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The following is Alan Truscott's 2/19/96 column in the New York Times, reprinted with permission from Mr. Truscott:
How good are computer programs? Let's just say they're no threat to win the Blue Ribbon Pairs
There are now many programs that allow home computer owners to play bridge against their machine. Jim Loy of Bozeman, Mont., has performed a useful service by buying and testing 25 and reviewing them on the Internet.
His conclusion: "The top programs bid about as well as the average club player, and play worse."
By contrast, comparable chess programs can play up to master level, but bridge is not a purely mathematical game. There are language, partnership, and psychological elements that the computers cannot easily deal with.
Loy's top three programs are each available for $64.95, including shipping. They are Bridge Baron 6, 8804 Chalon Dr., Bethesda, MD 20817; Meadowlark, 2718 S. Broadway No. 283, Fargo, ND 58162; Bridge Mate 2, 8845 42d Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98136.
S QJT3 H AJ83 D AKJ C KJ S S 9542 H Q54 H K762 D 98532 D Q76 C Q9842 C A5 S AK876 H T9 D T4 C T763 East and West were vulnerable. The bidding: E S W N P P P 1D P 1S P 4S P P PLoy reported the diagramed deal in which Bridge Baron had the North-South hands in four spades. A club was led to the jack and ace, and a club was returned to the king. The program cashed the spade queen and then, erroneously, the jack. Two top diamonds and a diamond ruff were followed by a club ruff with the spade ten. A finesse of the spade eight left this ending, which provoked discussion on the Internet.
S H AJ83 D AKJ C KJ S S 9542 H Q54 H K762 D D Q76 C Q C A5 S A H T9 D C TSouth cashed the spade ace, forcing a heart discard from West, led a heart, and made an overtrick. Was this a squeeze? No, since South would make three of the last four tricks whether West's heart honor is guarded twice or three times.
What was South's chance of making three tricks on this ending? The usual answer is 75 percent, losing when West has both king and queen of hearts. But the practical answer is 100 percent, for if West had K-Q of hearts, he would have led that instead of a club from Q-x-x-x-x.