Complaining About the Bot

The BBO introduced (at least at the Beta Test level), bridge playing robots. There has been a flood of complaints that the bots are ruining the scores of other players, as in the robots play poorly.

Someone, to prove the point, complained about the following hand, which I happen to be very familiar with. On this hand, EVERYONE played in 3NT. At one table, south was on lead and played the CLUB QUEEN, and extra tricks easily made. At the other 15 tables, 14 north's lead a heart. West quickly wraps up a minimum of 3H + 1S + 3D +2C.

At my table, against a BOT, I choose not to lead a heart, as I had an entryless hand. Instead, I lead a spade. And down the bot went.

Dealer: West Vul: All Scoring: IMP

♠ 863 ♥ QT842 ♦ 872 ♣ 92 ♠ 954 ♥ AK5 ♦ A95 ♣ AT73 ♠ KQ2 ♥ J76 ♦ KQ3 ♣ K864 ♠ AJT7 ♥ 93 ♦ JT64 ♣ QJ5

West North East South

1NT Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass

S6 SK SA S5
SJ S4 S3 SQ
D3 DT DA D8
D5 D2 DK D4
DQ D6 D9 D7
C4 CJ CA C2
CT C9 C6 CQ
ST S9 S8 S2
DJ H5 H2 H6
S7 C3 H4 H7
H9 HA H8 HJ
C7 HT CK C5
C8 H3 HK HQ

Now the bot could have made it with a strip-throw in after Han played club Jack on first round. Cash the two heart winners and exit with a SPADE. Han would be endplayed and have to lead away from his club honor. Not an easy play to find. Still, my thought processes on this hand in choosing to lead a SPADE was richly, and in my view, rightly rewarded.