression. Matt's basic approach is to let GIB "solve" bridge by search and simulation, without domain-specific knowledge (or at least minimising this). That precludes the use of "learning" techniques. One can eventually teach Positronic to lead 4th best by repeatedly leading 4th best, but then it takes nearly a lifetime to teach it all of the exceptions (plus you can never really teach it *why*). Alternately, one could build a large opening lead table, but then you are transferring domain-specific (and likely person-specific) information to the program, and if that's wrong, or changes over time, you need to revise the program. GIB relies more on general rules and strategy non-specific to bridge. Now obviously, some specific knowledge such as the scoring tables and laws of play must be built into the structure. And the bidding database must be told what each call means and what requirements needs to be present to fire the rules. But wherever possible, Matt programmed GIB to solve card play by applying risk/reward algorithms and simulations (double dummy) which is essentially brute-force search enhanced by some advancements in implementation. This is part of the reason why GIB's mistakes tend to look goofy to us humans. We avoid the obvious silly play, whereas GIB explores the possibilities and takes the most promising path it can find in limited time, and it has no idea of what silly or goofy means, and couldn't care less. It may not make the same mistake later, because the simulation set is different, but it doesn't "remember" the problem or the answer, and it will re-solve it every time the same problem occurs. There are other approaches to computer bridge, such as data mining and rule-based expert systems, but Positronic and GIB are probably at polar opposites of the spectrum. Hopefully Matt will be available someday to clarify and correct me. Cheers, Carl www.carlritner.com <-- bridge books, cordless!

Counting is one of the more critical assets to have in bridge, of which I am just not as sharp as I used to be. A person who has a faultless way to keep count has a decided edge over the field, in my opinion. Now, when you evolve that little counting cheatsheet into something like Jack with Deep Finesse, you are going to take people's money unfairly; stealing is the word that comes to my mind. I certainly won't predict failure for this venture, but it doesn't motivate me in the least. My hope is that BBO makes enough money from this to put a decent effort into progressing the bidding database for GIB. It's a very promising but neglected product at this point. Cheers, Carl www.carlritner.com <-- bridge books

My post was more provocative than anything else, since 1) I don't play online and 2) I don't cheat, and 3) my program is not quite that far along. But it would definitely be cheating to use any sort of calculation tool or memory aid when playing online, and you really can't prevent that under any workable scenario. A scratch card to track cards played isn't very sophisticated, but it is practical. At a dollar a point (and I mean 1 point = 1 point) it's worth the pain to get whatever help you can, if you are so inclined to cheat. I don't know what the rules are, if any, for online poker; I'd certainly want to count cards, unless the shoe is infinite. Cheers, Carl

There are a few other unresolved issues here, which I suspect Uday already anticipated. If I type fast enough I can get my hand and the auction into another window so that if I am declarer, my own computer program can advise me. I can enter the dummy (and the OL) when that comes down while I'm thinking, Since my bridge program uses the GIB bridge.exe engine, I only need to make a few changes here and there, like adding known cards as they are played. It's not foolproof, but it's better than my card play, for sure. On defence I am still thinking about the options. I realise not everyone in BBO land is writing their own bridge program, but I'm not particularly clever. What I've described is really an advanced card combo analyser and a double dummy simulator. I'll bet there's 50 folks here than could improve on it. I'd never even bother just to impress anyone, but where's there pennies involved.... :) Cheers, Carl

That sounds something like MidMac by Jon Drabble. Cheers, Carl

After Sunday's Oscars, this is the best bridge idea I've heard in a long time! I am adding cardplay flashcards to my website as soon as I can <_< Cheers, Carl www.carlritner.com

It is a different kind of world, to be sure. $200 from Justin spends every bit as sweet as $200 from Jeff Meckstroth. Or as painful in reverse. Those are examples - you don't know the folks I play with. But their $200 spends every bit as sweet.... Cheers, Carl Not that I would ever gamble illegally; that's just a dream I had.

I'd be very curious to see how the GIB 2/1 bidding database was constructed. You can't just tweak the strength ranges and change a few bids from invitational to forcing, but there's areas of the bidding in GIB that make me think shortcuts like this were taken. Now, it's possible that I have things backwards; perhaps 2/1 was initially developed and then it morphed into SA + Gadgets. In either case, it's been a very long time since a thorough walk through the database was conducted. I believe GIB covers the holes in the biding database by using simulation/DDA. This is a workable approach if you are using a very natural bidding system. 2/1 (and SA+G) incorporates enough artificial calls that just aren't compatible with this technique, and the user inevitably draws inferences from GIBs non-systemic bidding that get you into trouble. GIB's mission was never to be a consistent, compatible partner; Matt built this to beat the other programs, and ultimately Zia. It's also a work in progress that experienced an abrupt halt to debugging and is likely to have a few quirks that would be termed humorous, unless it's your money on the line. Cheers, Carl

