[1eyedjack]

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MP, best hand South, Instant, pro GIB 30 (at my table).

I had 2 chances to beat this. Ugh. 4 down if I get the right opening lead. One down in the end position. But GIB plays no signals, so there is some guesswork. Perhaps I should get the end position right anyway. That would have got me about 30%.

Most of the room, on an earlier version of GIB, bid identically up to and including the double of 1N, but then West pulled to 2C and North bid 4H (making).

I don't know that I entirely agree with 4H. It certainly works here. I wouldn't criticise it. But I certainly prefer it (or any number of Hearts) to GIB's choice of standing the double at my table. Perhaps a GIB sitting South would find a Heart lead, unblock the suit, and take 1N 4 off, to justify the Pass.

On a related topic, I don't agree that West's decision to stand the double in the latest version of GIB is an improvement over the previous version 2C choice.

I normally open an a-systemic 1N on hands like this opposite GIB. Guess I shall be going back to that.

[Antrax]

Not to rub salt in the wound, but GIB's ♦K play IMO shows why making it always follow with lowest of "equals" would worsen its play.

[1eyedjack]

Which "equals" do you have in mind?

[Antrax]

♦K6, since at that point it knows both are winners.

[1eyedjack]

gotcha.

yes salt in wound indeed. because it is my observation that far from playing randomly in this situation it almost always plays higher of equals, which, once rumbled, is no better than consistently playing the lower.

[helene_t]

Not surprising that a DD analysis favours pass. N expects S to find the killing lead ....

[Antrax]

Just cash aces until GIB encourages, then lead a club if it doesn't

[Bbradley62]

Antrax, on 2014-July-23, 00:37, said:

Not to rub salt in the wound, but GIB's ♦K play IMO shows why making it always follow with lowest of "equals" would worsen its play.

I don't think most of the "always follow with..." complaints have been with regard to choosing from among equals; I think most of them have been about situations when GIB chooses from among non-equals, when he "thinks it doesn't matter", even though the cards in question are not equals.

For an example, see West's ♦Q play in this thread: http://www.bridgebas...__1#entry802188

[biggerclub]

My partner and I have a lead convention. Failure to lead A♥, denies.

Where is the best place to find a worthwhile discussion of GIB's methods? I mean like a manual. I will be following this topic, now that I have found it. I have been learning as I go playing lots of robot tournaments.

[steve2005]

Antrax, on 2014-July-23, 04:27, said:

Just cash aces until GIB encourages, then lead a club if it doesn't

Gib doesn't encourage ( I think ) so a killer defense would be amazing.

Gib passed twice with 7♥ now that's amazing!

[Bbradley62]

biggerclub, on 2014-July-23, 11:19, said:

Where is the best place to find a worthwhile discussion of GIB's methods? I mean like a manual. I will be following this topic, now that I have found it. I have been learning as I go playing lots of robot tournaments.

For the published info, look at the pinned topics in this forum. Specifically, "GIB CC as played on BBO" and "Understand GIB bid explanations"; in both cases, follow the link in the first post to relevant documents.

[Antrax]

Bbradley62, on 2014-July-23, 10:10, said:

I don't think most of the "always follow with..." complaints have been with regard to choosing from among equals;

Which is why I put equals in quotation marks. Sometimes GIB decides two cards are equal because it has an inference from the auction, but in reality the human psyched so the inference is wrong. I think those are most of the "GIB plays like a beginner" complaints.
GIB's documentation does say it shows attitude on an honor lead in the first trick. Don't know if that checks out.

[Bbradley62]

Antrax, on 2014-July-23, 22:02, said:

GIB's documentation does say it shows attitude on an honor lead in the first trick. Don't know if that checks out.

The documentation (convention card) also says GIB leads high from xxx against NT; neither is true.