With one round to go it was possible for WBridge5

With one round to go it was possible for WBridge5, Q-Plus Bridge, Micro Bridge and Jack to take the two final spots.

The standing after four rounds: WBridge5 (53.26); Q-Plus Bridge (46.51); Jack (45.77); Micro Bridge (42.37); Shark Bridge (27.43); Bridge Baron (24.66).

The final round results:

WBridge5 beat Bridge Baron 168-79 for 19.29 VPs
Jack beat Micro Bridge 124-95 for 14.34 VPs
Shark Bridge beat Q-Plus Bridge 123-113 for 11.70 VPs

Interestingly, the new VP scale should eliminate ties. If Micro Bridge beat Jack by 10 IMPs they would tie with 54.07 VPs, but out of the money as Q-Plus Bridge would finish second. A three way tie...almost possible...if Micro Bridge won by 10 IMPs and Q-Plus Bridge lost by 15 IMPs, Q-Plus Bridge would have finished with 54.05 VPs.

Some boards in the fifth and last round robin session that produced sizable swings follow:

Board 10 from first session

Board 10
Dealer: East
Vul: Both

♠ 8 6
♥ A 9 7
♦ Q J 5 3
♣ 9 4 3 2

♠ Q 9 2
♥ 10 6
♦ 8 6 4 2
♣ K Q 10 8

	N
W		E
	S

♠ K
♥ K Q 8 4 3
♦ A 10 9
♣ A J 6 5

♠ A J 10 7 5 4 3
♥ J 5 2
♦ K 7
♣ 7

West	North	East	South
Micro Bridge	Jack	Micro Bridge	Jack
		1 ♥	3 ♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl	Pass
3 NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♠ 8	K	A	2
2. S	♠ J	9	6	♥ 4
3. S	♠ 10	Q	♦ 3	♦ 10
4. W	♥ 10	7	K	5
5. E	♣ 6	7	10	3
6. W	♣ 8	2	J	♠ 4
7. E	♣ 5	♠ 3	Q	4
8. W	♥ 6	9	Q	2
9. E	♣ A	♦ 7	K	9
10. E	♥ 8	J	♦ 4	A
11. N	♦ Q	A	K	2
12. E	♦ 9	♠ 5	8	J
13. N	♦ 5	♥ 3	♠ 7	6

Made 3, E/W +600

West	North	East	South
Jack	Micro Bridge	Jack	Micro Bridge
		1 ♥	3 ♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl	Pass
4 ♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♣ 7	10	2	6
2. W	♥ 10	7	4	J
3. S	♠ A	2	6	K
4. S	♦ K	2	5	9
5. S	♦ 7	4	J	A
6. E	♣ 5	♥ 2	8	3
7. S	♥ 5	6	A	3
8. N	♦ Q	10	♠ 3	6
9. N	♦ 3	♥ Q	♠ 4	8
10. E	♥ K	♠ 5	♠ 9	9
11. E	♣ J	♠ 7	Q	4
12. W	♠ Q	8	♥ 8	10
13. E	♣ A	♠ J	K	9

Down 3, N/S +300

14 IMPs for Micro Bridge

West	North	East	South
Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge
		1 ♥	3 ♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl	Pass
4 ♣	Pass	Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. N	♠ 8	K	A	2
2. S	♠ J	Q	6	♦ 9
3. W	♥ 6	7	K	2
4. E	♥ 3	J	10	9
5. S	♠ 10	9	♦ 3	♣ 5
6. E	♦ A	7	2	5
7. E	♦ 10	K	4	J
8. S	♠ 3	♦ 6	♣ 9	♣ J
9. E	♥ Q	5	♣ K	A
10. W	♣ 8	2	6	7
11. W	♦ 8	Q	♣ A	♠ 4
12. E	♥ 8	♠ 5	♣ 10	♣ 3
13. W	♣ Q	4	♥ 4	♠ 7

Made 4, E/W +130

West	North	East	South
Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge
		1 ♥	3 ♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl	Pass
Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♣ K	2	6	7
2. W	♥ 10	7	Q	2
3. E	♣ A	♠ 3	8	3
4. S	♦ K	8	3	9
5. S	♦ 7	2	Q	A
6. E	♣ 5	♠ 4	10	4
7. S	♠ A	2	6	K
8. S	♠ J	Q	8	♥ 3
9. W	♥ 6	A	4	5
10. N	♦ J	10	♥ J	4
11. N	♣ 9	J	♠ 7	Q
12. S	♠ 10	9	♥ 9	♥ 8
13. S	♠ 5	♦ 6	♦ 5	♥ K

