Takeout doubles with GIB are just a mess

[pretender]

It never picks the right suit. With 4 cards in two suits it rarely bids the other major. Often it will free bid on 3 card suits.

 

Here's a beauty I ran into today in the robot races.

 

(p)-p-(1D)-p

(p)-X-(p)-2D

(p)-3D-(p)-p

(p)

 

2D did not have a description. Just 11HCP, 12 total points.

 

3D was described as "4+C, 4+H, 4+S, rebiddable D"

 

turns out GIB the 2D bidder had AQTx x KJTxx Jxx

[Spisu]

I've been forced to avoid doubles in favor of a simple overcall (whatever the hand strength) if I have a good suit of my own, just to keep the robot from going bonkers and rebidding some ragged 4 or 5 suit card suit [in competition with your solid suit(s)] all the way to the seven level....Yes, bidding clubs (K10xxx), unsupported, to the way to seven with a weak hand as I bid my solid 6 card major! And just recently I held 9 hearts (AKQxxxxxx), and the robot bid an unsupported 6 card club suit, bid for bid, to seven...Yes, I was mad as heck, and bid 7 hearts, going down of course.

 

But unfortunately the robot may do insane things when you overcall also...Like a couple weeks ago RHO opened 1D, I overcalled 1S, 1NT, P, 2D...then P,P,P...Yes dear hearts, the robot never bid, and passed out to the opponents 2 diamonds in the balancing seat holding 7 hearts to the AKQ! Yes "he" let the opponents play 2 diamonds with that holding even "knowing" his partner had values also. On one occasion I opened 1D, the robot bid 1S, 1NT by me...then P,P,P. The robot then unveils 7 spades AKQ10xxx....too "weak" to rebid apparently. And there are many more examples...

 

I hope the latest improvements work for the robots because the argument that it all averages out is a lame one, especially when you see bidding mutilated in a way that not even the worst partner you ever had would do. A well bid and played hand is a work of art and symmetry, and seeing one butchered is a jolt that upsets you, and can affect your subsequent play.

[barmar]

Today I had the auction 1♣ (1♠) P (2♠) 5♣ (P), and the silly robot bid 5♥ with his 6 cards to the 9 suit. 5♣ was cold unless clubs were 3-0 (they weren't) 5♥ didn't have anything even remotely resembling a prayer.

 

The bots also don't seem to know what to do when you bid unusual 2NT. This afternoon I showed both minors, and the bot pushed us into slam in our 5-2 diamonds rather than our 5-4 clubs. Neither slam makes because we were off 2 aces, but why did it support the wrong suit?