[pilowsky]

Rusted on defender of GIB that I am I find this cunning play hard to fathom.
My colleague the North robot opens 3♣ - He's got 7 and East bids 3♠. With a 2♣, a 9 card fit and 14 total points I optimistically bid 4♣ hoping to push them into 4♠.
West obliges. I am scared to double so I pass.
I lead the ♣7. Here's the hand as played by me.
It's 7431. I know it, East knows it. Why can't North put up the Ace? Where did I go wrong?

---

7 - 8 - 9[clubs ]!!!
What is it that makes the lead of the ♥A or K so much better?
Any advice on the best actions in the bidding or lead appreciated.

[shyams]

I don't think one ought to get stressed about the bot's defending skills; I am resigned to their quirks biting me occasionally. Bots make random plays based on tenuous assumptions (here North thought you hold ♣J73). Worse still, they do not understand or follow an opening lead style; North GIB did not ever consider that if you held ♣J73, you will lead the ♣3.

It's a sad situation and is not likely to get better unless they replace GIB with a much better robot.

[johnu]

Solid play by GIB to duck the first club. Once you get the lead, you can lead the 2nd club and GIB can run the rest of the clubs. Some might say the contract is 4♠ where East can ruff the 2nd club, and not 3NT. I consider that nitpicking and doesn't take away from the quality of GIB's trick 1 play.

[AL78]

OMG, on a rational trick one play, the defence can take the first six tricks.

[johnu]

shyams, on 2020-August-05, 03:28, said:

I don't think one ought to get stressed about the bot's defending skills; I am resigned to their quirks biting me occasionally. Bots make random plays based on tenuous assumptions (here North thought you hold ♣J73). Worse still, they do not understand or follow an opening lead style; North GIB did not ever consider that if you held ♣J73, you will lead the ♣3.

It's a sad situation and is not likely to get better unless they replace GIB with a much better robot.

The description of 4♣ says 2+ clubs, not 3+ clubs.

[msjennifer]

Sir,
The ROBOT apparently can MISCLICK,.
Since you have first round controls in both the outside suits it would be wiser to lead the HK ,just to have a look at the dummy and then decide what to lead at trick 2.

[pilowsky]

You are right Dr msjennifer - the ROBOT must have misclicked. I shall write a stern letter to the management - in triplicate. Thank you for the advice re the HK, I will do that instead.

[nige1]

Pilowsky:
"1. Why can't North put up the Ace?
2. Where did I go wrong?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. GIB answers to no man.
2. When East exited in ♥s, South should cash ♥AK and exit with a 3rd ♥
Although, double-dummy, East can still succeed by leading a ♦ to ♦K

---

[johnu]

nige1, on 2020-August-06, 19:41, said:

2. When East exited in ♥s, South should cash ♥AK and exit with a 3rd ♥
Although, double-dummy, East can still succeed by leading a ♦ to ♦K

Not really double dummy. North has showed up with 7 clubs (and North 2), 3+ hearts and 2 spades already. North should have either zero or 1 diamond so there is no guess involved.

[otangu]

pilowsky, on 2020-August-05, 02:57, said:

Rusted on defender of GIB that I am I find this cunning play hard to fathom.
My colleague the North robot opens 3♣ - He's got 7 and East bids 3♠. With a 2♣, a 9 card fit and 14 total points I optimistically bid 4♣ hoping to push them into 4♠.
West obliges. I am scared to double so I pass.
I lead the ♣7. Here's the hand as played by me.
It's 7431. I know it, East knows it. Why can't North put up the Ace? Where did I go wrong?

---

7 - 8 - 9[clubs ]!!!
What is it that makes the lead of the ♥A or K so much better?
Any advice on the best actions in the bidding or lead appreciated.

The harsh truth is that whoever designed GIB's defensive play as well as its bidding did a very poor job and it's high time BBO owners / management revisited the plans for the Robot and either improved it dramatically or purchased a brand new one

[nige1]

johnu, on 2020-August-06, 20:17, said:

Not really double dummy. North has showed up with 7 clubs (and North 2), 3+ hearts and 2 spades already. North should have either zero or 1 diamond so there is no guess involved.

Yes. East can still succeed even when North's singleton is ♦T

[johnu]

nige1, on 2020-August-07, 02:33, said:

Yes. West can still succeed when North's singleton is ♦T

I would call the director if North show up with another ♦10. South is endplayed after capturing ♦K, either giving a sluff-ruff or giving a free finesse for ♦J

[miamijd]

Your bidding is OK.

GIB's defense is rather odd. You can really take advantage of GIB as declarer to make all sorts of unmakeable hands (and lots of undeserved overtricks). GIB assumes that both declarer and its partner will always make the right play. Thus, for example, if you lead up to KJ and GIB does not fly A, you can be 99% sure that the Ace is to your right, because GIB figures you will play the King if it doesn't hop Ace.

Here, GIB "assumes" you don't have the AKh. Why? Because you didn't lead H (it's higher on GIBs preference list than a lead of the suit partner bid). It also "assumes" you don't have Ad.
Why? Because you didn't lead it to give it a ruff (you were supposed to know). So GIB puts you with three clubs for your bid and ducks.

The moral here is that you must ALWAYS lead K from AK against a suit contract with GIB. If you cash the AKh first and then switch to a club, GIB will undoubtedly take the Kc and shift to a diamond.

I know. It's dumb.

[pilowsky]

miamijd, on 2020-August-07, 11:39, said:

Your bidding is OK.

GIB's defense is rather odd. You can really take advantage of GIB as declarer to make all sorts of unmakeable hands (and lots of undeserved overtricks). GIB assumes that both declarer and its partner will always make the right play. Thus, for example, if you lead up to KJ and GIB does not fly A, you can be 99% sure that the Ace is to your right, because GIB figures you will play the King if it doesn't hop Ace.

Here, GIB "assumes" you don't have the AKh. Why? Because you didn't lead H (it's higher on GIBs preference list than a lead of the suit partner bid). It also "assumes" you don't have Ad.
Why? Because you didn't lead it to give it a ruff (you were supposed to know). So GIB puts you with three clubs for your bid and ducks.

The moral here is that you must ALWAYS lead K from AK against a suit contract with GIB. If you cash the AKh first and then switch to a club, GIB will undoubtedly take the Kc and shift to a diamond.

I know. It's dumb.

It may be 'dumb' but if you don't know, you don't know.