[Vampyr]

Recently I was playing in an EBU mini tournament, and one of our opponents was stuck with a robot for some reason. Anyway we opened one no-trump and the robot bid 2♣. Opponent thought that this was Landi, and based on the explanation we got from the robot we told her that it was playing Cappelletti. The opponent told us that she was not familiar with this convention. How can remove conventions from the robot and slot another one in?

[johnu]

There is zero customization of GIB allowed. You will play the way GIB wants to play and like it

If you could get enough users to ask for a change, maybe BBO would accommodate you. I would estimate the chances of that as 0.000000% to the nearest 6 places. It's hard enough to get BBO to fix actual bugs. Changing something that isn't a bug is the #1001 priority on a list of 1000 things to do.

On a general note, ever since the Windows version, BBO has tried to eliminate user options in the mistaken (IMO) opinion that choice makes the software so much harder to use that it isn't worth the effort for most options.

[pilowsky]

Although you can play a game that bears a remarkable similarity to club bridge when playing against robots on BBO, it isn't. You are practising. If you want to practise using a system other than the 2/1 that they offer then there are many other platforms available. Just search the internet. BBO is basically a casino. It is even domiciled in Nevada! On the other hand, when playing at a table with four humans (although sometimes it can be hard to tell because bridge players are notorious for their lack of talent with jokes) then you can play actual bridge and call the director (DIRECTOR). Just as in real life they will make rulings that you don't agree with and tell you to hurry up or you will get an average. Afterwards, you can complain to the committee and they will also ignore you. Pretty good huh. Unfortunately, because of social distancing, you can't go to the pub and have a beer, but you can Skype me and complain about the bloke at table 7 who was mean to you. Personally I always try to sit north-south so that I don't have to get up and walk around, but each to their own. I hope that helps. Keep well.

[nige1]

Bridgez is the home of WBridge5, one of the top bridge-robots.

• Play daily competitions with 3 robots.
• Specify your partnership system and
• Decide on a suitable system for opponents.
• As in a BBO challenge, play against human opponents. All of you sit South.
• Compete against other Robots (e.g. Shark, MicroBridge, RoboBridge, MBA).

It might be a good idea for GIB to enter these competitions to assess its relative deterioration over the years.

[Vampyr]

johnu, on 2020-April-09, 22:48, said:

There is zero customization of GIB allowed. You will play the way GIB wants to play and like it

Then it is astonishing that BBO continually refuses to attempt to get rights to offer a robot with more functionality.

Quote

If you could get enough users to ask for a change, maybe BBO would accommodate you. I would estimate the chances of that as 0.000000% to the nearest 6 places. It's hard enough to get BBO to fix actual bugs. Changing something that isn't a bug is the #1001 priority on a list of 1000 things to do.

It doesn’t matter much to me, but I am sure that people who get stuck with a robot for a partner would care. The example I encountered should be common, since no one outside of North America plays Cappelletti.

I believe that the writing is on the wall, but the BBO staff somehow do not see it. How many robots have to surpass GIB in playability and performance before the former is scrapped? BBO should cut their losses now, rather than continuing to throw good money after bad. With the surge in revenue due to this terrible crisis, it might become possible to purchase something new.

Nigel’s idea of a competition is a good one, but BBO would never let it happen. To be shown up as not even in the top 5 or maybe 10 would force their hand.

[paulg]

One might speculate that as BBO and FunBridge are owned by the same company now, one area to save money is to move to a single robot instead of both developing their own.

[Vampyr]

Yes, this was what I meant in a comment in another thread, which Gordon said was “ill-informed”. Now that FunBridge is owned by BBO, there is no pressure on them to deliver a better product. I can understand BBO’s motives; they would not fare well if a decent robot was offered by a competitor.