|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
About Computer Bridge Tournaments 2019 San Francisco 2018 Orlando 2017 Lyon 2016 Wroclaw 2015 Chicago 2014 Sanya 2013 Bali 2012 Lille 2011 Veldhoven 2010 Philadelphia 2009 Washington 2008 Las Vegas 2007 Shanghai 2006 Verona 2005 Estoril 2004 New York 2003 Menton 2002 Montreal 2001 Toronto 2000 Maastricht 2000 Bermuda 1998 Chicago 1997 Albuquerque  For more information: Alvin Levy's HP |
 1997 World Computer Bridge Challenge | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Baron Barclay World Computer Bridge Challenge was held July 28 through August 1, 1997 as part of the American Contract Bridge League's summer North American Bridge Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mr. Alvin Levy, the organizer of this event, invited Micro Bridge 8 to the event. Unfortunately we could not attend in person. However, at the request of Mr. Levy, Mr. David Yates attended the event on our behalf and operated our Micro Bridge 8.
The following are the programs that are featured in the challenge:
Competing in the bidding contest only:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Summary by Alvin Levy - Part 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The computer bridge challenges started with a 2-session computer versus human IMP Pairs game, scored barometer style. BM2 and bbuff can't stop from peeking at their partner's and opponent's cards during the play. Each computer program entry played as a NS pair, and human players were the EW pairs. At each table the computer operator sat North or South with his computer on a separate side table. Including the computer operator there were four people at each table, so it looked like an ordinary game, with all the players holding cards, using their bidding boxes, and playing the cards - only the NS pair were not using their own judgments, but rather getting their bids and plays from the computer, while the EW human pairs bid and played normally (except they called out their bids and plays to make it easier for the computer operator to make the entries).
Before play each round the computer would study the opponents convention card (the opponents convention card is input into the computer). The procedure for alerts was different from an all human game. Since the computer knew the humans conventions there was no need for the humans to alert. On the other hand, when the computer made a bid that was alertable, the bid was immediately explained by the operator.
The 2-session event, using hands from the 1996 Miami NABC Imp Pairs championship. The human opponents appeared to enjoy the experience, with many of the better players fascinated with any good contracts and plays made by the computer. Witness the experience of one pair playing boards 13, 14, and 15 against Micro Bridge 8, operated by David Yates.
North/MB8 led the DQ against 3 NT, and South/MB8 overtook Dummy's DK, and apparently realizing that the suit couldn't run even if North had the DQ J 10, shifted to the HK, holding West to 9 tricks. E/W were impressed even if the play only saved 1 IMP.
West led the SA, and now had enough respect for MB8 that he didn't believe the S4 false card of South/MB8, and led the S9 at trick two, giving partner a ruff and hoping for a H return away from partner's HA. Good try, but declarer ruffed the return. After pulling trump MB8 led the DJ. West can think as long as he likes and not give away the position to MB8 (although his partner can't use the information). West took his time deliberating the possibilities - one possibility considered was that MB8 might be taking a backwards finesse, playing him for most of the high cards, and another possibility was the routine attempt to encourage an erroneous cover. West chose the losing play of covering. Maybe the computer can be made more human by having it emit a snicker when it hoodwinks an opponent. After the hand was over West asked what would have happened if he hadn't covered. In real life an opponent can answer but you can't be sure of his truthfulness. If you ask the computer it doesn't lie. Backing up and replaying the trick without West covering, MB8 went up with the DA and took the percentage play, based on the spade division, of finessing against East.
Board 15 was a routine slam bid by most of the field in the Miami NABC IMP Pairs, and MB8 got it right. Kathleen and Robert were impressed, at least for this set of boards.
Q-Plus led the field after the first session (20 Boards) by a 26 IMP margin, and held on to its lead after the second session (15 Boards). Second and third overall finishers were Micro Bridge 8 and Bridge Baron 7, respectively. They played a semi-final 24 board head-to-head match to determine which program would meet Q-Plus in the final match. Bridge Baron 7 survived the semi-finals in comfort, and met Q-Plus in the final match, which was worth an additional $500 to the winner and $250 to the loser. With three boards to go in the final match the programs were tied. Bridge Baron 7 picking up 22 IMPs on the last three boards and was declared the winner.
