MSN Gaming Zone - World Computer Bridge Championship
By Al Levy, USA

2000 World Bridge Federation Olympiad
Maastrict, The Netherlands
Wednesday, September 6, 2000
Daily bulletin, Issue 11
Coordinator: Jean Paul Meyer
Editor: Mark Horton Assistant Editors: Brent Manley and Brian Senior
Text-layout Editor: Chyah Burghard

September 5-9, 2000 - The title of world champion goes to Meadowlark Bridge, along with first prize of $1,500. In a most exciting finish, as human emotions were flying high, the computers coldly played the last board with the Microsoft Network Gaming Zone World Computer Championship on the line. Meadowlark Bridge picked up 5 IMPs to take the championship by 2 IMPs against Q-Plus Bridge.

Lorne Russell, from the Microsoft Internet Gaming Zone, was on hand to congratulate the winner, and I, as coordinator of the event, thanked all the contestants for their fine efforts, and good sportsmanship. The cooperation that all the contestants showed was impressive, and will help pave the way for future advances in computer bridge.

The night before the final match, after the semi-final matches were completed, most of the people involved with the championship spent the late evening together. There were congratulations to the finalists for their good showing and general unwinding after many intense days of competition. As Rodney Ludwig and David Walker of Meadowlark Bridge and Hans Leber of Q-Plus were having their final beers, it was jokingly pointed out that at least their programs were in sleep mode, ready for the final match.

The semi-final matches were 40-board knockouts, with a full carry-over from the 12-board round-robin:

Semi-finals:

Q-Plus Bridge (+13)       129
Jack                       79 

Meadowlark Bridge (+53)   144 
WBridge5                  126 

The final match was a 50-board KO, with a full carry-over from the 12 board round-robin:

Finals: 
Meadowlark Bridge (+13)    42   80   106   118 
Q-Plus Bridge              20   57    91   116

Meadowlark Bridge, finishing first in the round robin, also survived a late rally by WBridge5 in the semi-final KO match, thanks in part to the deal below.

WBridge5 nearly overcame a 53-IMP carryover by Meadowlark Bridge. A big swing occurred late in the match when WBridge5 bid a grand slam off QJxx of trumps (a 50% grand) while Meadowlark Bridge was only in game. If WBridge5 had bid 6D, or made 7D, it would have defeated Meadowlark Bridge.

In human play, decisions might be based on the perceived state of the match. Near the end of a match, feeling that they are behind, a pair might bid a 50% grand slam, while earlier in the match they would be looking for better odds. Of course, the programs make decisions independent of the state of the match.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul. 

                   S  Q 9 8 2 
                   H  9 7 5 3 2 
                   D  J 
                   C  J 9 4 

S  J 5                                     S  A K 10 3 
H  Q 8                                     H  A 
D  K 10 9 6 4 2                            D  A 7 5 
C  Q 7 6                                   C  A K 10 8 3 

                   S  7 6 4 
                   H  K J 10 6 4 
                   D  Q 8 3 
                   C  5 2 

WEST       NORTH       EAST       SOUTH

 -           -          2D (1)     Pass
 3D (2)      Pass       5D (3)     Pass 
 7D          All Pass 

(1) Artificial, game forcing
(2) 8-9 pts, 5+ diamonds
(3) A bad bid...six was best!

South led the S4, and WBridge5 guessed wrong in the play, possibly playing the opening leader for four spades, making it more likely that North, rather than South, held three trumps to an honour.

Programs	Boards 1 - 48	Boards 49-54	TOTAL
GIB	178		178
WBRIDGE	77	W/D	77

Programs	Carry Over	Boards 1 - 38	TOTAL
GIB	21	97	118
BRIDGE BUFF		79	79
WBRIDGE	32	101	133
MICRO BRIDGE		107	107