Made 3, N/S + 730

13 IMPs to Shark Bridge

West	North	East	South
Bridge Baron	WBridge5	Bridge Baron	WBridge5
		1 ♥	3 ♠
Pass	Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♥ 10	7	Q	J
2. E	♣ A	7	8	2
3. E	♣ 5	♠ 4	10	3
4. S	♠ A	9	6	K
5. S	♠ 5	Q	8	♥ 8
6. W	♥ 6	A	3	2
7. N	♣ 4	6	♠ 10	Q
8. S	♦ K	6	3	A
9. E	♥ K	5	♦ 2	9
10. E	♥ 4	♠ 7	♦ 8	♣ 9
11. S	♠ J	2	♦ 5	♣ J
12. S	♦ 7	4	J	9
13. N	♦ Q	10	♠ 3	♣ K

Down 1, E/W -100

West	North	East	South
WBridge5	Bridge Baron	WBridge5	Bridge Baron
		1 ♥	3 ♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl¹	Pass
Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. W	♥ 10	7	Q	2
2. E	♣ A	7	8	2
3. E	♦ A	K	6	3
4. E	♣ 5	♠ 3	10	3
5. S	♦ 7	2	Q	9
6. N	♣ 4	6	♠ 4	Q
7. S	♥ 5	6	A	4
8. N	♦ J	10	♥ J	4
9. N	♠ 6	K	A	2
10. S	♠ 10	9	8	♣ J
11. S	♠ 5	Q	♣ 9	♥ 3
12. W	♣ K	♦ 5	♥ 8	♠ 7
13. S	♠ J	♦ 8	♥ 9	♥ K

Made 3, N/S +730

13 IMPs to Bridge Baron

The auction started the same at every table, with East dealer, 1♥ - 3 ♠ - Pass - Pass. At five tables East reopened with a Dbl: Micro Bridge (West) bid 3NT and made +600; Jack (West) bid 4♥ and went down 3 for -300; Shark Bridge (West) bid and made 4♣ for +130; Q-Plus Bridge (West) and WBridge5 (West) passed and both went minus, -730. At the one table where 3♠ was the final contact, the contract went down one for -100.

Double dummy defense defeats 3♠, but at the table only WBridge5 was held to eight tricks, when declarer played trumps first rather than playing on diamonds first for a heart discard.

Board 5 from first session...bid one more!

Board 5
Dealer: North
Vul: N/S

♠ K Q 10 2
♥ Q 10 9 7
♦ 8 2
♣ 10 9 2

♠ 9 8 5 3
♥ A
♦ Q 6 5
♣ K Q 5 4 3

	N
W		E
	S

♠ A J 7 6 4
♥ J 5
♦ 9 4
♣ A J 8 7

♠ —
♥ K 8 6 4 3 2
♦ A K J 10 7 3
♣ 6

West	North	East	South
Micro Bridge	Jack	Micro Bridge	Jack
	Pass	1 ♠	3 ♣¹
4 ♥	Pass	4 ♠	5 ♥²
5 ♠	Dbl	Pass	Pass
Pass

¹diamonds and hearts;
²interesting comment by Hans Kuijf..."Robots are certainly less partner oriented than humans. There are many reasons for that. Most human partnerships demand that. In fact humans tend to invite rather than bid game themselves just because of that. Even when in fact they have a hand across which partner cannot possibly make the correct decision. The truth is somewhere in the middle: Humans include partner too much and robots not that much. The reason in Jack [5H bid) is this: he anticipates a bid, not based on simulations for which we lack the CPU time, but on a rule base. If partner is able to make the right decision in a number of samples than Jack includes him in the bidding (either by inviting or making some other descriptive bid).

In this case: 5D tends to show longer D than H and partner will in general pass with say 2H and 1 D (same as for humans who however will certainly bid 5C or 4N with equal length). If the simulation shows partner will pass too often than it is better to bid 5H yourself. A cuebid is not shortness but the generated samples might show that (like here). In general you sooner hold Hx than HA with some small. Depends on the situation of course.

