Argine, please

[pescetom]

[hv=pc=n&n=sthaj9764d3ckq963&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p2cp]180|240[/hv]

 

You are a seasoned Gib robot, eager to do your best after rumours of a new kid on the block.

Your paying customer opens 2♣, your bid now?

[smerriman]

3♣, I presume. GIB strictly guarantees 2 of the top 3 honors for a positive response.

[thepossum]

2 hearts? 7 clubs?

 

I know 2 D waiting and see what happens

[pescetom]

[Note: had to recreate this message because it got accidentally trashed in a copy/paste of the diagram, sorry]

 

You bid 3♣.

 

Now the human bids 3♠ and you bid 4♥, of course, promising 4+ cards without lengthening clubs.

 

Now he's really stumped because NT bids have crazy meanings when he ch hovers over them.

In the end he chooses 4♠ which at least shows 19+HCP, twice rebiddable spades and 23+ total, according to the description.

 

[hv=pc=n&n=sthaj9764d3ckq963&s=sak9875hkq3da8ca5&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p2cp3c(5+!c,KQ,8+TP)p3sp4h(4+!h,5+!c KQ,8+ TP)p4s(19+HCP,twice rebid !s,23+TP)p?]300|233[/hv]

 

What will your algorithm come up with now?

[smerriman]

GIB loves jumps to 6N, but given the story seems to be leading towards a disaster, I take it not that. 5♠? 7♠? We do have 37 total points between us, which is surely enough for grand.

[pescetom]

The human rebid his spades.

You spin your algorithm for a nanosecond and come up with a call to match that.

 

[hv=pc=n&n=sthaj9764d3ckq963&s=sak9875hkq3da8ca5&w=sqj6ht852dkqj975c&e=s432hdt642cjt8742&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p2cp3c(5+!c,KQ,8+TP)p3sp4h(4+!h,5+!c KQ,8+ TP)p4s(19+HCP,twice rebid !s,23+TP)ppp]400|300[/hv]

[smerriman]

Can't replicate this (unless you're talking about basic robots, which never have rules for freak hands like this) - set it up at a teaching table and a paid robot bids 6NT every time like I suspected. Still not great bidding, but it makes.

 

Also, re the subject line, don't get your hopes up too much.. I'm not sure if it's just my unfamiliarity with Acol, but the more I play with that version of Argine, the more I'm finding large holes in the system.

 

Most recent example.. 1N (2♥) 3♥ is natural with 5+ hearts. Earlier, 1♥ (1♠) x is described as 10+ hcp, and no indication about suit lengths?

 

And then there was this hand..

 

[hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|smerriman,~Mwest,~Mnorth,~Meast|md|3SA73HAK7DK86CAJT2,SJ9HJ865D9743CQ73,SKQT854H9DQJCK864,S62HQT432DAT52C95|sv|o|rh||ah|Board%201|mb|1S|an|4+!S;%20HCP%2011-20;%20natural|mb|P|mb|2C|an|4+!C;%20HCP%2010+;%20natural%20-%20Forcing|mb|P|mb|2S|an|5+!S;%20HCP%2011-13;%20non-forcing|mb|P|mb|3D!|an|4+!C;%20HCP%2011+;%203rd%20suit%20forcing,%20natural%20or%20looking%20for%20stopper%20-%20Game%20forcing|mb|P|mb|3S|an|6+!S;%20HCP%2011-13;%20at%20least%206!S%20-%20Forcing|mb|P|mb|4D!|an|4+!C;%202+!S;%20HCP%2011+;%20Control%20in%20this%20suit,%20no%20control%20in%20the%20jump%20shift%20suit%20-%20Forcing|mb|P|mb|4S|an|7!S;%20HCP%2012-13;%20to%20play|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|H2|pc|HA|pc|H6|pc|H9|pc|S3|pc|S9|pc|SQ|pc|S6|pc|S4|pc|S2|pc|SA|pc|SJ|pc|HK|pc|H5|pc|S5|pc|H3|pc|DQ|pc|DA|pc|D6|pc|D4|pc|H4|pc|H7|pc|H8|pc|S8|pc|DJ|pc|D2|pc|D8|pc|D3|pc|C4|pc|C5|pc|CA|pc|C3|pc|DK|pc|D7|pc|C6|pc|D5|pc|CJ|pc|C7|pc|C8|pc|C9|mc|12|]400|300[/hv]

 

Over 1♠, my 2♣ seemed the only choice.

