[y66]

Who said this?

"Data, data, data. I can't make bricks without clay."

Speaking of data, do you find simulations useful? Credible? Annoying? Waste of time? More clay-like than brick-like?

For me, they're fun to do and I think I usually learn something. Not sure they're a good use of my time though (vs working on fundamentals where I am weak) or whether most readers would just as soon never see any mention of simulations on this forum.

Have heard anecdotally that Chris Willenken has done some interesting stuff with simulations, for example, to determine when it's right, at matchpoints, for responder to hide his 4+ card major after partner opens 1N or 2N. Don't know if he's published anything though.

I suppose that even those who think simulations are not useful (generally) would make an exception for this guy.

[bid_em_up]

y66, on Jan 4 2008, 11:26 AM, said:

Who said this?

"Data, data, data. I can't make bricks without clay."
.

Jean-Luc Picard?

[ASkolnick]

Simulations are useful if you are trying to prove/disprove a point that may be useful later on.

For example, the auction
1S-X-2S- when 4-3 in the minors with appropriate values should you bid your 4 card minor or bid 2N as choose a minor since 2N natural is very unlikely here. I always thought you should bid your 4 card suit, but after using the simulation, you get to the better fit more often by bidding 2N.

Another one is with a weak hand and a 5 card major, should you rebid your 5 card major after 1N or how strong does your suit have to be to rebid it.

But simulations are similar to PHD's in some instances, where the scope may be so narrow, it helps in 1 in a 1,000,000 hands. Also, in a simulation, you will NEVER be able to determine all of the factors since you can't account for every possibility.

[awm]

Simulations can be useful, but you have to carefully specify the constraints and not try to apply them too far outside their scope. You also have to be careful with double-dummy play/defense results, since these do not always reflect what happens in practice.

I actually used a lot of simulations in designing my current relay methods, trying to maximize the percentage of the time that describer's exact honor structure is known at a reasonable level.

I've also used simulations a lot to determine frequencies for various bids, which I think can help decide which meanings for calls are useful and which are too infrequent.

[goobers]

bid_em_up, on Jan 4 2008, 12:05 PM, said:

y66, on Jan 4 2008, 11:26 AM, said:

Who said this?

"Data, data, data. I can't make bricks without clay."
.

Jean-Luc Picard?

Was he referring to data, the plural of datum, or to Data, the android?