2007 World Computer-Bridge Championship
Shanghai, China
October 4-9, 2007

at the World Bridge Federation's
Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup & Senior Bowl World Transnational Open Teams Championships

Congratulations to the 2007 World Computer-Bridge Champion, WBridge5, and to Yves Costel, its developer.  WBridge5 defeated Bridge Baron in the final 64-board KO.

Photos

A discussion of robot play (and human play) on boards 1-16 of round 7 (round 9 of the Bermuda Bowl/Venice Cup/Senior Bowl)

WBridge5 shines in slam bidding...from the final match

New York Times bridge column, by Phillip Alder October 25, 2007

Round Robin top four advance to semifinals

Semifinals

Finals

Round Robin
32-board Round Robin scored on International 30-VP scale

WBridge5 finished first in the round robin with 143 VPs.  Jack was second with 136 VPs, Bridge Baron was third with 128 VPs and Q-Plus, with big wins in the last two matches, finish fourth with 117 VPs.

Final Round Robin standing

 

WBridge5

Jack

Bridge

Baron

Q-Plus

Bridge

Micro

Bridge

Shark

Bridge

Robo-

Bridge

TUT

Bridge

Total

Position

WBridge5

 

IMPs

VPs

97-40

24-6

71-71

15-15

64-44

18-12

88-53

21-9

81-81

15-15

144-38

25-0

120-45

25-3

143

1

Jack

40-97

6-24

IMPs

VPs

97-29

25-4

67-63

16-14

87-29

24-6

47-16

20-10

96-65

20-10

148-16

25-0

136

2

Bridge Baron

71-71

15-15

29-97

4-25

IMPs

VPs

87-59

19-11

57-33

19-11

106-71

21-9

108-43

25-5

103-33

25-4

128

3

Q-Plus Bridge

44-64

12-18

63-67

14-16

59-87

11-19

IMPs

VPs

52-74

12-18

81-64

18-12

119-50

25-4

117-40

25-3

117

4

Micro

Bridge

53-88

9-21

29-87

6-24

33-57

11-19

74-52

18-12

IMPs

VPs

73-41

20-10

112-44

25-4

88-50

21-9

110

5

Shark Bridge

81-81

15-15

16-47

10-20

71-106

9-21

64-81

12-18

41-73

10-20

IMPs

VPs

119-59

25-5

133-24

25-0

106

6

RoboBridge

38-144

0-25

65-96

10-20

43-108

5-25

50-119

4-25

44-112

4-25

59-119

5-25

IMPs

VPs

149-52

25-1

53

7

TUT Bridge

45-120

3-25

16-148

0-25

33-103

4-25

40-117

3-25

50-88

9-21

24-133

0-25

52-149

1-25

IMPs

VPs

20

8

 

An example of questionable bidding and good play occurred when Bridge Baron reached 6NT against Shark bridge in the “robot” World Team Championships.  The deal was also played in Round 9 of the “human” World Team Championships.

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vulnerable.

  ♠ K Q 8 5 4 2
7 5
Q 10 6
♣ 3 2
♠  A J 7 3
10
  A K 7 3
♣ A K 7 5
Bridge deal ♠ 6
A K Q 8
J 8 4
♣ Q J 10 8 4
  ♠ 10 9
J 9 6 4 3 2
9 5 2
♣ 9 6
 
West North East South
Bridge Baron Shark Bridge Bridge Baron Shark Bridge
1 2 Dbl Pass
3NT (18-19) Pass 6NT All Pass

Bridge Baron’s 3NT bid seems odd, but 3 isn’t forcing and 3won’t get them to 3NT when it’s right.  East’s should bid 3 at its first turn, but Double was also chosen by 1/4 of the field in the human championships.

Bridge Baron won the opening lead of the K.  If Bridge Baron ducks, then a heart return breaks up a possible spade-heart squeeze, leaving only a diamond heart squeeze against South, a reasonable possibility.  Winning the first spade preserves endplays against either opponent, and in particular, if there was a diamond-heart squeeze against South by ducking the spade lead, then declarer can still endplay South in hearts to lead away from the Q (it does lose if North started with exactly doubleton Q).

Bridge Baron cashed five clubs and three hearts, South discarded two hearts and a spade coming down to three diamonds and a spade, and North discarded four spades coming down to three diamonds and a spade.

  ♠ Q
-
? ? ?
♣ -
♠ J

A K 7
♣ -
Bridge deal ♠ -
8
J 8 4
♣ -
  ♠ -
J
? ? ?
♣ -

If South has the Q then declarer must lead a heart and discard the spade Jack, endplaying South.  If North has the Q, then declarer must lead a diamond to the Ace and lead a spade, endplaying North.  South correctly discarded the spade, leaving declarer with a guess.  Bridge Baron chose correctly and picked up 13 IMPs when Shark Bridge played in 3NT making 5.

 

Semifinals

  1-16 17-32 33-48 49-64 Total
WBridge5   co+6 74 46 75 77 278
Q-Plus Bridge 28 56 43 38 165

 

  1-16 17-32 33-48 49-64 Total
Jack        co +8 55 32 8 45 153
Bridge Baron 37 29 54 70 190

 

In an upset, Bridge Baron defeated defending champion Jack 190-153.  In the other semifinal match WBridge5 defeated Q-Plus Bridge by a big margin, 278-165.  WBridge5 won the round robin by winning all its matches, except for a tie with Bridge Baron.  Due to the tie there will be carryover in the final.

A well played hand by Jack occurred on the penultimate board, but it was too late to catch Bridge Baron.

Board 63. Dealer South. N-S Vulnerable.

  ♠ A K J 8 7
Q 9 8 3
A 5 2
♣ J
♠ Q 10 6 3
A
J 10 9 4
♣ 7 6 4 3
Bridge deal ♠ 9 5 2
10 6 5 4 2
Q 6
♣ 10 5 2
  ♠ 4
K J 7
K 8 7 3
♣ A K Q 9 8
West North East South
Jack Bridge Baron Jack Bridge Baron
      1
Pass 1 Pass 2
Pass 2 Pass 3NT
Pass 4NT* Pass 5♣ (1 or 4)
Pass 6NT All Pass  

On a spade lead, Jack rose with the Ace, hoping to get 3 heart tricks, 2 spades, 2 diamonds and 5 clubs.  When the hearts behaved badly, Jack knew that East held 5 heart, three clubs and at least two spades, so could not hold four diamonds and therefore there could not be a heart-diamond squeeze against East.  There was no spade-heart squeeze against East even if East held the ♠Q.  The ♠Q had to be with West to make 6NT, and Jack played accordingly, cashing the five clubs three hearts ending in dummy.  West could not hold the ♠Q and protect diamonds and South's K8 won the last two tricks.

 

Finals

1-16 17-32 33-48 49-64 Total
WBridge5 41 53 26 86 206
Bridge Baron 45 12 32 12 101

Final play record as movie.lin

hand records: quarter1  quarter2  quarter3  quarter4

WBridge5 shines in slam bidding...from the final match

 

 

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