 

Over 2♠, 4NT was quantitative. No forcing raise of spades available, so I'm forced into 3♦.

 

Over 3♠, 4NT was still quantitative. 4♦ was described as no control in the jump shift suit. What does that mean, no club control? But 4♣ is some silly natural bid in clubs. So I bid 4♦ anyway.

 

I guess Argine doesn't bid 4♥ with a heart singleton, so they show a nonexistent 7th spade instead. (And if 3♠ was 11-13 and 4♠ 12-13, what do they do with 11?) No matter, 4NT is finally Blackwood! But not RKC, so who knows if we'll have the king of trumps. I give up and meekly pass; probably wrong but oh well.

[smerriman]

Also, Argine's signaling is more fun to play with, but will make it a much easier beat than GIB. With AJT2 vs K74, you lead 2 to the K and see the 3 on your left and 6 on your right. You lead the 4 back, and see the 5.

 

Clearly, you now play the Ace to drop the known doubleton queen.

[pescetom]

Can't replicate this (unless you're talking about basic robots, which never have rules for freak hands like this) - set it up at a teaching table and a paid robot bids 6NT every time like I suspected. Still not great bidding, but it makes.

 

I paid for it all right and this is the actual auction. I just sent you the link and am happy to provide it to BBO, so long as they don't reply that I scored 58% anyway and have nothing to complain about (4♠ is dead as a Dodo on the right lead, but makes +2 on average defence; only 2 pairs found 7♥ making after transfer).

 

I do think a reply by BBO is due, if only to eliminate the doubt that they might be making people pay to play free tournaments with a robot and then providing the basic robot.

[thepossum]

How did everyone and the bots miss hearts.

 

Ran it through other "top" bridge software

 

If EW don't compete straight to 7 hearts (via Blackwood)

If EW compete in diamonds its 6 hearts

 

Just bid 2H positive. Why all the other chat

 

If you wouldn't bid 2H positive and explore slam don't ever sit opposite me at a Bridge table

 

Let's hope nobody learns their Bridge on these forums :)

[diana_eva]

I'm confused. Was the OP hand with Argine, or with GIB?

[pilowsky]

Is Argine having a rest?

No Daylong today.

[diana_eva]

Is Argine having a rest?

No Daylong today.

 

Yes, the Acol Daylong is off for a few days, there were some system issues and we're investigating. It will resume sometime mid-week next week if all well.

[pescetom]

I'm confused. Was the OP hand with Argine, or with GIB?

Sorry if the title was confusing, it was with GIB.

Thanks for your attention, I will send you the link in MP.

[pescetom]

How did everyone and the bots miss hearts.

 

Ran it through other "top" bridge software

 

If EW don't compete straight to 7 hearts (via Blackwood)

If EW compete in diamonds its 6 hearts

 

Just bid 2H positive. Why all the other chat

 

If you wouldn't bid 2H positive and explore slam don't ever sit opposite me at a Bridge table

 

Let's hope nobody learns their Bridge on these forums :)

 

Well they should be aware this is a sub-forum for robot errors and peculiarities, not a place to learn by positive examples.

 

The actual tournament play wasn't as bad as you suggest.

 

14 out of 20 did find hearts, although several of those bungled the play of 6H by North. Only 5 pairs played spades, 1 because a 4S opening was passed out, 1 because GIB misbid over 2C (see above), 3 because of other errors with West interfering diamonds.

 

I find it comforting that against 4S nobody found the lethal but highly suspect hearts lead and clubs return sequence.