[thomas c]

what i really dont understand is why we have such a complicated bidding system. but i admit my knowledge of bots (except for playing) is not very wide. larry cohen has recommended a simple 2/1
and i agree with him. that is what i try to play when i play with a human. otoh maybe playiing puppet after 2nt (and after 1nt for me) is not so simple. in a recent topic it was poiinted out that a 4c bid after a
soloway jump shift and a h response was showing support for hearts instead of patterning out the hand. this on the 4 level. there are many many other examples that are similar. perhaps someone
can explain it to me im simple terms.
thanx

[hrothgar]

thomas c, on 2018-November-02, 06:59, said:

what i really dont understand is why we have such a complicated bidding system. but i admit my knowledge of bots (except for playing) is not very wide. larry cohen has recommended a simple 2/1
and i agree with him. that is what i try to play when i play with a human. otoh maybe playiing puppet after 2nt (and after 1nt for me) is not so simple. in a recent topic it was poiinted out that a 4c bid after a
soloway jump shift and a h response was showing support for hearts instead of patterning out the hand. this on the 4 level. there are many many other examples that are similar. perhaps someone
can explain it to me im simple terms.
thanx

BBO purchased GIB from Matt Ginsburg years back.

Once they had the code base, I expect that their best option was to try to flesh out and improve GIB's 2/1 implementation rather than start over from scratch.
My impression is that overhauling GIB is not a major priority for BBO.

FWIW, if BBO decided to improve the bots, I think that the best option would be to deprecate GIB and work at integrating Jack or WinBridge or some such...

[pescetom]

hrothgar, on 2018-November-02, 07:04, said:

FWIW, if BBO decided to improve the bots, I think that the best option would be to deprecate GIB and work at integrating Jack or WinBridge or some such...

I like Funbridge, where the user can (to some extent) tell the robot which conventions to play and with what style.
But I think the best option for BBO would be to develop a framework within which any compliant bot could play.
If they move quickly they still have the necessary credibility and commercial potential.
If they just sit on GIB then the end is in sight.

[hrothgar]

pescetom, on 2018-November-02, 07:34, said:

I like Funbridge, where the user can (to some extent) tell the robot which conventions to play and with what style.
But I think the best option for BBO would be to develop a framework within which any compliant bot could play.
If they move quickly they still have the necessary credibility and commercial potential.
If they just sit on GIB then the end is in sight.

Fun Bridge has been around for 5+ years and doesn't seem to have taken off...

[steve2005]

pescetom, on 2018-November-02, 07:34, said:

I like Funbridge, where the user can (to some extent) tell the robot which conventions to play and with what style.
But I think the best option for BBO would be to develop a framework within which any compliant bot could play.
If they move quickly they still have the necessary credibility and commercial potential.
If they just sit on GIB then the end is in sight.

When BBO is pushed it pushes back with stats on how it plays 55% (or something high) against humans.
BBO is willing to ignore the obvious mistakes GIB makes that a beginner wouldn't make.
Because like others have said GIB isn't a high priority to fix and is hard to fix.

[TylerE]

Ironically, I think GIB's biggest problem is that it plays a system that is TOO simple. So many bids are so widely-defined that you get into all kinds of weird corner cases later in the auction. I suspect GIB would actually do a lot better playing even stone-age Wei Precision.

[pescetom]

TylerE, on 2018-November-02, 13:05, said:

Ironically, I think GIB's biggest problem is that it plays a system that is TOO simple. So many bids are so widely-defined that you get into all kinds of weird corner cases later in the auction. I suspect GIB would actually do a lot better playing even stone-age Wei Precision.

I think GIB's biggest problem is that it plays a "take it or leave it" system. The saving virtue of non-AI software is configurability, yet here there is none. The fact that it's chosen system is imprecise and gothic only makes this worse.

[thomas c]

. i dont disagree with a simple wei system. in fact my fav system is a simple polish club which i believe solves so many problems for the average player. my problem is a selective memory.
sometimes i can see a pretty good squeeze thru to the end b ut other times i forget whole tricks. just age i guess as im glad to wake up in the morning.
oh well.

[The_Badger]

"Simple bridge system" sounds oxymoronic. A simpler bridge system might be out there rather like a simpler partner, but at the end of the day I expect many players who use bots want them to be as technically involved in the bidding and play as possible. Hrothgar's reply succinctly sums up where BBO bots are now. It's either "buy a new car time" (very expensive) or patch up the old banger so that it's still roadworthy.

[pescetom]

The_Badger, on 2018-November-02, 21:50, said:

It's either "buy a new car time" (very expensive) or patch up the old banger so that it's still roadworthy.

Remembering that you make a living as a taxi service.

[Vampyr]

I was a child, I totally relied on this bidding wheel that came with my Goren Bridge Complete book. Perhaps wheels or flippers could be purchased for GIB. It would make at least some auctions more accurate.