$2,150 in prize money went to the competing programs for session awards, 'best hand' awards, a separate bidding contest (won by Q-Plus). Congratulations to the K/O champ Bridge Baron 7 and second place finisher Q-Plus While all the programs won some prize money, Q-Plus was the big winner with $800, followed closely by Bridge Baron 7 with $700, and Micro Bridge 8 with $500.
Every human player received a gift certificate and high finishers also received masterpoints. In addition, $1,000 in gift certificates, good for Baron Barclay books and supplies, were given to the people that came to the computer software demonstrations and to the human players that took part in the human versus computer Imp Pairs game.
Other computer competitions will take place. A Juniors versus computer team match will be scheduled for the 1998 spring NABC in Reno, NV. Next years official World Computer Challenge will take place at the summer NABC in Chicago, IL. Some of the competition may take place on OKbridge. A contribution to the Junior program on behalf of the ACBL, the participants, and sponsors, will be made at the next NABC - $1,500, plus books and computer software valued at $2000 have been donated.
| Summary by Alvin Levy - Part 2
On a personal note, all the time, effort, and fear of the unknown outcome was worth it. I had a wonderful time working with so many motivated people. I hope that this activity will be the beginning of a dialogue between a great number of people from around the world who are involved with computers and bridge, and will help to accelerate the progress already made in computer bridge software - as well as promote bridge throughout the world. |
A hand reported in the Daily Bulletin, from one of the computer events, a round-robin event in which the programs played short matches against each other.
At one table, the GIB program, playing the East-West cards, led the H8. Q-Plus, playing the North-South cards, won in the South hand and attacked diamonds. East continued hearts, missing the last opportunity to beat the contract by shifting to spades. South then scored nine tricks. At the other table Q-Plus playing the East-West cards led the S2. When GIB played low from dummy, the Q-Plus in the East seat made the expert play of a low spade, letting South win the S8. When East got in with the CK, the defense cashed three spades and the DA, for down one.
On board 21 of the final match between Q-Plus and Bridge Baron 7, Q-Plus tied the match, winning 6 Imps with good play at both tables.
Declarer ducked the club king. West switched to the diamond 9, won by South's ace. Declarer pulled trumps and proceeded to strip the opponent's hands of safe exit cards - playing ace of clubs, a club ruff, diamond king, and exiting with a diamond - end playing EW. 2 spades making three for NS +140. West made a good competitive bid of 3 clubs, playing partner to have at most two spades and some values, and pushed NS to 3 spades. BB7 did not find the end play and went down one for EW +100. Q-Plus was +240, worth 6 Imps, to tie the match. Bridge Baron 7 went on to win 22 Imps on the last three boards and won the final contest of the week long computer games.
| Results (1997)
|
IMP pairs, humans versus computers, Challenge 1st session (20 boards) 1. Q-Plus Bridge +55 2. Bridge Baron 7 +19 3. Micro Bridge 8 +12 4. GIB -59 5. Meadowlark Bridge -68 2nd session (15 boards) 1. Micro Bridge 8 +6 2. Meadowlark Bridge +4 3. GIB -10 4. Bridge Baron 7 -11 5. Q-Plus -15 Overall Placing 1. Q-Plus Bridge +40 2. Micro Bridge 8 +18 3. Bridge Baron 7 +8 4. Meadowlark Bridge -64 5. GIB -69 Championship K/O Challenge Semi-final match BB7 +40 Imps versus MB8 Final match BB7 +22 Imps versus Q+ 1. BB7 2. Q+ 3. MB8 Bidding Challenge 1. Q+ -27 2. BB7 -37 3/4. MB8 -41.5 3/4. BM2 -41.5 Round Robin Play Challenge, Match award GIB Special Awards 'Best Declared Hand' MB8
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||||||