1,000 Games/Disc1.iso/NEW/BRIDGE/BRIDGE.DOC

Text File | 1996-12-31 | 12KB | 209 lines

                             CONTRACT BRIDGE

 BRIDGE.EXE requires a PC/AT compatible computer with a COLOR monitor,
 (use the command line switch "/b" to activate a black and white mode
 for laptops). If a MOUSE is present in the system, it is automatically
 supported. The MOUSE is used by placing the cursor on the character to
 be input and clicking the LEFT button. In general, all the input prompts
 in the program can be answered using the MOUSE.

 The program bids, plays and scores rubber matches of Contract Bridge.
 You will always bid and play the SOUTH hand, and if NORTH-SOUTH are
 declarers you will play both hands. Hands are evaluated according to
 the Goren Point-Count method, and standard bidding methods are used.
 The following special practices and conventions are recognized:

       * Short Club Openers          * No Trump Weak Signal Bids
       * Preemptive Openers          * Stayman 2 Club Convention
       * Take-Out Doubles            * Blackwood Slam Convention

 The computer will always bid in a very straightforward manner. For
 example, an opening bid of one in a suit requires a minimum of 13 or
 14 points and a biddable suit containing at least 4 cards. On opening
 bid of one NOTRUMP requires 16 to 18 high card points and a balanced
 hand. Note that only strong 2 openers are recognized. A one-over-one
 response to an opening bid shows nominal responder points. A two-over-
 one response shows better that average points. Jump raises and jump
 shifts from either the opener or responder show a very strong hand.

 The Short Club is used as a last resort to show opening points but no
 good suit. If the responder has no good suit as well, the answering bid
 will be one DIAMOND (also a false bid). Note that the program can also
 respond with NOTRUMP as a signal bid to show a weak hand. An opening bid
 of three in a suit is Preemptive (showing 10 to 11 points and a long
 suit). It should only be answered with a hand containing opening points.

 The Take-Out Double is used in the first round of bidding to show
 strength or a void in the opponents' suit. It requires a better than
 opening hand, and demands that the partner respond (even with zero
 points). The Stayman Convention is used to respond to an opening bid
 of one NOTRUMP. It asks the opener to name the best major suit. The
 Blackwood Convention is the principal means used by the program to get
 to slam.

 You can use the "Configure the Bidding" option on the Main Menu to TURN
 OFF any of the six special conventions described above. Your selection
 will stay in effect as long as the current session of Contract Bridge is
 running.

 Your partner, NORTH, will bid each hand so that game may be produced by
 the most economical feasible contract. Enter [B] to make the computer
 ignore the partial score during the bidding of a hand. Note that the
 suggested contract may change as the bidding develops, and that partners
 may not reach the best contract. Also, the program may deviate from the
 bidding conventions if unusual distribution or a poor fit is indicated.

 Abbreviations used for the bidding are as follows:

         C  = CLUBS     D = DIAMONDS   H = HEARTS     S = SPADES
         NT = NOTRUMP   D = DOUBLE     R = REDOUBLE   P = PASS

 To bid a suit, enter the value of the bid, followed by the appropriate
 abbreviation. You can also use the "Bid Box" to select bids using the
 MOUSE. For example, to bid 1NT, click on the [1] and then click on the
 [N]. Press [ENTER], or place the MOUSE cursor in the center of the screen
 and click the LEFT MOUSE button, to make the computer bid for you. Enter
 a question mark [?] to see an estimate of the best contract. The current
 rubber score may be viewed by entering the word [SCORE], or by clicking
 the LEFT MOUSE button on the letter [S] in the Bid Box. Enter [Q], press
 [ESCAPE], or click the RIGHT MOUSE button to quit the bidding and allow
 a new deal. An illegal bid will cause an error message and a prompt to
 bid again.

 Play of the hand is according to common practice. The program can signal
 using discards (sometimes), finesse when appropriate, duck, ruff, and
 attempt squeeze plays. For the declarers, emphasis is placed on drawing
 trumps early. But this may be abandoned if control of the contract would
 be lost. In general, emphasis is also placed on establishing potential
 winners in good suits (especially in NOTRUMP).

 To play a card using the MOUSE, place the cursor on the character
 representing the value of the card and click the LEFT button. To play
 a card using the keyboard, enter the two characters representing the
 value and the suit. Note that the TEN of each suit is represented by
 the letter T. Some typical card designations are:

               1C 2D 3H 4S 5C 6D 7H 8S 9C TD JH KS AC.

 If you are using a MOUSE, the options described below will be displayed
 in a "Play Box" box on the playing screen. Click the LEFT MOUSE button
 on the desired item to select it.

 Press [ENTER], or place the MOUSE cursor in the CENTER REGION of the
 screen and click the LEFT button, to make the computer generate the play
 for you. Enter [L] to automatically follow suit with the lowest card in
 your hand. Enter [H] to automatically follow suit with the highest card
 in your hand. Entering a question mark [?] will show you an estimate of
 the best card to be played. Enter [V] if you would like to view all the
 hands during play.