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♦ A	6	8	4
2. S	♦ K	5	2	9
3. S	♦ J	Q	♠ 2	♠ 4
4. E	♥ 5	4	A	7
5. W	♠ 5	10	J	♥ 3
6. E	♠ 6	♥ 8	3	Q
7. N	♥ 9	J	K	♠ 9
8. W	♠ 8	K	A	♦ 3
9. E	♣ 8	6	K	2
10. W	♣ 5	9	J	♦ 7
11. E	♣ A	♥ 2	4	10
12. E	♣ 7	♥ 6	Q	♥ 10
13. W	♣ 3	♥ Q	♠ 7	♦ 10

Down 1, E/W -100

West	North	East	South
Jack	Micro Bridge	Jack	Micro Bridge
	Pass	1 ♠	2 ♠¹
4 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

¹ hearts and a minor

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♦ K	5	8	4
2. S	♦ A	6	2	9
3. S	♦ J	Q	♠ 2	♠ 4
4. E	♥ 5	6	A	7
5. W	♠ 3	10	J	♦ 3
6. E	♠ 6	♦ 7	5	Q
7. N	♠ K	A	♥ 2	8
8. E	♣ J	6	3	2
9. E	♣ A	♦ 10	4	10
10. E	♣ 7	♥ 3	Q	9
11. W	♣ 5	♥ 9	8	♥ 4
12. E	♥ J	8	♠ 9	10
13. W	♣ K	♥ Q	♠ 7	♥ K

made 4, E/W +420

11 IMPs to Jack

West	North	East	South
Bridge Baron	WBridge5	Bridge Baron	WBridge5
	Pass	1 ♠	3 ♣¹
4 ♠	Pass	Pass	5 ♦
Dbl	5 ♥	Dbl	Pass
Pass	Pass

Made 5, N/S +850

West	North	East	South
WBridge5	Bridge Baron	WBridge5	Bridge Baron
	Pass	1 ♠	2 ♥
4 ♥¹	Pass	4 ♠	Pass
Pass	Dbl	Pass	Pass
Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♦ A	5	8	4
2. S	♦ K	6	2	9
3. S	♥ 4	A	7	5
4. W	♠ 5	2	J	♥ 2
5. E	♠ 4	♦ 3	3	10
6. N	♣ 10	7	6	Q
7. W	♠ 8	Q	7	♦ 7
8. N	♣ 2	8	♦ 10	3
9. E	♠ A	♦ J	9	K
10. E	♣ J	♥ 3	K	9
11. W	♦ Q	♥ 9	♣ A	♥ 6
12. W	♣ 4	♥ 10	♥ J	♥ 8
13. W	♣ 5	♥ Q	♠ 6	♥ K

Down 1, E/W -100

13 IMPs to WBridge5

West	North	East	South
Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge
	Pass	1 ♠	3 ♣¹
4 ♠	Pass	Pass	5 ♥
Dbl	Pass	Pass	Pass

West	North	East	South
Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge
	Pass	Pass	4 ♥
Dbl	Pass	4 ♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♦ A	5	2	4
2. S	♦ K	6	8	9
3. S	♦ J	Q	♠ 2	♠ 4
4. E	♥ 5	2	A	7
5. W	♠ 3	Q	A	♥ 3
6. E	♥ J	4	♠ 5	9
7. W	♠ 8	K	6	♥ 6
8. N	♠ 10	J	♦ 3	9
9. E	♠ 7	♥ 8	♣ 3	♥ 10
10. E	♣ 7	6	K	2
11. W	♣ 4	9	A	♦ 7
12. E	♣ 8	♦ 10	Q	10
13. W	♣ 5	♥ Q	J	♥ K

Made 4, E/W +420

15 IMPs to Q-Plus Bridge

Bid one more with 6-6 hands!

A good save on board 15 of the final 16 boards was found three times.

