Switching Sides to Declare in Robot Games

[jdgalt]

I agree with BBO's idea that when a player's robot partner becomes declarer, the player is temporarily moved to that seat so that he gets to play the hand.

However, BBO's way of implementing this idea is thoroughly wrong to the point of being stupid. So I'd like to petition the management to correct it.

 

Here's the way it actually works now on BBO, as best I'm able to reconstruct the facts.

 

Suppose you are sitting West, and your robot partner (East) wins the auction and becomes declarer.

The hands don't move on the screen -- West continues to be shown at the bottom, with the other hands placed accordingly.

The opening lead comes from your right, and dummy is at the bottom of the screen.

In effect you are playing the hand upside down, and are forced to remember that the hand at the top is the concealed hand.

And of course, none of this is explained at all. If you are new to BBO you are screwed.

 

Here's the way it SHOULD work, because it is the only sensible way.

 

Suppose you are sitting West, and your robot partner (East) wins the auction and becomes declarer.

All the players are now moved 180 degrees around the screen, thus putting declarer's hand (temporarily "you") at the bottom and dummy at the top.

The opening lead comes from your left, and play works normally.

When the last card is played or a claim is accepted, all players are moved back to where they were during the bidding.

[1eyedjack]

Your suggestion was tried once upon a time. It was sufficiently unpopular that they switched back.

 

Seems to me that this is an area where the user should get the choice, in configuration settings. But there again there is a lot of resistance to adding complexity to the interface.

 

Speaking personally, as one who has lived through both implementations I much prefer the current setup. If my LHO bid spades during the auction I find it easier to remember that my LHO has the Spades in the play if he is not hopping up and down swapping places between bidding and play.

 

I don't expect everyone to share my preference. I just thank my lucky stars that on this occasion I happen to be with the majority.

 

Anyway bottom line is that this was thought about, and experimented with, and the end result is deliberate by design. No oversight.

[johnu]

Your suggestion was tried once upon a time. It was sufficiently unpopular that they switched back.

 

I'll take your word that BBO switched, and then switched back. I don't remember BBO doing any kind of poll of all the robot users. Probably they just reacted to some squeaky wheels, and I don't understand why they wouldn't have offered users a choice, even if buried in a 3rd or 4th level menu.

[johnu]

However, BBO's way of implementing this idea is thoroughly wrong to the point of being stupid.

 

If you joined BBO years ago, you could play using the Windows version which gives users options to locate declarer, yourself, or South at the bottom.

[1eyedjack]

I'm absolutely with you on this. A classic case where choice should be offered.

 

BTW I note that the 3 Windows download configuration options that you list do NOT extend to the config currently subject of complaint: robot (partner) declarer at the top v whole hand rotation. I can't remember for sure if windows ever gave you that choice but if I had to guess I would suggest not.

 

The "experiment" with hand rotation may have been limited to the mobile skin. I don't think that it was formally polled. I don't think that I have ever seen a poll conducted on any subject. They just react (if at all) to the volume of noise.

 

If you hunt back far enough there are some threads in the forum on this point.

[smerriman]

The large majority of the times I play from North, I end up assuming North is the dummy part way through the hand and find it very impressive when the robots seem to know what I'm holding. So I'd definitely be for a change. If there hasn't been a poll, let's do one..

[1eyedjack]

The large majority of the times I play from North, I end up assuming North is the dummy part way through the hand and find it very impressive when the robots seem to know what I'm holding. So I'd definitely be for a change. If there hasn't been a poll, let's do one..

Just curious, but has that confusion (assuming North is the dummy) in any way damaged the way that you played the hand? I'd be interested to see an example.

[1eyedjack]

I'll take your word that BBO switched, and then switched back.

Found it:

 

http://tinyurl.com/lo6ghte

[barmar]

Suppose you are sitting West, and your robot partner (East) wins the auction and becomes declarer.

In Robot tourneys, the human is always sitting South. How can you be sitting West?