[msheald]

Hello! A free game today with advanced robots.

Just curious why robot bid 2D after an initial pass and after my pass. The description stated it had 4 diamonds when actually it had 3. Was robot trying to prevent a 1 level contract by ops? Or, for my own education, was there some other reason that I missed that I need to educate myself on for future play? Thank you and best regards.

Mike

https://tinyurl.brid...se.com/mrrckhut

[msheald]

No one can guide me as to the meaning of the 2D so that I can improve my bid? Best regards. Mike

[mycroft]

Far be it for me to analyze the depth of cogency that is our robots, but:

With this hand with the red suits reversed, *in competition*, we raise (possibly to 3, but definitely raise). With 4-4 in the reds, probably raise (given that opener is 4+ 97% of the time, playing 4=4=3=2 only in 1♦ and 15-17 NT). Such is the power of "show fit in competition". Given that, as a "best balance", assuming you to have the kind of hand you have (12-15, probably, short in hearts) and given that 1NT is making against that hand (4, maybe 5 hearts given how "strong" yours are is a good start to 7 tricks), 2♦, hoping for 4=1=5=3 or 3=1=5=4, is pretty decent. It promises 4? Okay, sure. Let it promise 4. Partner's not going to go wild with a hand that passed 1NT.

At least, that is what I would be thinking with a partner who can think bridge.

Of course, meta-rule 1 is: when you step out, a bad result is your fault, even if partner has to (mis-)play it(*). So, yeah.

(*) Meta-rule 2 is "there's no 'fault', we win as a pair, lose as a pair. Maybe we should talk about whether another action would be better next time, but...". Yeah, I know. It's just easier to write it that way...

[msheald]

Thanks!