trl@ihlpg.ATT.COM (tr lowe) (06/26/87)
Having just purchased an AT&T PC6300+, I am interested in purchasing a good game of computer Bridge. Can anyone recommend a good game ? About how much should it cost ? Also, are there some bad ones I should stay away from ? Has anyone had experience running the Bridge game on an AT&T 6300+ ? Thanks In Advance, Ted R. Lowe AT&T Bell Laboratories (312) 979-2993 ihnp4!ihlpg!trl
bs@faron.UUCP (Robert D. Silverman) (06/26/87)
In article <3380@ihlpg.ATT.COM> trl@ihlpg.ATT.COM (tr lowe) writes: >Having just purchased an AT&T PC6300+, I am interested in purchasing >a good game of computer Bridge. > >Can anyone recommend a good game ? About how much should it cost ? >Also, are there some bad ones I should stay away from ? >Has anyone had experience running the Bridge game on an AT&T 6300+ ? > It depends on what you mean by 'good game'. By my standards, all of the existing ones are so bad that they are a waste of money. They all make stupid, idiotic mistakes that even novices wouldn't make and their bidding is universally atrocious. I wouldn't waste money on such a product. The state-of-the-art just isn't there yet. Maybe when as much time and effort has been spent on computer bridge as chess we'll have something decent but I doubt it. Chess is a deductive game, based on complete information. Bridge is an inductive one, often based upon estimates of your opponents playing abilities. Such things are currently beyond our understanding of how to program properly. Bob Silverman
meri@leadsv.UUCP (Ernie Meri) (06/27/87)
Well, there really isn't any good bridge programs around that I have seen, but then again I have only seen three for the IBM. The closest to real is TURBO-BRIDGE (Borland), where you may modify the bidding, display, scoring etc. to your style by modifying and recompiling the pascal segments. Unmodified, it has a fair game of STANDARD AMERICAN (if you do NOT play aggressive) and the hands are displayed well. In my copy, the scoring has a minor bug (adds one extra point to the declarer if the contract is made) which is minor considering the good display format (also logging of the hands!). One larger problem is that it contains no provision to repeat or play preset hands.....great to learn with or play duplicate with.... Plus, sometimes the initial leads the program comes out with are questionable, even though the program supposedly takes the bidding into account. Borland claims it estimates the `lying' factor too. Now I haven't modified any of my code (I don't have PASCAL 3.x, which is required) so it may quite readily be remedied, but I enjoy duplicate better than contract bridge and I have not found any programs close to acceptable in that regard! So if you obtain or hear of any DUPLICATE BRIDGE programs of merit, (I'm even willing to modify it, if necessary) don't forget to drop me a line about it ---- Urmas `ERNIE' Meri or call (days) (408) 756-8550 Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,att.sys.pc6300,rec.games.bridge Subject: Re: want recommendations for MS-DOS bridge game Summary: Nothing Spectactular - but it is CONTRACT BRIDGE Expires: References: <3380@ihlpg.ATT.COM> Sender: Reply-To: meri@leadsv.LEADS.LMSC.COM.UUCP (Ernie Meri) Followup-To: Distribution: Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca. Keywords: games bridge MS-DOS PC Well, there really isn't any good bridge programs around that I have seen, but then again I have only seen three for the IBM. The closest to real is TURBO-BRIDGE (Borland), where you may modify the bidding, display, scoring etc. to your style by modifying and recompiling the pascal segments. Unmodified, it has a fair game of STANDARD AMERICAN (if you do NOT play aggressive) and the hands are displayed well. In my copy, the scoring has a minor bug (adds one extra point to the declarer if the contract is made) which is minor considering the good display format (also logging of the hands!). One larger problem is that it contains no provision to repeat or play preset hands.....great to learn with or play duplicate with.... Plus, sometimes the initial leads the program comes out with are questionable, even though the program supposedly takes the bidding into account. Borland claims it estimates the `lying' factor too. Now I haven't modified any of my code (I don't have PASCAL 3.x, which is required) so it may quite readily be remedied, but I enjoy duplicate better than contract bridge and I have not found any programs close to acceptable in that regard! So if you obtain or hear of any DUPLICATE BRIDGE programs of merit, (I'm even willing to modify it, if necessary) don't forget to drop me a line about it ---- Urmas `ERNIE' Meri or call (days) (408) 756-8550
jamesd@qiclab.UUCP (James Deibele) (06/29/87)
In article <3380@ihlpg.ATT.COM> trl@ihlpg.ATT.COM (tr lowe) writes: >Having just purchased an AT&T PC6300+, I am interested in purchasing >a good game of computer Bridge. > I recommend Grand Slam Bridge, distributed by Electronic Arts, as the best bridge game I've seen on a PC-clone. Bridge 5.0 by Artworx is pretty bad by comparison, although it is half the price (29.95 list versus $59.95 list). Tournament Bridge by Random House is better than Bridge 5.0 and costs $10 more, but it won't let you bid---it does all the bidding while you watch. Grand Slam lets you bid, suggests plays, and all-in-all is the best around. I haven't seen a shareware or PD version of Bridge, but that's not to be considered definitive by any means. Hope that helps.
