"LEARNING FROM  CHARLIE ROBOT ON BBO: 

Failure to consider the risks involved in playing this hand the way I did caused me to go down unnecessarily in a cold contract.

December 4,2009: Here is a hand I played in an ACBL Match point Robot tournament on BBO this last week that demonstrates the need to think and plan in order to fulfill your contract.  One thing about playing against the "Bots" (There are three robots at each table for the twelve boards that you play in 55 minute tournaments) is that they rarely make defensive mistakes.  It is possible to mislead them as they process the information they see but they often false card and make some very unusual leads.  I hear many players say the finesses never work, but I've played enough to belie that proposition. In today's hand, my Robot partner and I bid to 3nt as shown and West led the Ace and a small spade. Now when East followed with the 9 of spades, I played the Jack hoping to get a second spade if West held the Ace of Diamonds and continued with the fourth spade.  But with that play I lost the contract.  Since West didn't double or bid aggressively, It was highly probable that he didn't hold the Ace of diamonds, so it was vital to prevent East from being able to lead through my spade spade holding so I should have ducked his play of the spade nine.  I neglected to make this conclusion and took the second spade and West let me hold the Jack.  When East won the Ace of Diamonds, he continued spades and I was down one as East-West won four Spades and the Ace of diamonds leaving me one trick short. The hand is cold however if I duck the spade nine by East. If East continues with his 3rd spade, I get only one spade trick but any further lead by West could not defeat the contract as I can win the fourth spade or any other lead by West and clear the Diamond suit thus ending up taking  5 or 6 diamonds, a spade, one or two clubs and heart Ace for nine tricks. If East switches to hearts instead of leading the third spade I win the queen and the clear the diamond ace,  then win nine tricks after he leads to West's Spade King.  Making nine tricks.  The lesson? Think!!!

                                Charlie Robot