[benellis58]

There are undoubtedly numerous reasons why the GIB robots are so laughably and disgustingly bad at bridge. Included in their immense catalogue of ignorance is that they seem to give no consideration to vulnerability.

In the hand below, West, North, and East are all GIB robots.

North passes at his first opportunity (as dealer). North passes again at his second opportunity, when he certainly MIGHT have made a call. But then at his THIRD opportunity, and now for no apparent reason (especially considering his pass on the previous round) he voluntarily bids 3C.

He survives this, as East, his LHO, competes with 3S (which is exactly what he would have bid even if North had passed for a THIRD time), passed around to North, who NOW bids FOUR clubs...at UNFAVOURABLE vulnerability...opposite a partner who has shown length and values in his VOID...in a hand that therefore might well be (and in fact actually is) a misfit...and with a hand that he PASSED at his first two opportunities (INCLUDING his second opportunity, where it would have been cheap and easy to make a negative double showing both minors).

He did all this to "sacrifice"...RED AGAINST WHITE...at the FOUR level...against a PARTIAL...a partial of 3S that in practice would not even have made.

Competing for part scores can be wise. Taking PROFITABLE sacrifices (not PHANTOM ones) can be wise. For the reasons described above, what the GIB robot did on this hand was NOT wise.

Colour me COMPLETELY unsurprised.

https://tinyurl.brid...se.com/54vdfpj4