Board 15 from third session...non-vul save

Board 15
Dealer: South
Vul: N/S

♠ A J
♥ —
♦ K Q 9 7
♣ A K Q 10 9 7 3

♠ Q 9 8 5
♥ 7 6 5 4 3
♦ J 6 3
♣ 8

	N
W		E
	S

♠ K 6 3 2
♥ A Q J 10 9 8
♦ 8 5 4
♣ —

♠ 10 7 4
♥ K 2
♦ A 10 2
♣ J 6 5 4 2

West	North	East	South
Bridge Baron	WBridge5	Bridge Baron	WBridge5
			Pass
Pass	2 ♦¹	Pass	2 ♠²
Pass	3 ♣	Pass	4 ♣
Pass	4 ♦	Pass	4 ♥
Pass	4 ♠	Pass	4 NT
Pass	5 ♣³	Pass	6 ♣
Pass	Pass	Pass

¹ game forcing;²one ace; ³0 or 3 key cards.

West	North	East	South
WBridge5	Bridge Baron	WBridge5	Bridge Baron
			Pass
Pass	2 ♣	2 ♥	2 NT
4 ♥	4 NT	Pass	5 ♦
Pass	6 ♣	6 ♥	Pass
Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♣ 4	8	Q	♥ J
2. E	♥ A	2	3	♣ 7
3. E	♦ 4	2	3	7
4. N	♦ Q	5	10	6
5. N	♦ 9	8	A	J
6. S	♥ K	4	♣ 3	10
7. S	♠ 4	8	J	K
8. E	♠ 3	7	9	A
9. N	♦ K	♠ 2	♣ J	♥ 5
10. W	♠ Q	♣ 9	6	10
11. W	♠ 5	♣ 10	♥ 9	♣ 2
12. E	♥ 8	♣ 5	6	♣ K
13. E	♥ Q	♣ 6	7	♣ A

Down 4, E/W -200

15 IMPs to WBridge5 (even doubled -800 was worth 11 IMPs)

West	North	East	South
Micro Bridge	Jack	Micro Bridge	Jack
			Pass
Pass	2 ♣	3 ♥	Dbl
4 ♥	4 NT	Pass	5 ♣
5 ♥	6 ♣	Pass	Pass
Pass

Made 6, N/S +1370

West	North	East	South
Jack	Micro Bridge	Jack	Micro Bridge
			Pass
Pass	2 ♣¹	3 ♥	Dbl
4 ♥	4 NT	Pass	5 ♣
Pass	6 ♣	6 ♥	Pass
Pass	Dbl	Pass	Pass
Pass

¹ 8 playing tricks or 23-24 balanced

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♠ 4	5	J	K
2. E	♥ A	2	3	♣ 7
3. E	♥ 8	K	4	♣ 3
4. S	♦ A	3	9	4
5. S	♣ 2	8	Q	♥ 9
6. E	♦ 5	2	J	Q
7. N	♦ K	8	10	6
8. N	♦ 7	♠ 2	♣ 4	♥ 5
9. W	♠ 8	A	3	7
10. N	♣ A	♠ 6	5	♥ 6
11. W	♠ Q	♣ 9	♥ 10	10
12. E	♥ Q	♣ 6	7	♣ 10
13. E	♥ J	♣ J	♠ 9	♣ K

Down 4, E/W -800

11 IMPs to Jack

West	North	East	South
Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge
			Pass
Pass	2 ♣¹	2 ♥	Dbl
Pass	4 ♣	Pass	5 ♣
Pass	6 ♣	Pass	Pass
Pass

¹ strong or balanced 22-23

Opening lead A♥, Made 7, N/S + 1390

West	North	East	South
Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge	Q-Plus Bridge	Shark Bridge
			Pass
Pass	2 ♣	2 ♥	Pass
3 ♥	4 ♣	5 ♥	Dbl
Pass	Pass	Pass

Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
1. S	♠ 7	8	A	2
2. N	♣ A	♥ 8	2	8
3. E	♥ A	2	3	♣ 3
4. E	♠ 3	4	Q	J
5. W	♠ 9	♣ 7	K	10
6. E	♠ 6	♥ K	5	♣ 9
7. S	♦ 2	3	9	4
8. N	♦ K	5	10	6
9. N	♦ 7	8	A	J
10. S	♣ 4	♥ 4	10	♥ 9
11. E	♥ Q	♣ 5	5	♣ Q
12. E	♥ 10	♣ 6	6	♦ Q
13. E	♥ J	♣ J	7	♣ K

Down 3, E/W -500

13 IMPs to Q-Plus Bridge