One other item to consider here is disclosure and adherance to the convention card; GIB is known to take about a queen or king liberty with it's stated requirements for some bids. The range to open a weak two is probably not GCC legal. That's one that I happen to know about; there's likely others that I am not experienced enough to detect. If you bid a suit for lead direction, you should know that GIB's opening leads can be frustrating in that regard, as well as its' propensity to not return the suit you lead. That particular quirk is part of the AI programming; Matt did not want to rely on any domain-specific knowledge. None of this should be taken as criticism of GIB; I happen to think it has the best potential among the programs I've seen. But it definitely plays a rather unique style and it takes time to get into step with it. Cheers, Carl

Well, as Uday stated it, yes they are if you know where the database holes are ;) As far as online security, I know nothing about that and can't comment. I'm a little surprised that 2/1 was the system picked for use here on BBO; it's certainly not the most debugged selection (SA + Gadgets probably has the most complete bid tables and the most debugging efforts). Of course, that's all old news. Getting to understand how GIB selects leads and signals is a challenge as well. I'll be watching this topic with interest, although I don't play online bridge at all. Cheers, Carl www.carlritner.com

I have exactly one of these left. I am not familiar with the publisher, Damien Inc. out of Clifton, New Jersey, so the odds of this being re-released are pretty slim. I have sold copies of this to Trekkies who don't know the first thing about bridge. Cheers, Carl Ritner ACBL Library Used Bridge Books & Magazines

Partnership Bidding is a fantastic book, and out of print. However, you can download this book in PDF format from my bridge book website for free. Downloads available from CarlRitner.com This is with the author's permission. There's also the free source code to Easy Bridge by Steve Han. I make both of these available to all as a courtesy. Thanks Carl Ritner ACBL Library Used Bridge Books & Magazines

I'm not going to do it here, since I've already arranged for you to receive a copy for your review. Your thread here is highly beneficial for all of the members, and you would be the best one to capture just what the championship books are all about. So, it's on the way. I have several years available, both listed on my website and unlisted (getting ready to do that soon :rolleyes: Cheers, Carl Ritner ACBL Library Bridge Books & Magazines

I've answered this privately; specific questions are best addressed in this manner, or by dropping me an email through my website. I can usually find out if a book on a specific subject ever existed, such as the Dallas Aces. This collaboration spawned more than one bidding system or style, with Aces Scientific being arguably the more popular, or at least more recognised. Documentation on the Orange Club or the Black Club has not been formally published, to my knowledge. Here's a great link for more information on this subject: http://www.bridgeguys.com/Glossary/AcesTeam.html Cheers, Carl ACBL Library Used Books & Magazines

Just a gentle reminder, and for the newcomers, there's currently about 3700 bridge books available on my website. These are gently used and out-of-print books ranging from Milton Work in the late 1920s to Meckstroth and the Bermuda Bowl a few years ago. Something for everyone, and always enjoyable to read about the game. Cheap shipping worldwide - 35 to 50 cents a pound in the USA, about $1.00 per pound in bulk anywhere else in the world. There's bridge magazines too - while they last. For all of your brand new book needs, please patronize the ACBL Product store; for used books, my website donates a part of the proceeds to the ACBL library, so you can't lose. Thanks! Cheers, Carl Ritner ACBL Library Used Books & Magazines ACBL Product Store

Card Play Made Easy is still available directly through Ron Klinger's website at AU$21.95 or about US$16.50 and he'll be happy to sign it for you. Please don't be taken in by the internet book scalpers on ABE and other book sites. I have sold two of these used in the last year at $5.75 each. Cheers, Carl Ritner ACBL Used Bridge Books and Magazines

Here's two possibilities: Bridge: Triumphs And Disasters (1990, Paper, Gollancz, London) Championship Bridge (1974, Cloth, Harper & Row, New York) The first one was co-authored with Reese, so it sounds very likely. I do have one copy left. Cheers, Carl Ritner ACBL Library Book Sale

Bridge Is A Partnership Game ~ The Roth-Stone System, Granovetter Books, 1989 is the reprint of the original book outlining the system and philosophy. I happen to have one copy left if anyone is interested. Cheers, Carl www.carlritner.com

OK - I haven't exactly been bumping this up once a month. It is that time of the year, however, where you might be looking for an out of print or otherwise hard to find bridge book. If so, please visit my website ACBL Library Bridge Books & Magazines and see if there's anything that strikes your fancy. Here's wishing all of the Bridge Base Online gang and membership a very Happy Holidays! Cheers, Carl Ritner http://www.carlritner.com

That's twice now I've seen Marty Bergen instead of Larry Cohen, the author of the LOTT books. These two used to be partners but Marty doesn't really have any involvement in this discussion. It's a great discussion, by the way; things like this help players at all levels to understand where the other folks are at in terms of hand evaluation techniques, and opinions of the different approaches. The evaluation techniques expressed in I Fought The LAW are quite valid, if you have the mental acumen and capacity to do this at the table during the auction; apparently Lawrence and Wirgen feel there are a sufficient percentage of players capable of this to warrant the publication of the book. Until the ACBL permits players to keep a computer running, as an aide during the auction, I'm afraid these techniques are beyond my level :unsure: Cheers, Carl Ritner ACBL Library Used Bridge Book and Magazines