 After each trick has been played you will see the prompt PRESS [U] TO
 UNDO OR ANY OTHER KEY TO CONTINUE. This gives you the opportunity to
 replay the trick without affecting the scoring. The rubber score may be
 reviewed by entering the word [SCORE] on the keyboard, or by clicking
 the LEFT MOUSE button on the letter [S] in the Play Box. Entering [Q],
 pressing [ESCAPE], or clicking the RIGHT MOUSE button will terminate
 the play without scoring the contract.

 In order to speed the play of the hand, the following special options
 are available: Enter [CC] to claim the contract, or enter [SC] to
 surrender the contract. To claim the remaining tricks, enter [CT]. To
 surrender the remaining tricks, enter [ST]. An illegal play will cause
 an error message and a prompt to play again.

 After the contract is finished, the hands may be REVIEWED and/or
 REPLAYED. The hands in a REPLAY may be ROTATED by assigning them to
 different players. If you replay a hand note that only the original
 contract will be scored.

 You can also GENERATE a REPORT describing the most recent hand (if it
 has been played to completion). The report will be written to disk as
 an ASCII text file, and will record who was the dealer, the cards in
 each hand, the bidding sequence, the play for each trick, and the results
 of the contract. This allows you to compare contracts with friends, and
 to send suggestions about the program to the author. Note that this
 feature is only available in the REGISTERED VERSION of the program.

 Hands can also be ENTERED from the keyboard and replayed. You will be
 prompted for the SOUTH, WEST and NORTH hands. Press [ENTER] alone to
 change suits, and press the appropriate character key to select a card.
 To use the MOUSE, click the LEFT MOUSE button to change suits. Then
 place the cursor on the desired card character at the bottom of the
 screen and click the LEFT button. The EAST hand will be filled in auto-
 matically with the remaining cards.

 The hands and current rubber score can be SAVED to disk at any time in
 a specified directory. You can use any legal DOS file name. This allows
 you to quit the rubber, and take up where you left off later. It is also
 handy for saving an individual hand that you want to replay and analyze
 later. When a hand is LOADED from disk, the rubber score is loaded as
 well. Note that rubber scoring is continued only after a new hand is
 dealt. The SAVE and LOAD options are only available in the REGISTERED
 VERSION of the program.

 At any point in a rubber you can return to the Main Menu to review the
 INSTRUCTIONS or SAVE a hand to disk. When you select "Play Contract
 Bridge" again, you will be returned to the next deal in the rubber with
 the score intact.

 Depending on your machine, the speed of the game may be too fast for
 your liking. Entering [F] when it is your turn to bid or play will cause
 the prompt PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE to appear after each player bids or
 plays, effectively allowing you to control the pace of the game. Enter
 [F] again to make the program return to its normal fast mode of play.

 A general note on input conventions: Default responses to input prompts
 are marked by an asterisk [*]. You can press the [ESCAPE] key at any
 time to back progressively out of the program. In general, the RIGHT
 MOUSE button is treated as an [ESCAPE] key press, and the LEFT MOUSE
 button is treated as an [ENTER] key press.

                      SUMMARY OF SPECIAL COMMANDS

 During Bidding: [ENTER]          Make the computer bid for you.
                 [?]              Show estimate of best contract.
                 [B]              Make partner ignore partial score.
                 [SCORE] / [S]    View current rubber score.
                 [F]              Toggle Fast/Slow mode of bidding.
                 [Q] or [ESCAPE]  Quit the bidding.
 During Play:    [ENTER]          Make the computer play for you.
                 [?]              Suggest card to play.
                 [L]              Follow suit with the lowest card.
                 [H]              Follow suit with the highest card.
                 [V]              View hands during play.
                 [U]              Undo trick.
                 [CC]             Claim contract (declarer only).
                 [SC]             Surrender contract (defender only).
                 [CT]             Claim remaining tricks.
                 [ST]             Surrender remaining tricks.
                 [SCORE] / [S]    View current rubber score.
                 [F]              Toggle Fast/Slow mode of play.
                 [Q] or [ESCAPE]  Quit the contract.
 General:        [ENTER]          Select default response (marked by *).
                 [ESCAPE]         Progressively back out of the program.
 Mouse:          [LEFT BUTTON]    Select input, equivalent to [ENTER].
                 [RIGHT BUTTON]   Equivalent to [ESCAPE].

 As to the level of play to expect, the program is best suited for rec-
 reational players who enjoy informal games of Rubber Bridge. The bidding
 and play are NOT at the tournament level, but most players should find
 themselves both challenged and entertained by the program.

 Although BRIDGE.EXE is not a tutorial on how to play Contract Bridge,
 you can learn to play the game using the program and a good book on
 Bridge. Many such books may be found at your local book store.

                              SHAREWARE

 CONTRACT BRIDGE is distributed as Shareware. Feel free to share the
 program and its files with others. However, if you continue to use
 CONTRACT BRIDGE, you must register the program by sending $20 US to:

                         Robert Lindsay Wells
                         1405 Lynn Avenue
                         Clearwater, FL 34615

 When you register you will receive the latest version of CONTRACT BRIDGE
 on disk with shareware reminders removed, an instruction booklet and a
 handy Text Editor (READ) as a bonus utility. Please register today!