lawitzke@eecae.UUCP (John Lawitzke) (06/29/87)
I've been using Turbo Bridge. I'm still in the learning stages and it has helped my playing. (It isn't always easy to find three people tolerant of a beginner.) A few problems I've found with it: 1) In the play the computer sometimes muffs and plays say a 7h when he has a qh in his hand and could have taken the trick. 2) Every once in a while, the computer seems to get lost and back several bad plays in a row. 3) In bidding, your computer partner often stops too soon. (ie bids less than a game when he should be bidding game) 4) The exttra 1 point bug that has been mentioned earlier. Has anyone worked this out of the source code? After an initial perusal, I can't find it. -- John H. Lawitzke UUCP: ...ihnp4!msudoc!eecae!lawitzke Division of Engineering Research ARPA: lawitzke@eecae.ee.msu.edu (35.8.8.151) Michigan State University Office: (517) 355-3769 E. Lansing, MI, 48824
larry@pdn.UUCP (06/29/87)
In article <168@faron.UUCP> bs@faron.UUCP (Robert D. Silverman) writes: >... Maybe when as much time and effort has been spent on computer >bridge as chess we'll have something decent but I doubt it. Chess is a >deductive game, based on complete information. Bridge is an inductive one, >often based upon estimates of your opponents playing abilities. Such things >are currently beyond our understanding of how to program properly. Maybe, but I've read a lot about "psych-ing" in chess, as well as bridge. What a computer version CAN do, however, is teach people modern bidding systems. Larry Swift UUCP: {gatech,codas,ucf-cs}!usfvax2!pdn!larry Paradyne Corp., LF-207 Phone: (813) 530-8605 P. O. Box 2826 Opinions expressed are my own -- perfect in Largo, FL, 34649-9981 time, as yet unsullied by yours.
tla@kaiser.UUCP (T Anderson) (07/01/87)
The Bridge game that comes with the Borland Turbo GameWorks isn't too bad. It plays faster than the others I've played so you don't do as much waiting. It plays a fair game but not strong. I've found it not following conventions to well on openings, etc. (opens 1NT with only 13 pt occationally) and doesn't always respond as partner to conventions. I find it fun though and good enough to be interesting. You need Turbo Pascal of course. I also have a bridge program from Dynacomp. I bought it for an Apple II in BASIC and since it came with source I was able to convert it for my AT&T 6300 (sorry haven't tried these on a Plus) but I wouldn't expect a problem). I don't know if Dynacomp sells a PC version. Being in BASIC it is a lot slower, but actually plays a little stronger game. Another interesting twist was that it was easy to modify it to allow me to repeat a contract (same hands & bid). Even though you may know where the key cards are, its interesting to try different strategies to see if you can improve the handling of a given situation. -- Terry L Anderson AT&T Bell Laboratories -- Liberty Corners UUCP: ...!ihnp4!kaiser!tla TeleMail: Terry.Anderson (201) 580-4428